When my younger brother found out that I was reading Absolutely True Diary of a Part-Time Indian in class, he was super excited. He told me that it was one of his favorite books, though I have not read it yet. Now that we have read some, I am really surprised that it was recommended to him as a nine-year-old, and that he enjoyed it. Don't get me wrong, I love it; I think it's hilarious. But we are not even halfway through the book (well, I am, but I'm ahead of schedule), and there are so many things that I really hope he didn't understand. I think this book is appropriate for high schoolers, but some of the language isn't really so much for a 5th grader. So I've been a little surprised while reading, but it's because they are funny to me, and I sure hope they confused my brother.
This book feels to me like a kind of journal that is still fun to read. Junior narrates it like he's talking to his reader directly, and I can see him drawing the pictures. What I'm going to call "direct narration" helps me connect with Junior more than I would have otherwise. I also feel like this is one of the only really funny books directed to high school students. Sherman Alexie does not back off and writes as a teenager would talk, and I appreciate that. It's what makes the book so much more meaningful.
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