Funny, tragic, and surprisingly deep and insightful for a "kids' book."

Edit: On a second and third read-through (I taught this book this year), there's even more to unpack. The book is much more carefully and deliberately written than I'd first given it credit for, and Alexie puts a lot of contrasting thematic elements into play. ( )

Junior is a 14-year old Native American living on the reservation with his family. His loving and supportive parents and grandmother are an exception to the rule on the "rez" and Junior starts to see his future as already written. With the encouragement of a teacher who sees his potential, Junior realises that he doesn't want to be stuck in the same poverty with the same people falling into despair and alcoholism. He makes a radical decision to switch to a school off the rez. Due to his thick glasses, skinny body, and big head, Junior is already a bit of an outsider but this decision will test the limits of his friendships and will turn him into the titular "part-time Indian" who feels he doesn't quite fit in on the rez or at the white school he attends.

Junior life is not an easy one but he navigates it with courage and a strong sense of humour and he finds his release through drawing. Filled with both heart-breaking and comical anecdotes, this semi-autobiographical novel by Coeur d'Alene Native American Sherman Alexie is powerful and poignant.

This was the @badass.book.bitches pick of the month for July and I'll admit that I wouldn't have picked it up otherwise. I did enjoy reading it but despite some 'adult' themes (poverty, racism, alcoholism, child abuse, death) I was always quite aware that it was a young adult novel. I find absolutely nothing wrong with reading YA literature as an adult but there are novels that bridge the gap a bit more. The writing here felt geared towards younger people and that left me feeling a little flat in places where I thought I'd have stronger emotions.

My rating is based on reading it as a YA novel as was intended. Overall it was a supremely easy read and I found myself very much rooting for Junior along the way. ( )

SLJ Book of the Year

SLJ Book of the Year!

SLJ Book of the Year!