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 13: American-Born Chinese

Citation
Yang, G.  (2006).  American-Born Chinese.  New York: First Second.

Summary
In this graphic novel, Yang weaves together three different stories: tales about the Chinese folk hero Monkey King, a boy named Jin Wang, and the adventures of "average" American Danny and his (deliberately) stereotyped Chinese cousin.  Monkey King aspires to be a god.  Jin Wang wants the attention of a pretty girl in his seventh-grade class.  Danny finds himself constantly embarrassed by his cousin, Chin-Kee.   Yang leads readers to reconsider whether these are three distinct stories or really all the same -- just like the Transformer Jin holds on the cover..."more than meets the eye."

Impressions
First of all, I was hard-pressed to decide between this book and Pyongang for my blog selection this week.  Pyongang's account of North Korea pains, disturbs, and fascinates me.  However, American-Born Chinese stole my heart and mind with its depiction of Jin (and other characters), its thoughtful illustration, and the twist of its conclusion.  The narrative and graphics work seamlessly in depicting the stories of Monkey, Jin, and Danny.  The son of Taiwanese immigrants, American-born Jin wishes to fit in with mainstream American culture, but he finds himself isolated and teased.  Suffice it to say that Jin uncovers the importance of embracing his own American-born Chinese life, and Yang's understated eloquence and humor in telling this compelling tale prompts readers to examine themselves, in turn.


Review
Karp, J.  (2006).  American-born Chinese [book review].  Booklist, 103(1), 114.  Retrieved from Children's Literature Comprehensive Database
With vibrant colors and visual panache, indie writer-illustrator Yang (Rosary Comic Book) focuses on three characters in tales that touch on facets of Chinese American life. Jin is a boy faced with the casual racism of fellow students and the pressure of his crush on a Caucasian girl; the Monkey King, a character from Chinese folklore, has attained great power but feels he is being held back because of what the gods perceive as his lowly status; and Danny, a popular high-school student, suffers through an annual visit from his cousin Chin-Kee, a walking, talking compendium of exaggerated Chinese stereotypes. Each of the characters is flawed but familiar, and, in a clever postmodern twist, all share a deep, unforeseen connection. Yang helps the humor shine by using his art to exaggerate or contradict the words, creating a synthesis that marks an accomplished graphic storyteller. The stories have a simple, engaging sweep to them, but their weighty subjects--shame, racism, and friendship--receive thoughtful, powerful examination. Category: Books for Older Readers--Fiction. 2006, Roaring Brook/First Second, $16.95.

Suggestions for Use
This book deserves an honored spot in middle and high school libraries.  It could begin a thought-provoking discussion in an English or social studies class regarding stereotyping.  As secondary students are often struggling with their own identities, this book would provide insight into human motives for behavior.  For more advanced students, this book and Huckleberry Finn compared side by could provide an interesting discussion regarding stereotypes and humor in social commentary.

Module 7: The Other Half of My Heart

Citation
Frazier, S.  (2010).  The Other Half of My Heart.  New York: Delacorte Press.
 
Summary
The daughters of an African-American mother and white father, Minni and Keira are twin sisters from Port Townsend, WA.  However, shy, animal-loving Minni's skin is light enough to pass as white; outgoing, athletic Keira's skin is dark, like her mother's.  After an opportunity arises for the girls to compete in the Black Pearl competition in North Carolina, they have the opportunity to visit their African-American grandmother and discover their identity beyond the color of their skin.

Impressions
I sincerely enjoyed this book and its characterization of Minni, Keira, their parents, their socially conscious grandmother, and Ms. Oliphant, her neighbor.  Frazier's sensitive exploration of race, family, and belonging prompts the reader to consider these issues, beginning with a scene in which the girls choose dresses for the competition: Minni is encouraged to make herself at home in the dress shop, but the owner scolds Keira for doing the same thing.  They begin to fear that their different skin color will divide them not only socially, but also personally.  Frazier's depiction of Ms. Oliphant makes me want to sit down at her table for hot chocolate. 

Review

Cruze, K.  (2010).  The other half of my heart [book review].  Booklist, 106(22), 55.  Retrieved from EBSCOhost

Starred Review* The idea of being a twin has built-in appeal—a sibling who has almost identical experiences of the world can be an instant BFF. That ideal informs the lives of sisters Minni and Keira, but the differences between the biracial siblings may be vaster than they’d like to think, because Minni’s coloring is white like their father’s, while Keira’s is black like their mother’s. During the summer when the girls turn 11, awareness of how they’re perceived is driven home when a storekeeper in their home state of Washington has a widely disparate reaction to the girls’ browsing through fancy dresses. Later, when the girls visit their prickly maternal grandmother in North Carolina and compete in a beauty contest for African Americans, Minni feels she is the focus of skeptical attention. Not only does Frazier raise questions worth pondering but her ability to round out each character, looking past easy explanations for attitude, is impressive. She also leavens the whole with easy humor and builds suspense over the pageant itself. Will the talented and outgoing Keira win the prize? Will Minni be able to overcome her shyness and shine? A novel with a great deal of heart indeed, from the winner of the John Steptoe New Talent Award for Brendan Buckley’s Universe and Everything in It (2007). Grades 4-6

Suggestions for Use

Upon considering this novel, I began to think of other books which explore this concept.  Puddin' Head Wilson came to mind, as did Zora and Me, which I recently read for this class.  I also enjoyed The Green Book recently -- a Bluebonnet selection for 2012-2013.  Because it explores the concept of race from 2010, I think that this book would be a great fifth grade introduction to the Civil Rights struggle.   Minni and Keira visited Raleigh's African American Museum of History and Civil Rights.  Perhaps students could be encouraged to research, identify, visit, and report upon local landmarks for their town's own civil rights historic places.

Module 5: Zora and Me, Coretta Scott King citation, 2011

Citation
Bond, V. & Simon, T. R.  (2010).  Zora and Me.  Somerville, MA: Candlewick Press.

Summary

Carrie and her friend, Zora Neale Hurston, thrive in the close-knit community of Eatonville, Florida, true childhood home of the well-respected writer of Their Eyes Were Watching God and recorder of oral history.  Zora's imagination and storytelling figure prominently in the novel, full of legend and mystery of the Gator King and a grisly murder; Carrie, whose father left the family for reasons unknown, struggles with grief and loss.  Racial identity, family dynamics, imagination, storytelling, and loss all find their way into this story.  Bond and Simon have collaborated on a captivating and resonant novel for junior high students and up.

Impression
I sincerely enjoyed this novel, and I can certainly see why it won the award for promising new talent.  I have to admit that I was skeptical going into the reading of this story, for I remain a fan of Zora Neale Hurston and had a difficult time imagining how the authors would render her childhood self.  The book skillfully provides a sense of place, and its characters became real to me through the authors' adept narration.  The following quote really touched me:

"The bad things that happen to you in life don't define misery -- what you do with them does.  When Mr. Pendir and Gold could have chosen connection, they chose solitude; when they could have brought loving themselves to loving someone else, they wore masks and shunned love's power.  You can't hide from life's pain, and folks that love you would never expect you to."

I feel that Zora Neale Hurston would be pleased.

Review
Rochman, H.  (2010).  Zora and me [book review].  Booklist, 107(4), 64.  Retrieved from EBSCOhost
Told in the immediate first-person voice of 10-year-old Carrie, Zora Neale Hurston’s best childhood friend, this first novel is both thrilling and heartbreaking. Each chapter
is a story that evokes the famous African American writer’s early years in turn-of-the-last-century Eatonville, Florida, and the sharp, wry vignettes build to a climax, as Carrie and Zora eavesdrop on adults and discover secrets. Family is front and center, but true to Hurston’s work, there is no reverential message: Carrie mourns for her dad, who went to Orlando for work and never came back; Zora’s father is home, but he rejects her for being educated and “acting white,” unlike her favored sister. Racism is part of the story, with occasional use of the n-word in the colloquial narrative. Like Hurston, who celebrated her rich roots but was also a wanderer at heart, this novel of lies and revelations will reach a wide audience, and some strong readers will want to follow up with Hurston’s writings, including Their Eyes Were Watching God (1937). The novel’s back matter includes a short biography of Hurston, an annotated bibliography of her groundbreaking work, and an endorsement by the Zora Neale Hurston Trust. —Hazel Rochman

Suggestions for use
This book would be a fascinating read in conjunction with Their Eyes Were Watching God (if so, this pairing would be for 9th grade and up, the material of the latter being more mature).  For middle schoolers, this book would be an excellent springboard into the life and work of Hurston, one of the most influential and important American writers of the 20th century.  It would certainly be an excellent book to feature for a display during Black History Month, but I would say that its heroines deserve to be compared with Scout Finch.  In fact, reading Zora and Me in conjunction with To Kill a Mockingbird would be a fabulous study in the depiction of race, dialect, and place.  I could see this book as being a part of such a comparative study for advanced middle schoolers.