equal parts sniffs and giggles *** A beautiful, wrenching story that made a lasting impression on the way i think about my life, and how i interact with people when discussing access to education and the racial/classist issues involved in our current educational system's make-up.

I really enjoyed this book. The main character is brutally honest and funny. The story made me angry, happy and sad. This is the first book I've read from the young Native American perspective. I think this is a great story for young adults because it deals with multicultural issues, family and high school. ( )

This is a delightful book! I read it in one sitting. Sherman Alexie has a terrific sense of humor that makes the reader laugh out loud and get punched in the face with sad reality simultaneously. This books puts life on a reservation in real, tangible terms without making the people seem pitiful.

This is a terrific young adult fiction book. I plan on using it as a class novel study. I think it is particularly good for students struggling with identity (common to starting a new school--like in grades 6 or 9). I also think it is a good book for boys in general.

I highly recommend this one--to ALL ages. ( )

This story of a Native American teenager trying to find his own way in life is touching, funny, and eye-opening. It gives the reader real insite into the lives of Native Americans and the daily struggles they face. The character of "Junior" is engaging and believable. His voice is haunting. What I loved about this book is the way Alexie, through the voice of Junior, takes on the issues of alcoholism, racism, stereotyping, poverty, etc. that Native Americans face everyday. Junior faces his challenges openly, with humor and courage. His story is often a sad one, but it is told in a way that allows the reader to understand without being left feeling depressed.

Discussion questions:

1. How does Junior's perception of himself affect the way others perceive him?
2. Explain the relationship between Gordy and Junior. What makes this relationship work?
3. Pick two of the following and describe how they impact Junior's life. Mary, Rowdy, Eugene, Penelope, Coach
4. On page 217, Junior comes to realize that he is not only from the tribe of Spokane Indians, but that he belongs to several other, different kinds of tribes. Of what tribes might you consider yourself a member? Explain your affiliation with each group. ( )

There is not one page in "Absolutely True Diary Of Part-Time Indian" which will not have you laughing out loud. The honest voice of Arnold "Junior" Spirit baldly describes the lives of his Native American people, his family in particular. If that is not enough, Junior's simple yet descriptive drawings of his situation drive the point home. Overcoming the fate his people have accepted for themselves, Junior enrolls in the privileged high school 22 miles away--even though he's never quite sure if he's going to make it there every day. Here, he is met with racism and bullying, while at home he loses his best friend and bears the brunt of his people's disdain for his choice. You will be wiping tears of laughter while your heart is breaking--to paraphrase a blurb on this book from another author. ( )