The Absolutely True Diary of a Part-Time Indian

by Sherman Alexie

The Absolutely True Diary of a Part-Time Indian is another book I'm rereading for school. I read it at the beginning of the school year and fell in love with it. In fact, this book is the reason I decided to expand my literature circles project. As soon as I read it, I knew I had to teach it somehow. But I also knew it wouldn't appeal to everyone, so literature circles are the answer. The book is told by Arnold (Junior) Spirit who decides (after he is given the same math book his mother used) to go to school at a white school 20 miles away instead of on the reservation. Here's what I love about the book.

• It is absolutely hilarious. Laugh out loud while you're reading silently in class so that all your kids stare at you hilarious.
• It's illustrated.
• It is completely irreverent. (And occasionally inappropriate.) Arnold makes fun of himself, his friends, his family, Indians, white folk, everyone.
• It provides great commentary on race relations.
• It's heart-warming (in an irreverent way).
• It doesn't take itself too seriously.

So go read this book. You can borrow my copy.

Looks

by Madeline George

Looks (the story of a fat girl and anorexic girl, both school outcasts, who team up to bring down the "perfect girl") had a lot of potential, but was ultimately disappointing. The characters were interesting but not fully developed and the ending left a lot of questions unanswered. There was really no sense of resolution. It seemed like the author lost control of the narrative, realized she'd written about 200 pages, and just stopped writing when the story was just beginning.

In the Woods

by Robin Stevenson

In the Woods, the story of a boy who finds a newborn abandoned in the woods, is really more of a novella than a novel. It's a quick read (it took me about 25 minutes), and it's interesting, but there's very little character development. The characters are essentially just stereotypes. I think kids might enjoy it because it's so short and because the topic is engaging, but it's not particularly memorable.

A Little Friendly Advice

by Siobhan Vivian

I read Siobhan Vivian's novel Same Difference last semester and absolutely loved it, so when our school got A Little Friendly Advice, I checked it out immediately. A Little Friendly Advice is about a girl whose long-absent father shows up unexpectedly on her birthday. Her friends and new love interest all offer different advice on dealing with the situation, and she winds up uncovering the secret behind her parent's divorce.

This book had appealing characters, but it seemed a little immature in terms of the writing. Some of the dialogue was artificial, and I didn't think the characters' motives were developed as well as they could have been. It was an okay book, but not as good as Same Difference.