Sherman Alexie: The Absolutely True Diary of a Part-Time Indian

I have always loved this book since the first time I read it my freshmen year of high school. Of course, this being a banned book made it hard to get access to in my limited and conservative high school library, but after a long fight with the librarians, I gave up and found a copy in the city library. I have always been a reader, and a relatively quick reader, but I flew through this book faster than any other book I had read that year. I was so sucked into the life and struggles of Junior as a high school student who felt he didn't fit in because I'm sure most of us have felt that at some point or another in our educational career.
I wish I had had a class that taught this book because it truly is a strong and engaging coming of age story. Also the fact that this is a banned book is completely ridiculous but also may be a source of interest to many students. Reading a banned book can bring a sense of adventure and rebelliousness to hesitant or struggling readers, and also aids for great in class discussion. Students can work out the kinks of why the book might be banned and where, and if they agree with the reasoning.
The use of language and imagery in this book is simple and engaging, and pulls readers in from the start. I think everyone can connect to Junior, but also Junior offers a unique perspective that many students don't get to see often. I grew up in Western Washington, all up and down the coast, and because there is a more condensed population, there is a more diverse population. We have a plethora of Native American reservations and citizens on the west side, and the places I grew up were always a stones throw from a different reservation. So naturally, in school (especially elementary and middle school) we had a heavy dose of Native American history as part of the curriculum, and mostly catered to the tribe that was nearby. The elementary school I went to was right next to the Tulalip reservation, and so we spent lots of time on the tribes history, art, culture, language, and other aspects because it was so close. I am grateful for this, however I know now that my experience was unique and not all students get a chance to learn about Native American History or even see anything from their perspective, so this novel really can offer a great insight and perspective that will be new to most students.