The Absolutely True Story of a Part-Time Indian

The Absolutely True Story of a Part-time Indian by Sherman Alexie

Published September 12, 2007

Plot Description: Based on the authors own personal experiences, this is a blatantly true story of Junior, a budding cartoonist who leaves his school on the Spokane Indian Reservation to attend an all-white high school. This heartbreaking, funny, and beautifully written tale, coupled with poignant drawings that reflect the character’s art chronicles the contemporary adolescence of one Native American boy as he attempts to break away from the life he seems destined to live.

Evaluation:  One of the most challenged and banned books in schools since its release, The Absolutely True Story of a Part-time Indian not only shows the brutal truth of what it means to be an adolescent high-school boy, but also many of the issues that students have to deal with outside of their school life, such as alcoholism, poverty, fighting, bullying, etc.  Yes, it is set in the environment of an Indian Reservation that almost none of us will ever get to see with our own two eyes, but it also shows students that many of the same issues that struggle with someone else has too.  That they are not alone.

Quantitative Reading Level: Grades 6-12

Content Area: History/Social Science

TEKS Subject Standard: SS 6.1A, SS 6.1B, SS 6.15A, SS 6.15B, SS 6.15C, SS 6.15D, SS 6.15E, SS 6.15F, US.26B, US.26C