"I want to go to Stanford and study architecture."
"Wow, that's cool," I said. "But why architecture?"
"Because I want to build something beautiful. Because I want to be remembered."
And I couldn't make fun of her for that dream. It was my dream, too. And Indian boys weren't supposed to dream like that. And white girls from small towns weren't supposed to dream big, either.
We were supposed to be happy with our limitations. But there was no way Penelope and I were going to sit still. Nope, we both wanted to fly. ( )

What sets this book apart from the YA lit masses is that the author manages to tell a great story and explore themes about identity and culture that many authors shy away from. Junior is like a man without a country. He is too smart to choose to continue living on the impoverished reservation where everyone knows him, his family, and all of their secrets, but he sticks out like a sore thumb at the affluent all-white school, and he can’t really imagine how he’s going to make a future in the white world.

Junior’s struggle to develop his cultural and personal identities, to navigate the choppy waters of adolescence, and to separate from his family enough to look at them with a little perspective will resonate with readers from privileged and minority groups alike. His alternating confidence and self-doubt will be familiar terrain, and the lessons he learns, whether you’re hearing them for the first time or the thousandth, will remind you of what it’s like to be a teenager, or, if you are still one, will give you hope that life really does become more bearable.

I really enjoyed reading this book, and while I can understand that the bit about masturbation might not appeal to some readers, I think the vast majority of Junior’s story is uncontroversial and definitely worth checking out. Alexie treats his characters with kindness, insight, and great humor, and I will definitely be recommending The Absolutely True Diary of a Part-Time Indian to teen readers (and reassuring their parents when necessary).

Read my full review at The Book Lady's Blog. ( )

Many life issues are addressed in this book (death, love, friendship, family, school, goal setting). It is a good read. ( )

Funny, educational. ( )

A brilliant book that follows Junior as he navigates his first year of high school at a school off of the Spokane reservation. Told in the form of his diary with hilarious and heartbreaking illustrations throughout, this book takes on the difficult issues of what it means to be an American Indian and the complicated and funny problems of just being a growing boy. This is a book that could be recommended to a middle school reader or even older because the illustrations and the vocabulary make the read feel easier while not lessening the impact of the story. Also the author has done a good job of capturing the teasing and gross out humor of boys going through puberty which makes the book a fun and true read. ( )