The Absolutely True Diary of a Part-Time Indian (National Book Award Winner)

A New York Times bestseller--over one million copies sold!
A National Book Award winner
A Boston Globe-Horn Book Award winner

Bestselling and award winning author Sherman Alexie tells the hearbreaking yet funny story about a boy living on the Spokane Indian Reservation who wants to break free of the life he was destined to live.

Junior is a budding cartoonist growing up on the Spokane Indian Reservation. Determined to take his future into his own hands, Junior leaves his troubled school on the rez to attend an all-white farm town high school where the only other Indian is the school mascot.

Heartbreaking, funny, and beautifully written, The Absolutely True Diary of a Part-Time Indian, based on the author's own experiences and coupled with poignant drawings by Ellen Forney that reflect the character's art, chronicles the contemporary adolescence of one Native American boy as he attempts to break away from the life he was destined to live.

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288 pages

Average rating: 7.51

173 RATINGS

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Anonymous

Mar 26, 2025

10/10 stars

Fantastic. Very realistic based on my experiences on and near Reservations. Banned book???!!!

MaggieParedes

Feb 10, 2025

10/10 stars

What an absolutely funny, thought-provoking, heart-wrenching story of finding hope in the least expected place in the United States. I enjoyed every second of this quick read! This book is my first five star read of 2025, and itâs also a banned book.

Trigger warnings: Homophobia, cursing, racism, violence, alcoholism, drunk driving, car accidents, eating disorders, murder, bullying, stereotyping

Shahna

Jul 18, 2024

8/10 stars

Really enjoyed this one.
Quick and fun read.
Junior is very funny.
Also I didn't know it was illustrated !

Anonymous

Dec 27, 2023

10/10 stars

Excellent.. I laughed and I cried. I listened to this one, read by the author, I think it's the way to do it. Except that I didn't get to see the drawings...

Lifeasmrssmith

Nov 09, 2023

10/10 stars

I don’t think I’ve ever laughed out loud so much for a book. This reminded me so much of my best friend and her sisters growing up on the Rez. and how they joke and how they cry and how they survived. This book was amazing. I highly recommend it.