Alexie, S. (2007). The absolutely true diary of a part-time Indian.  NY:  Little Brown.

SUMMARY

Junior is a fourteen-year old boy living on the Spokane Indian Reservation in Washington. He was born with hydrocephalus (water in the brain), which has led to a number of health problems that have made him the victim of bullying from his tribe members.  Junior is frustrated by the lack of resources at the reservation school.  Mr. P. tells Junior the only way he can succeed is to get off the reservation. Junior takes Mr. P.'s advice and decides to transfer to Reardan, Junior decides to try out for the Reardan basketball team, and, makes it onto the varsity squad.  Reardan goes on to beat the reservation team causing Junior to struggle with mixed emotions.

In spite all of the trials he has faced during his freshman year at Reardan, Junior gets mostly As in his classes. While visiting the cemetery with his parents,  Junior thinks about all the people he has loved who died alcohol-related deaths, and all the Spokanes who will die in the future.

My Response:

This text is easily readable for 7^th to 10^th grade and could be used for a social studies lesson on tolerance and the societal issues of reservation life such as poverty and alcoholism.  Some concerns might be the descriptive use of violence, strong language and some adult content.