book review + indigenous peoples day | The Absolutely True Diary of a Part-Time Indian
Author: Sherman Alexie
Illustrator: Ellen Forney
Book Cover: Kirk Benshoff
Genre: Autobiographical, Young Adult, Humor
Rating: ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
Sherman Alexie has mastered the art of writing a novel for young readers that is able to convey heavy topics without losing their interest. This book is unapologetic and honest. There is an abundance of content that so many preteens and teens can relate to (first loves, feeling out of place at school, sports). More importantly, however, there is content many of those readers have never been exposed to. This book is a great starting point for younger readers who want to get into books centered on BIPOC characters and their experiences.
Indigenous Peoples’ Day ⬇️
Beyond history and social studies classes, my knowledge of Native American culture and life of a reservation is limited. Alexie's firsthand account has made me realize that I need to work harder to seek out novels written by Native American authors. Our country’s narrative belongs to them as much as it does to all of us and my reading list has failed to reflect this (I have plans to fix this and you can send me suggestions by checking out the Book Recs tab on my page). I’m looking forward to celebrating Indigenous Peoples’ day by staying informed about the issues affecting this community and learning more about their customs and traditions from firsthand sources.
