The Absolutely True Diary of a Part-Time Indian
Sherman Alexie (2007)
“A boy draws cartoons to survive. His reservation wants him to stay. His ambition forces him to leave. Both choices cost him everything.”
Why This Book Matters
Won the National Book Award for Young People's Literature in 2007. Consistently ranks as one of the most frequently challenged books in American schools — meaning it's also one of the most commonly assigned. It is the most widely read novel about contemporary Native American life in the school curriculum and arguably the first to reach a mass teenage audience with this specific perspective.
Firsts & Innovations
First widely-adopted YA novel narrated by a contemporary reservation Indian — not historical, not romanticized
First major YA novel to use cartoons as integral narrative elements, not supplemental decoration
One of the first YA novels to address Native American poverty, alcoholism, and systemic neglect directly and without redemptive resolution
Cultural Impact
Among the top ten most frequently challenged books in American schools (American Library Association list)
Banned in school districts for language, sexual references, and 'anti-family' content
National Book Award winner prompted renewed discussion of Native American representation in YA
Alexie's refusal to soften the poverty or the deaths sparked debate about what YA literature is allowed to show
Used widely in schools as an entry point to discussions of race, class, and systemic inequality
The novel's hybrid form (prose + cartoons) influenced subsequent YA — Jennifer Niven, Raina Telgemeier's more literary graphic novels
Banned & Challenged
Challenged and banned in school districts across the country, primarily for: profanity, sexual references (a brief masturbation joke), and depictions of alcohol and violence. The American Library Association reports it appears repeatedly on banned books lists. The banning often targets the specific communities most at risk — schools with Native American student populations have banned a book about Native American poverty. Alexie has been vocal and publicly angry about these bans.