Module 15: The Absolutely True Diary of a Part-Time Indian

Citation
Alexie, S.  (2007).  The Absolutely True Diary of a Part-Time Indian.  New York: Little Brown.

Summary
Readers learn the story of painfully awkward Arnold Spirit in this partially autobiographical account of Sherman Alexie's youth.  Blessed with cognitive abilities but limited by the resources of the Spokane Reservation, Spirit decides to attend school twenty-two miles away in Reardan, Washington.  Considered a traitor to the Spokanes and not accepted by the whites of Reardan, Spirit finds himself uncomfortably trapped between two cultures while he flourishes academically, excels at basketball, and forms tentative friendships.  At once tragic and comic, Alexie's lyrical prose details Spirit's life at home, the colorful characters of his communities, and major plot lines that culminate with the sentiment, "Love and death."

Impressions
This book deserves every bit of its National Book Award.  It hasn't made an impression on me; it has imprinted my perspective with its perceptiveness regarding human nature, an unforgettable mentality of poverty, its hilarity, and its pathos.  Its candor regarding the private life and colorful language of a 14-year-old boy aside (inextricable from the character of Arnold Spirit), this is a book that I plan to give as a gift to my sister and maybe even to my father.  I will recommend it to my son, who will be 14 this August.  One of my favorite lines: "We are all five years old in the presence or absence of our parents." So much beauty and pain and laughter and crying, all mixed up together without stooping to maudlin clichés or conventions.

This definitely ranks as one of the best books I've ever read -- but it is not for the faint of heart or squeamish regarding language or sexuality.  The story and its messages more than compensate for the mediation of a fourteen year old mind, and, in fact, that fourteen year old mentality really comprises a significant part of the story in all of its crudity, insight, big-heartedness, dorkiness, anger, ambition, and love.

I had read Lone Ranger and Tonto Fistfight in Heaven, too.  It contains another of my favorite lines: "I want to rasp into sober cryptology and say something dynamic but tonight is my laundry night."  Well done, Sherman Alexie!  Books like this make me grateful to be alive.

Review
Chipman, I.  (2007).  The absolutely true diary of a part-time Indian [book review].  Booklist, 103(22), 61.
Arnold Spirit, a goofy-looking dork with a decent jumpshot, spends his time lamenting life on the “poor-ass” Spokane Indian reservation, drawing cartoons (which accompany, and often provide more insight than, the narrative), and, along with his aptly named pal Rowdy, laughing those laughs over anything and nothing that affix best friends so intricately together. When a teacher pleads with Arnold to want more, to escape the hopelessness of the rez, Arnold switches to a rich white school and immediately becomes as much an outcast in his own community as he is a curiosity in his new one. He weathers the typical teenage indignations and triumphs like a champ but soon faces far more trying ordeals as his home life begins to crumble and decay amidst the suffocating mire of alcoholism on the reservation. Alexie’s humor and prose are easygoing and well suited to his young audience, and he doesn’t pull many punches as he levels his eye at stereotypes both warranted and inapt.  A few of the plotlines fade to gray by the end, but this ultimately affirms the incredible power of best friends to hurt and heal in equal measure. Younger teens looking for the strength to lift themselves out of rough situations would do well to start here. Grades 7-10

Suggestions for use
This is a tough one for this book.  Without a doubt, it merits a place in middle school libraries and up, but its content will render it an unfortunate target of challenges.  So how does a school librarian use such a book?  I would hate to draw undue attention to the more provocative elements of the book when, taken as a whole, it has so much to offer.  I could definitely see it as part of a "Banned Books" display for middle or high schoolers.  However, I guess I would like to see its capacity to get a reader to look outside of him or herself emphasized.  If I gave a book talk on this title, this is the aspect I would dwell upon: how would life/education/family be different if you were born on the Spokane Reservation?  Such an exercise is invaluable in developing a critical mindset that aids young people in developing empathy and a compass for understanding the world outside of themselves.  Books of the highest order attempt to give young adults this glimpse in human terms -- not speaking down to them, but through the lens of their perspective.  Sherman Alexie has endeavored to do this in The Absolutely True Diary of a Part-Time Indian.

Module 14: Time You Let Me In

Citation
Nye, N.  (2010).  Time You Let Me In.  New York: Greenwillow.

Summary
Texan Naomi Shihab Nye has accumulated a sampling of poetry from 26 poets under 25 (she miscounted: originally, it was supposed to be 25 poets under 25 as it reads on the cover).  The poets give voice to a variety of experiences, from war to immigration to love. 

Impressions
I will confess that this book surprised me.  There are some extremely talented young writers out there: watch out, world!  In fact, as I was reading the poems, a wire tripped, and I felt motivated to write my own verse (which, for now, will stay with me).  My favorites in this book include the following:
1) "Pupil" by Brianne Carpenter; it deals with the famous National Geographic photograph of a green-eyed Afghan girl. 
2) "invitation" by Mackenzie Connellee; the author writes about writing poetry.
3) "To Be Two" by Amal Khan; this excellent selection concludes with an interesting reflection on binary code in relationship to human perception.
4) "Living with a Bodhisattva Cat is Intimidating" by Margaret Bashaar; the cat "destroys all my knitting to teach me about impermanence." 
If poetry is the verbal distillation of emotion or experience which I believe it to be then this selection ranks as poetry of the highest order.  I would definitely seek it out for a middle or high school library and promote it with gusto.  I'm considering buying my own copy, and I will probably visit the websites of some of the authors to tell them how much I enjoyed their work.

Review
Rochman, H.  (2010).  Time you let me in [book review].  Booklist, 106(9), 58.
Moderation can wait––plenty of time for that later,” says acclaimed poet and anthologist Nye. She knows how to reach teens, and this lively collection by young contemporary writers is rooted in the strong, emotional particulars of family, friendship, childhood memories, school, dislocation, war, and more; interestingly, there is almost no talk of sex or romance. The spare lines are passionate, wry, irreverent, and eloquent about meaning found in daily-life scenarios. One poet describes a meditative moment with her cat that “destroys all my knitting to teach me about impermanence.” Another prays for a soldier, a “ kindergarten best friend” who has returned from Baghdad. In several selections, immigrants remember their arrival in the U.S. In a brief, appended biography, one poet describes her draw to poetry: “Unresolved, uncomfortable, and sometimes repulsive moments of memory can be made somehow graceful through writing.” Teens will connect with the passionate, unmoderated feelings that are given clarity and shape in each poem. Grades 7-12 

Suggestions for Use
As we have discussed in class, sometimes poetry is analyzed ad nauseum, and I would hate to do to much with this book.  It needs to be read and appreciated in all of its unmediated beauty.  However, I think that this book could serve as inspiration for young people to write their own poetry.  Perhaps the librarian could sponsor a poetry festival for which students would write, (pre-)submit, and read their own work (with supervision from the librarian and/or administrators).  Personally, I would seek to have some of these poets come visit my school.  Bringing such young writers and poets into the school environment would have the effect of demystifying poets and encouraging creative verbal expression from students.