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The Absolutely True Diary of a Part-Time Indian: Teacher Guide
Time-saving, inspiring lesson plans provide a comprehensive novel unit--created by teachers for teachers. The legwork is done for you. The chapter-by-chapter guides incorporate research-based, high-order reading, writing, and thinking activities. (This is NOT the paperback novel.)
32 pages, Paperback
First published November 1, 2010
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Displaying 1 - 8 of 8 reviews
May 12, 2022
It was okay.
March 20, 2019
★★★★☆ Sierra Gagne
A story of hope:
A review of The Absolutely True Diary of A Part-Time Indian
Sherman Alexie’s book, The Absolutely True Diary Of A Part-Time Indian was inspiring by the messages of hope and finding who you are but also very emotional with the topics of poverty, racism and death. This book also had a lot of pubescent sexual content as well as the powerful emotions that you felt from very “touchy” subjects that this book is based on. This book needs a mature audience. If you are not mature enough, you may not be able to understand his meaning of all the topics in his story. The author was very successful in inspiring as well as educating his audience on things like First Nations lifestyle, bullying, poverty, dedication and hope. He did all this by being serious in moments but also being able to lighten the mood after with his witty humor and Ellen Forney’s humorous and greatly drawn cartoons. Although the author occasionally gets sidetracked with his sermonizing on issues he feels “white” readers need to be better educated on, it was very well written and I would recommend for a mature audience of 14 to a older adult.
A family of four lives on a reservation while in poverty, with a fourteen year-old boy with many physical and neurological disabilities. Junior is smarter than everyone on the Wellpinit reservation and has hope in himself, while many on Wellpinit seems to have lost theirs. Junior decides to attend Reardan, a rich white school off the reserve where the only other Indian their is the mascot. To live a life different from every other generation on Wellpinit, he needs to leave. He needs to get a better education and a better life. But at Reardon, Junior is depressed and alienated, not only from being the only native but also because he is seen as a traitor to his own people by moving to a new school because he is “better” than the others. Trying to live both worlds, Junior learns more about racism, love, friendships, bullying, art, and what is worth keeping in your life and what is better to leave behind.
Some things that Sherman Alexie and the art of Ellen Forney did very well in the book was the cartoons, the blunt truth and the drive of Junior. The cartoons came in the perfect time, and they were educating and humorous. They also showed part of Junior that he couldn’t explain in words, the pictures in his head. The creativity that he needed to share but couldn’t with words. Everyone could understand pictures, not only the people who could read that language.
The blunt truth came in times of earnest and the purposes of educating. Also being able to relate to the book more with the witty humor of puberty towards “sexy” women.
The drive of Junior encouraged me to try harder. Junior gets pushed back by death, bullying, depression but never does he complain and hide in his room like others; he’s different. That is what this book is about, being different. With his community being the way it is, and all of the metaphorical and literal punches that Junior gets swung at him, he still pushes through with hope.
Something that Sherman Alexie could work on is focusing on the points that he really believes white people needed to understand while also staying with the meaning of the book. He went too in depth about a topic he cared about, but the theme of the book did not match the topic, which made that part of the book, The Absolutely True Diary Of a Part-Time Indian, confusing.
Something that I found a criticism but a strength at the same time of this book is the stigma towards First Nations people. Positively, it showed the sense of community of First Nations have over the “white” people. This is something that “white” culture is lacking in society and that we could learn from.
Something that was a weakness of mine towards the book was the stigma I already felt negatively towards First Nations. This book closed my energy of being open minded because I heard the same perspective from someone who actually lived on a reserve. Some people could feel like the author is stereotyping First Nations, but he is actually trying to explain how the reservation did this to them and how they are negatively impacting to First Nations.
Those who enjoy books that provide inspiration, as well as humour and realistic life problems, will love this book. Readers will get more knowledgeable on the First Nations culture as well as how First Nations live their life. The audience will also have a variety of emotions with death, and then the opposite feeling with the cartoons. Readers could also get confused when Sherman Alexie loses focus of what he wants to teach his audience, but will become fond of how the First Nations come together in those situations. Readers will walk away from reading this book with a different perspective then when they started.
A story of hope:
A review of The Absolutely True Diary of A Part-Time Indian
Sherman Alexie’s book, The Absolutely True Diary Of A Part-Time Indian was inspiring by the messages of hope and finding who you are but also very emotional with the topics of poverty, racism and death. This book also had a lot of pubescent sexual content as well as the powerful emotions that you felt from very “touchy” subjects that this book is based on. This book needs a mature audience. If you are not mature enough, you may not be able to understand his meaning of all the topics in his story. The author was very successful in inspiring as well as educating his audience on things like First Nations lifestyle, bullying, poverty, dedication and hope. He did all this by being serious in moments but also being able to lighten the mood after with his witty humor and Ellen Forney’s humorous and greatly drawn cartoons. Although the author occasionally gets sidetracked with his sermonizing on issues he feels “white” readers need to be better educated on, it was very well written and I would recommend for a mature audience of 14 to a older adult.
A family of four lives on a reservation while in poverty, with a fourteen year-old boy with many physical and neurological disabilities. Junior is smarter than everyone on the Wellpinit reservation and has hope in himself, while many on Wellpinit seems to have lost theirs. Junior decides to attend Reardan, a rich white school off the reserve where the only other Indian their is the mascot. To live a life different from every other generation on Wellpinit, he needs to leave. He needs to get a better education and a better life. But at Reardon, Junior is depressed and alienated, not only from being the only native but also because he is seen as a traitor to his own people by moving to a new school because he is “better” than the others. Trying to live both worlds, Junior learns more about racism, love, friendships, bullying, art, and what is worth keeping in your life and what is better to leave behind.
Some things that Sherman Alexie and the art of Ellen Forney did very well in the book was the cartoons, the blunt truth and the drive of Junior. The cartoons came in the perfect time, and they were educating and humorous. They also showed part of Junior that he couldn’t explain in words, the pictures in his head. The creativity that he needed to share but couldn’t with words. Everyone could understand pictures, not only the people who could read that language.
The blunt truth came in times of earnest and the purposes of educating. Also being able to relate to the book more with the witty humor of puberty towards “sexy” women.
The drive of Junior encouraged me to try harder. Junior gets pushed back by death, bullying, depression but never does he complain and hide in his room like others; he’s different. That is what this book is about, being different. With his community being the way it is, and all of the metaphorical and literal punches that Junior gets swung at him, he still pushes through with hope.
Something that Sherman Alexie could work on is focusing on the points that he really believes white people needed to understand while also staying with the meaning of the book. He went too in depth about a topic he cared about, but the theme of the book did not match the topic, which made that part of the book, The Absolutely True Diary Of a Part-Time Indian, confusing.
Something that I found a criticism but a strength at the same time of this book is the stigma towards First Nations people. Positively, it showed the sense of community of First Nations have over the “white” people. This is something that “white” culture is lacking in society and that we could learn from.
Something that was a weakness of mine towards the book was the stigma I already felt negatively towards First Nations. This book closed my energy of being open minded because I heard the same perspective from someone who actually lived on a reserve. Some people could feel like the author is stereotyping First Nations, but he is actually trying to explain how the reservation did this to them and how they are negatively impacting to First Nations.
Those who enjoy books that provide inspiration, as well as humour and realistic life problems, will love this book. Readers will get more knowledgeable on the First Nations culture as well as how First Nations live their life. The audience will also have a variety of emotions with death, and then the opposite feeling with the cartoons. Readers could also get confused when Sherman Alexie loses focus of what he wants to teach his audience, but will become fond of how the First Nations come together in those situations. Readers will walk away from reading this book with a different perspective then when they started.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
November 2, 2015
This story was an eye opening novel for me. I had no clue what goes on in Indian reservations and what they have to overcome. Junior was the perfect person to inform us about the struggles he and his fellow Indians have to face in America. I thought it was depressing how the only way to find hope and become successful in life was to leave the Rez. This book required a lot of maturity and I would only recommend it to a responsible audience.
November 19, 2015
It isn't completely true, even by the standard of autobiography. Being only half fiction means it's only halfway into my realm of interest. I'm reminded by this fact of why I prefer fiction to reality. This person's life sucked. As a published author, hopefully it got better. But if there was a sequel, I wouldn't want to read it. Give me fiction any day.
January 21, 2016
I just think it's interesting to read! I read it for my English class at first...... The pictures in it were assume! It's a good book I think, teaching us history of a part-time Indian......
March 24, 2016
It was a good book because of its characters
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March 24, 2016I really loved this book it is an amazing book i would recomend the ages 14and up because if its profanity.
October 29, 2016
This review is for the TEACHER'S GUIDE. Great help for my book club questions.
Displaying 1 - 8 of 8 reviews