Absolutely True Diary of a Part-time Indian

Absolutely True Diary of a Part-time Indian

by Sherman Alexie

This is the story of a bright Native American teen caught between two cultures. Arnold Spirit, also known as Junior, is often the victim of bullying in his school and escapes through his drawings (sprinkled throughout the book) and the loyalty of his best friend. A teacher persuades him to reach higher than he would be able to on the reservation so he transfers to an upscale white school where he is suprisingly well accepted but becomes a bit of an outcast on the "rez". Meanwhile, he struggles with the tragic deaths of his sister and grandmother and deals with alcoholsim and other adversities. His resilience will inspire readers. Easy read.

Entering freshmen in the Honors English Classes must read this easy book as well as another book from the summer reading list. Honors English teachers have a guided reading/assignment sheet for their students to complete this summer. Here is the LINK to that assignment.