1. The Absolutely True Diary of a Part-Time Indian

Alexie, S., & Forney, E. (2007). The absolutely true diary of a part-time Indian. New York: Little, Brown. 

Junior is a 14 year old boy living on an  Indian Reservation facing many challenges such as poverty, racism, mental and physical challenges, and being bullied by his own people, as well as "the whites".  It was through his wittiness and sense of humor that Junior was able to overcome and deal with these challenges.  What he could not say verbally, he was able to express through cartoons.  Junior stepped out of the box and broke the chain of doing things the same way his family did.  He showed that alcohol is not the answer.  Even though he was bullied by his own people and "the rich white people", he proved that you have to pick your battles to fight and which to walk away from.  He was a young boy with a big heart.  He had a giant determination to change a very negative environment into a positive outcome.  He was able to overcome the barriers of racism, renew a much needed friendship, and deal with the grief of losing a loved one at an very young age.

This is an easy to read book with catchy chapter titles.  The author includes comic like drawings to help the reader convey Junior's thoughts and feelings.  The drawings are done in three different styles:  1. scribbled to convey immediate thoughts, 2.  realistic cartoons to show real thoughts, 3.  penciled portraits for intimate situations.  The title catches readers eye as it seems interesting, after reading the book, readers can understand how Junior felt torn between two worlds, making him feel like a "part-time Indian".

See what The New York Times has to say about The Absolutely True Diary of a Part-Time Indian Here.