Hope Nation Edited by Dr. Rose Brock

A. BIBLIOGRAPHY

Brock, R. (2018). Hope nation. Philomel Books.

B. PLOT SUMMARY

 Hope Nation is a collection of short stories edited and compiled by Dr. Rose Brock. Each of the stories deal with finding and maintaining hope during turbulent or difficult times in the author's lives. The collection includes stories by authors including Ally Carter, James, Dashner, Gayle Forman, Marie Lu, Julie Murphy, Jason Reynolds, Nic Stone, and Angie Thomas. It offers insights and encouragement for readings who may be struggling or who find themselves in a dark place. Some of the stories deal with racism or other forms of bigotry faced by the authors, and others touch more on turbulent times in the author's life. 

C. CRITICAL ANALYSIS

Hope Nation opens with Dr. Brock explaining why she wanted to edit a book like this one, with a touching story about her upbringing and family history. Following her Introduction, the book includes 23 different short stories by a variety of different authors. The stories addressed several different topics, including racism, assimilation to this country, and being an 'other.' I found many of the stories simultaneously heartbreaking and inspiring, filled with instances of heartbreak and disappointment followed by moments of triumph. While all the stories were powerful in their own rite, a few of them really made an impact on me. 

The first story that really stood out after looking back through all of them was Angie Thomas'. Thomas spoke of the release of The Hate U Give, which was inspired by the rise of the Black Lives Matter movement in the wake of several instances of police shooting unarmed black civilians. Thomas, begin from Mississippi - a state with a notoriously racist past - was initially worried that her book would lead to harsh criticism from racists and bigots. However, she was blown away by the amount of positive support it received, even by people who were clearly not her target audience. I appreciated this story because it reminded me to not be too quick to judge other's myself. Thomas' experiences throughout her book tour serve as a powerful reminder to us all that, while there may be hatred in the world, if we allow it inside of ourselves as well, no progress can be made. 

Another story that stood out was Marie Lu's story about her family coming to America shortly after the Tiananmen Square Massacre in China. Lu describes her families first few years in America, when they spoke little English and rationed the little food they had as best they could. Lu goes on to describe her own experiences with protesting when she arrived in college, and the emotions that it brought up from her childhood. The story describes how Lu and her family felt that the best way to 'belong' in America was to blend in and act as American as possible. This involved Lu speaking only English, watching American television shows, and nearly erasing everything about her own culture. Her family felt that the best way to survive was to keep their heads down and stay quiet. In light of recent events and tragedies that have befallen the Asian American community in the United States, I am glad that more and more immigrants are trying to keep their cultures alive in America. People shouldn't have to forget where they came from and the things they hold sacred in order to be "true Americans." Forcing others to assimilate to some kind of expected American lifestyle goes against everything that this country stands for. 

The final story that I felt was really impactful was Nicola Yoon's story about her and her husband's interracial marriage. Yoon discusses that by deciding to marry her, her husband's family disowned him since they believed black people to be less than other races. Yoon was actually the person that convinced her husband to do what he could to keep the relationship alive with his parents, and while things still aren't great with her in-laws (and while they are still racist), things have improved. This change in heart, as small as it is, gave Yoon some hope that people can change. I think that's what we all need to believe right now. As closed minded and as bigoted people feel at times, we have to believe that there is hope out there for anyone. Instead of attacking people with hatred and assuming the worst in everyone, if we keep some hope that things can improve and get better, then they just might. 

D. REVIEW EXCERPTS

 "This amazing outpouring of strength and honesty offers inspirational personal accounts for every reader who wonders what to do when everything seems impossible." 
--Booklist, starred review

"A must-read resource for English teachers, social studies teachers, and counselors....Each essay presents hope as the platform for positive action and growth....a strong addition to both YA and adult nonfiction collections."
--VOYA

"An important and inspiring read for thoughtful teens."
--School Library Journal

E. CONNECTIONS

Readers who enjoyed this book might also enjoy: 

Giles, Lamar. Fresh ink: An anthology. ISBN 1524766313.

Oh, Ellen. Flying lessons and other stories. ISBN 110193462X.

Zoboi, Ibi. Black enough: Stories of being young and black in America. ISBN 0062698737.

Amina's Voice by Hena Khan

A. BIBLIOGRAPHY

Khan, H. (2019). Amina's voice. Waterville, ME: Thorndike Press.

B. PLOT SUMMARY

 Amina's Voice is about a young girl named Amina who aspires to be a singer one day, but suffers from stage fright due to an incident during a school play when she was in elementary school. Now that she has moved on into middle school, her best friend, Soojin, is beginning to change. Her family is soon becoming American citizens, and she is wanting to change her name to something more American. As the only two girls at their school with 'difficult to pronounce' names, Amina worries that the changes in Soojin may lead to her becoming friends with other people. 

Amina and her family are anticipating an arrival from her uncle Thaya Jaan, whom she hasn't seen since she was very little. Thaya Jaan is very traditional, and expects both Amina and her brother to speak in Urdu while at home. They have both been entered in a Quran reading competition at their mosque, and Thaya Jaan is set to help them with their Arabic. As the year continues on, Soojin grows closer with another girl in their class, Emily, who has been rude to both Amina and Soojin in the past. Amina continues to feel left out, and believes that Soojin will soon leave her behind as a friend. Amina then accidently reveals a secret about who Emily has a crush on, causing further tension between her and Soonjin.

As the competition approaches, Amina's father receives a phone call late one night, and rushes off to the mosque. Amina soon finds out that the community center has been vandalized and set on fire, nearly destroying the mosque and much of the rest of the structure. Her family and the other members of the mosque are devastated, and the iman tells them that it will be months before they are able to open again. Members from all over the community, including Soonjin and Emily's families, come to support the Muslim community, and they all help ensure that the competition and festival continue. At the competition, Amina's brother surprises everyone by winning first place, and Amina finally finds her voice by singing her first solo. 

C. CRITICAL ANALYSIS

This novel did a really good job of showing what life can be like for immigrants and children of immigrants in this country. Both Amina and Soojin's families live somewhat differently than do the rest of their classmates. Culturally speaking, we see Amina's family at their mosque and during Sunday school, and the reader learns a bit about Islam and some of their customs and beliefs. We also get to learn about different foods that Amina and Soojin's families eat, including kimchi, masala, curry, and gulab jamun. Their classmates often make nasty remarks or turn up their noses to the smells of the food that the girls eat.

I was devastated when I found out that the Islamic community center and mosque were vandalized. The hurtful words and damage caused - both physical and emotional - felt very real indeed. Unfortunately, there are still hateful, bigoted people in this country, and things like this happen too often. What was really nice to see was how much the rest of the community stepped up and supported the Muslim community during their time of need. It was really great to see how open all of the different characters in the story were to new experiences and being around people that were different. The friendships and family relationships throughout the novel were really refreshing, and even though this book is intended for younger readers, I think adults would learn a great deal from Amina and her family as well. 

D. REVIEW EXCERPTS

*"Amina's middle school woes and the universal themes running through the book transcend culture, race, and religion. A perfect first book for this new Muslim imprint."
-- Kirkus Reviews, Starred Review

"Watching Amina literally and figuratively find her voice—bolstered by community, friendship, and discovered inner strength—makes for rewarding reading."
-- Publishers Weekly

"Realistic fiction centered on a Pakistani-American Muslim girl is a refreshing change in the middle grade market.....It’s solid storyline and the common denominator of middle school drama highlights the fact that students from all backgrounds may be more alike than they realize. Recommended."
-- School Library Connection

E. CONNECTIONS

Readers who enjoyed this book might also enjoy: 

Khan, Hena. Amina's Song. ISBN 153445988X.

Saeed, Aisha. Amal unbound. ISBN 0399544690.

Warga, Jasmine. Other words for home. ISBN 0062747819.

Joey Pigza Swallowed the Key by Jack Gantos

A. BIBLIOGRAPHY

Gantos, J. (2014). Joey Pigza swallowed the key. New-York: Farrar Straus Giroux.

B. PLOT SUMMARY

 Joey Pigza Swallowed the Key is about a young boy named Joey who struggles with behavior issues at school. He is bounced around homes when he is really young, and he eventually stays with his grandmother while his mother is out searching for his dad. Joey's grandmother struggles to control his behavior, and they live in a mostly run-down and dirty home. Eventually, his mom gives up looking for his dad and comes home to take care of Joey again. Initially, Joey is hesitant about his mom, since he didn't even know what she looked like before she showed back up. But he eventually learns to love her, and they move in together. 

Joey has struggles paying attention and sitting still at school. He has several incidents during the school year, including swallowing his house key, causing a disruption during a fieldtrip, and slicing the end of a girl's nose off with a pair of scissors. Due to his behavioral issues, Joey is eventually recommended for Special Education, where they feel the teachers will be able to help him get his behavior under control. He starts out in a Special Ed classroom at his same school, but after harming another student, Joey is sent to a different school for six weeks. He is very afraid of his new school, since he sees kids there that will never get better. Joey is afraid that he is broken inside, and if he doesn't get his behavior under control, he may never get back to his old school, and he might be taken away from his mother again. 

Eventually, Joey is recommended to a doctor in Pittsburgh, who performs some tests on him in order to find the best medication for him. Joey and his mom begin making some changes at home to help Joey get more structure in his life, and they eventually purchase a dog for him. Joey makes it back to his old school eventually, where he sees some old friends in his Special Ed classroom. 

C. CRITICAL ANALYSIS

This novel depicted a child with behavioral issues better than any I had ever read. The stream-of-consciousness writing technique makes Joey feel like he's talking a mile a minute, and his inner dialogue sheds light on how he is feeling. He isn't trying to be malicious or hurt others, but his constant need to move around keeps him in trouble. He is a smart kid who really just needed some positive adults in his life, and I was glad to hear that his medication was working towards the end of the book. Additionally, the way that Joey describes the Special Ed classrooms and the other children on his bus were just as I would expect from a young child. He avoids staring at kids with major needs, since that is how he was raised, but before long, Joey is treating these kids as he would treat someone with no noticeable disabilities. I feel that going to a new school would be scary for any kid, especially one being forced to go somewhere due to misbehavior. Gantos did a good job of showing how patient and professional the teachers at his new school were with the students that they worked with. 

I felt that the adults in this book treated Joey with kindness. All of his teachers were as patient as they could be, even Mrs. Maxey, who did her best to work with him while he was in her class. Special Ed and all of the doctor's that Joey encountered throughout the story, in my opinion, treated him fairly and better than I had expected when I read about this book. A lot of stories featuring children with attention and other behavior issues include adults that are mean, impatient, or just rude to children who do not behave. However, a few of the adults in the story seem to place all of the blame for Joey's behavior on his family situation, undermining all of the work that his mom did for him throughout the story. It was wrong of her to leave him in order to search for Joey's father, but she is doing her best to try and make up for the mistakes that she has made. Her alcoholism is definitely a problem, but hopefully as Joey's behavior gets under control, so will her need to drink.

D. REVIEW EXCERPTS

“In this rollercoaster of a ride, ingenuously and breathlessly narrated by Joey himself, readers are treated to an up-close introduction to life with attention deficit disorder--or being wired, as Joey puts it. . . . Readers of this compelling tragicomedy will know almost from the start that Joey's not just a good kid--he's a great kid.” 
--The Horn Book, starred review

In addition to offering an accurate, compassionate and humorous appraisal of Joey's condition, Gantos (the Rotten Ralph series; Desire Lines) humanely examines nature (both Joey's father and grandmother are as ""wired up"" as he) versus nurture (abandonment by Joey's parents, abuse by his grandmother, children's taunts) as factors in Joey's problems. Joey's hard-won triumph will reassure children fighting his same battle and offer insight to their peers. But because the book is so realistic, reading it can be painful and requires patience, just like dealing with a child like Joey.
--Publisher's Weekly

E. CONNECTIONS

Readers who enjoyed this book might also enjoy: 

Draper, Sharon. Out of my mind. ISBN 1416971718.

Gantos, Jack. Joey Pigza loses control. ISBN 1250061679. 

Lord, Cynthia. Rules. ISBN 0439443830.

We Are Okay by Nina LaCour

A. BIBLIOGRAPHY

LaCour, N. (2020). We are okay. Waterville, ME: Thorndike Press, a part of Gale, a Cengage Company.

B. PLOT SUMMARY

 We are Okay is the story of a girl named Marin who, after her grandfather passes away, leaves her home in California to attend college in New York. The novel begins with Marin awaiting the arrival of her friend, Mabel, whom she hasn't spoken with since she abruptly left town at the end of the summer. Marin is staying at her college dorm alone, since all of the other students have families to spend the holidays with. Marin does not know her father, and her mother drowned in a surfing accident when she was very young. 

The story goes back and forth between present day, where Marin is anxious and depressed about the events of the past 6 months, and the previous school year, where Marin found herself in love with Mabel, and things were going well with her grandfather. But after noticing some blood in her grandfather's handkerchief, Marin noticed his health begin to decline. Her grandfather had been writing letters back and forth with a woman named Birdie. He was very secretive about the letters, and he often spent hours in a closet built off of his room. After coming home and not finding her grandfather one day, Marin calls the police, who inform her that they believe he was washed away by the waves. Marin believes this to mean that her grandfather has committed suicide. Once Marin finally gets inside her grandfather's room, she discovers several secrets that he had been keeping, including the fact that Birdie did not exist - he was writing the letters to himself. 

Back in New York, Mabel arrives, but things are awkward with Marin. They had not spoken in months, and it takes the girls some time to get used to one another again. A snowstorm causes the power to go out, and the girls go and spend the night at the home of the groundskeeper. While laying together in the darkness, the two girls begin sharing how they have been feeling over the past few months. Eventually things start looking better for Marin and Mabel, until Mabel asks Marin to come back home with her to live with her family. Marin is hesitant to return, too ashamed and embarrassed about what happened with her grandfather and how she left town. 

The two girls continue talking and rehashing everything that took place between them. Eventually, Mabel has to head back to California, and Marin reluctantly sees her off without leaving with her. Alone and depressed again, Marin starts doubting her decision, until she hears a cab pull back up to her building. When she opens the door of the dorms, she sees Mabel and her parents have come to spend Christmas with her. They prepare food together, and Marin eventually agrees to move in with them. 

C. CRITICAL ANALYSIS

We are Okay dealt with characters that identify as LGBTQ+ and also a character battling with mental illness. Marin and Mabel, who begin dating during their senior year of high school, experience a lot of emotions typically associated with first love. When Marin eventually leaves town unexpectedly, Mabel is crushed. She tries to get in touch with Marin, but after months of ignored responses, she eventually begins dating a boy that she met at school. No mention is made about her switching back and forth between dating girls and boys, which I felt was a positive thing. The sexual identity of the characters is definitely not the focus of the story, and there are no negative portrayals of non-binary characters in the story. Even at the end of the book, when Mabel is trying to convince Marin who she likes, Marin mentions that being openly gay is widely accepted at her school and that she has seen and heard many girls discuss being gay. 

The bigger issue, and the one that I felt was focused on more throughout the story, is Marin's struggle with depression and anxiety, especially after leaving home. Marin spends three miserable weeks before the dorms open in a run-down motel, barely communicating with anyone. She mentions that she mostly just tried to sleep her days away, only leaving to eat her meals at a diner across the street. Her depression is definitely lingering throughout the story, and her anxiety escalates everytime that she is left completely alone. Her roommate Hannah, who we don't learn too much about, definitely serves as a positive source in Marin's life, never asking questions about her past and inviting her to outings with her other friends. Even the title of the book is an indication that, despite everything that has happened with her mother and grandfather, and especially after everything that took place with Mabel, that Marin is okay and getting better. 

D. REVIEW EXCERPTS

“A meditation on surviving grief, We Are Okay is short, poetic and gorgeously written…. The power in this little book is in seeing Marin come out on the other side of loss, able to appreciate a beautiful yellow-glazed pottery bowl and other people’s kindnesses, and to understand that she might one day have a girlfriend and a future. The world LaCour creates is fragile but profoundly humane.” 
--The New York Times Book Review

“A beautiful, devastating piece of art. . . .The title hints at a happy ending, but the journey toward it passes through some of the darkest corners of the heart. Be prepared to be gutted—and grateful. We Are Okay is an extraordinary work by an author who keeps redefining and elevating her genre." 
--Bookpage

“You can feel every peak and valley of Marin’s emotional journey on your skin, in your gut. Beautifully written, heartfelt, and deeply real.” 
--Adi Alsaid, author of Never Always Sometimes and Let’s Get Lost

E. CONNECTIONS

Readers who enjoyed this book might also enjoy: 

Hawkins, Rachel. Her royal highness. 152473828X.

LaCour, Nina. Hold still. ISBN 0525556087.

Silvera, Adam. They both die at the end. ISBN 0062457802.

How Turtle's Back was Cracked by Gayle Ross, illustrated by Murv Jacob

 A. BIBLIOGRAPHY

Ross, G. (1995). How turtle's back was cracked: A traditional Cherokee tale. (Illus. by M. Jacob) New York: Penguin.

B. PLOT SUMMARY

How Turtle's Back was Cracked is a Cherokee folktale that addresses why turtles backs look the way that they do. Turtle is very good friends with Opossom at the beginning of the story, and their favorite thing to do together is eat persimmons. The way they typically found and ate the persimmons was that Opossum would hang from the tree and drop them down for Turtle to eat. But one day, as Opossum was tossing persimmons down to Turtle, a wolf came by and played a trick on them both. As Opossum tossed the tasty fruit down to be eaten, the wolf snatched it away and took it for himself. This continued on until Opossum discovered what was happening, and he threw the next persimmon down as hard as he could, killing the wolf. 

After the wolf had been killed, Turtle took his ears as a form of tribute, and created a set of wolf-ear spoons out of them. He knew that many tribes had a custom to always feed a visitor a bowl of corn soup, so he went around eating soup and showing off his wolf-ear spoons to everyone he could. Eventually the other wolves found out that Turtle was claiming to be a great wolf hunter, so they went out and found him. While trying to decide what to do with Turtle to make him pay, he tricks the wolves to toss him in the river instead of setting him on fire or making a soup out of him. Since turtles are able to swim well in the river, Turtle thinks he has successfully tricked the wolves, but as they toss him in, he lands on a large rock, shattering his shell into a dozen pieces. 

Turtle was able to find the pieces of his shell, and since he is a great doctor, Turtle was able to eventually get the pieces back together and heal himself. To this day, all turtles have shells that are strong and together, but if you look closely, you can see the pieces that make up its shell. And no longer do any turtles carry around a pair of wolf-ear spoons to eat corn soup with. 

C. CRITICAL ANALYSIS

The first thing that really stood out to me about this book were the illustrations. Never before had I seen such vivid and colorful depictions of animals. I felt that the paintings done by Murv Jacob really brought to life these creatures that had been anthropomorphized and made to feel incredibly real. The landscapes and even the Native peoples shown throughout the story really bring the reader in and allows them to imagine the setting and time in which this tale exists. The story begins with the speaker claiming that this is a story the old people told him from the times when people and animals spoke the same language. I thought that was a really interesting way to frame this folktale that's sole purpose was to explain why a turtle's shell looks the way it does. These legends are so important to really understanding what the Cherokee hold sacred and learning about the stories that they pass on to their children. 

We learn about a few Cherokee customs throughout the story, including taking a tribute from an animal a warrior has killed; offering a guest the first item of food during a visit; and the thick corn soup that is always being made in case a guest stops by. The reader learns how these different customs come up in the daily life of the Cherokee, and how they weave into these folktales that are passed down from generation to generation. 

D. REVIEW EXCERPTS

When best friends Possum and Turtle tangle with a greedy wolf, the incident ends in the wolf's finish at Possum's hand-although Turtle takes the credit. As he flaunts his triumph, word swiftly travels to the wolf pack. A fleet-footed posse captures Turtle easily and brings him to an execution council; crafty Turtle outwits the wolves by begging them to do anything except throw him into the river. Not quite according to his plan, Turtle lands first on a rock, then bounces into the water. His shell sustains multiple cracks, but he nevertheless limps to safety. Jacob's tapestry-like acrylics, dense with pattern and detail, bring memorable theater to this story-they suggest a world in which everything, even the breezes in the sky, has tangible presence and import. The prose reflects Ross's expertise as a professional storyteller as well as her intimacy with Cherokee culture (a note on the jacket explains that she is a direct descendant of the chief who led the Cherokee Nation on the Trail of Tears). An endnote briefly summarizes Cherokee history. Ages 4-8.
--Publisher's Weekly

Gathering persimmons together, friends Possum and Turtle are joined by a thieving wolf who chokes to death on their fruit. Turtle, foolishly believing that he has killed the wolf, shows off the deed by making wolf-ear spoons and eating with them publicly. When the other wolves catch Turtle, they vow to kill him by roasting, boiling, or drowning him. He responds with, "Oh, no, not the river! Anything but the river." When they throw him in, he lands upside down on a rock, cracking his shell. He survives, but that's why the Turtle has cracks on his back today. Despite its echoes of the more familiar Brer Rabbit story ("born and bred in the briar patch"), this Cherokee pourquoi tale has a flavor all its own. Ross notes that she remembers the tale from her childhood, found a written source, and developed it through storytelling to its present form. Jacob's distinctive acrylic paintings illustrate the story's dramatic moments in scenes rich in colors and patterns. An entertaining picture book to read aloud. 
--Booklist

E. CONNECTIONS

Readers who enjoyed this book might also enjoy: 

Bruchac, Joseph. Thirteen moons on turtle's back: A Native American year of moons. ISBN
    0698115848.

Ross, Gayle. How rabbit tricked otter: And other Cherokee trickster stories. ISBN 0060212853.

Ross, Gayle. The legend of the windigo: A tale from native North America. ISBN 0803718977.

The Christmas Coat: Memories of my Sioux Childhood by Virginia Driving Hawk Sneve, illustrated by Ellen Beier

 A. BIBLIOGRAPHY

Hawk, S. V. (2019). The Christmas coat: Memories of my Sioux childhood. (illus. by E. Beier). Pierre: South Dakota Historical Society Press.

B. PLOT SUMMARY

The Christmas Coat is a story about a particular Christmas in the life of author Virginia Driving Hawk Sneve. As Virginia and her siblings are walking to school one day in the cold, South Dakota winter, she realizes that her coat has gotten too small for her. As her father is the priest at the local church, Virginia and her family are often in charge of organizing a clothing drive for the other families on the reservation. Oftentimes, boxes arrive from the East containing donated clothing and other goods, so Virginia and her family sort the clothes and watch the children while the mothers look for new shoes, pants, and other items of clothing. 

As Virginia is sorting out clothes from one of the boxes, she sees a beautiful fur coat that fits her. All day she keeps and eye on it, hoping that no one else will take it before she can get it. But a mean girl from her school comes to try on the coat, and it fits her perfectly. Virginia is devastated as she learns that she will have to settle for an uglier brown coat instead. The mean girl wears the coat to school the next day, but everyone soon discovers that the coat has a very bad smell to it. When Virginia gets home, her mother tells her that the mother of the mean girl said that the fur coat isn't going to workout for them, and Virginia is then forced to give her the brown coat that she had originally received. 

As Christmas arrives, Virginia and her family help organize a Christmas pageant with a nativity scene. After the pageant, Santa Claus comes and delivers presents to all of the children. Virginia's mother also gives her and her brother some gifts that arrived with the boxes of clothes. Virginia's brother receives a pair of cowboy boots, which he had been wanting since getting his shoes stuck in some mud. As Virginia opens her present, she sees that there is a brand new coat inside waiting for her. She tries it on with tears in her eyes, and she thanks her mother. 

C. CRITICAL ANALYSIS

Author Virginia Driving Hawk Sneve allows readers a glimpse into what her childhood was like as the daughter of an episcopal priest growing up on a Sioux Indian reservation in South Dakota. Readers learn an invaluable lesson about patience and kindness, as Virgina receives the coat of her dreams after watching a snobby classmate claim, and then abruptly return, a jacket that Virginia had once desired. We get a glimpse at how the Sioux celebrate Christmas, keeping many of the same traditions as non-Native people. We see a Santa Claus and gifts being exchanged around Christmas time, and we even see some of the food that is traditionally eaten as a holiday meal. 

I also found it interesting that the Sioux received clothing and gifts from places back East, and I wonder how common of an event this was. I am also curious to know if those donations arrive through the church itself or if it was due to the fact that they lived on the reservation. The clothing worn by the children throughout the book do not look as though they are traditional Native American attire, but this may be due to the fact that they are wearing clothes donated by non-Native people. Either way, Virginia is able to grow up inside a family that places the needs of others before themselves - a valuable lesson for someone of any culture. 

D. REVIEW EXCERPTS

Virginia's personality shines through in this poignant story that entertains and informs. 

--Kirkus Reviews

With its authentic portrait of a Sioux childhood and Christmas traditions and its eventual happy ending, this is a quiet but affecting picture book. 

--Horn Book

This richly descriptive narrative is well matched by detailed and expressive watercolors. 

--School Library Journal

E. CONNECTIONS

Readers who enjoyed this book might also enjoy: 

dePaola, Tomie. The legend of the poinsettia. ISBN 0698113594.

Maillard, Kevin Noble. Fry bread: A Native American family story. ISBN 1626727465.

Child, Brenda J. Bowwow powwow. ISBN 1681340771.

The Absolutely True Diary of a Part-time Indian by Sherman Alexie

 A. BIBLIOGRAPHY

Alexie, S. (2009). The absolutely true diary of a part-time indian. Berlin: Cornelsen.

B. PLOT SUMMARY

The Absolutely True Diary of a Part-Time Indian is a story about Arnold Spirit Jr., who grows up on the Spokane Indian Reservation in Washington State. Arnold grows up with several medical problems, stemming from a series of seizures that he had as an infant. He is still prone to seizures as a high school student, but he has not had one in a long time. Arnold is a very intelligent kid, and after throwing a book and breaking his teacher's nose, he is convinced to leave the reservation in order to attend a better school. 

The reservation and most of the people that Arnold has grown up with live in poverty, including his best friend Rowdy. Many of the people in his tribe are alcoholics, including his parents and members of his family. The people on the reservation torment Arnold, constantly beating him up and calling him names. He decides that his only chance to make something out his life is to leave the reservation. After breaking the news to Rowdy, who gets angry enough to punch him in the face, Arnold transfers to Reardon High School, where he is the only Native American student. Arnold struggles to adopt to this new school with its foreign rules, until one day he fights back after a bully calls him a racial slur. The people at Reardon are terrified after he punches the bully, Roger, in the face, but this begins his acceptance in their social hierarchy. 

Arnold befriends another boy at Reardon named Gordy, who is incredibly intelligent. Gordy helps Arnold with homework and fitting in at his new school, but they never become as close as Arnold and Rowdy. Eventually, Arnold tries out for the basketball team, and after being worried about getting cut, he ends up on varsity. The first game of the season is against his old school, and upon entering the gym for the game, the entire crowd turns their back on Arnold. While going up for a layup in the first quarter, Arnold is blindsided by Rowdy, who elbows him in the head, knocking him unconscious. Arnold spends the night in the hospital as doctors try to determine if any major damage has been done to his already fragile brain. 

As the basketball season continues, Reardon goes on a long winning streak, destroying most of their other opponents. They eventually play Arnold's old school again, but this time at home. Reardon humiliates Wellpinit, and at first Arnold is thrilled with his team's victory. Then he begins looking around at all of the people he has grown up with, and he realizes that most of them will go home to parents that beat or ignore them. He feels ashamed at wanting so badly to defeat his old school and Rowdy as well. 

Arnold experiences several deaths in the final few chapters, most notably the death of his sister, grandmother, and his dad's friend Eugene. Each of the deaths were related to alcohol in some way, and Arnold becomes increasingly aware of how much damage drinking has caused to his community. At his sister's funeral, he runs into Rowdy, who has been hiding in the woods watching the ceremony. Eventually the two spend the day together, making up after what has been a long, emotional year for both of them. 

C. CRITICAL ANALYSIS

The Absolutely True Diary of a Part-time Indian does an amazing job at once again showing this identity crisis for outsiders who are trying to start a new life for themselves. Arnold feels split between his family and his home on the reservation and the white people he has met while in search of a better life. He comes to understand that the only way for him to be happy is to leave the place he has called home forever, and the internal struggle he feels throughout the book is similar to that of many immigrants and people who are coming to America for the first time. The only real difference, is that Arnold and his family have lived in America longer than anyone. He shouldn't have to feel like an outsider considering his new school was a mere 20 miles from where he had grown up. The difference between his two worlds, however, was just as staggering as someone had arrived in this country for the first time. 

Arnold was faced with bullying and racism as he entered Reardon for the first time. He had racial slurs and hurtful comments lobbed at him from classmates, and even his teachers treated him differently since he was a Native American. There were mentions of how the police used unfair practices towards the Natives people as well, which was not surprising at all to read. Alexie really shines a light here on the mistreatment of Native Americans, and several of the hurtful stereotypes associated with them. When Arnold is short on money to pay for he and Penelope's food at Denny's, it is brought up how a lot of the white people outside of the reservation assume most Native Americans are rich because they receive casino money. But Arnold is quick to point how untrue that statement really is, and in fact, the only people making money from the casinos are the people that work there. 

What I really appreciated about this book is that it not only addressed the how white people have made life difficult for Native Americans, but how difficult they have made life for themselves. Arnold's ability to see the problems on the reservation and seek to improve them is really eye-opening. This self reflection and critique of his own people is shocking at first, but I found his transparency to be really comforting and it made the entire story feel more genuine. Getting to see both the positive and negative aspects of this culture, and all cultures really, is important, and I felt that Sherman Alexie took much of this book from experiences he had in his own life. 

D. REVIEW EXCERPTS

"The line between dramatic monologue, verse novel, and standup comedy gets unequivocally-and hilariously and triumphantly-bent in this novel."

--Horn Book, starred review

"Nimbly blends sharp with unapologetic emotion....fluid narration deftly mingles raw feelings with funny, sardonic insight."

--Kirkus Reviews, starred review

"Breathtakingly honest, funny, profane, sad....will stay with readers."

-- KLIATT, starred review

E. CONNECTIONS

Readers who enjoyed this book might also enjoy: 

Alexie, Sherman. War dances. ISBN 9780802144898.

Cisneros, Sandra. The house on mango street. ISBN 9780679734772.

Yang, Gene Luen. American born Chinese. ISBN 1250811899.