# The Absolutely True Diary of a Part-Time Indian

**Author:** Sherman Alexie
**Lexile:** 600L
**Grade range:** Grades 7–10
**Age range:** 12–17
**First published:** 2007
**Page count:** 230
**Genre:** Young Adult / Semi-autobiographical Fiction
**ISBN-13:** `9780316013697`
**ISBN-10:** `0316013692`
**Canonical URL:** https://readinglist.school/book/the-absolutely-true-diary-of-a-part-time-indian
**License:** [CC BY 4.0](https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/) — please credit ReadingList.school when citing.

## About this book

Junior, a cartoonist from the Spokane Indian Reservation, transfers to an all-white high school 22 miles off the rez. The novel won the 2007 National Book Award for Young People's Literature and is among the most-challenged books in US schools per the ALA, cited for profanity, sexual references, and depictions of poverty and alcoholism on the reservation.

## Themes

- Native American identity
- poverty
- racism
- coming of age
- alcoholism in family
- code-switching

## Content notes

- profanity
- sexual references
- alcoholism
- death of family members
- racial slurs

Common Sense Media age recommendation: 13+

## Where this book is assigned

### American Indian Youth Literature Award

- **recommended** · 9th grade — [source: American Indian Youth Literature Award (American Indian Library Association), via Wikipedia — 2008 AILA Winner (Young Adult)](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/American_Indian_Youth_Literature_Award)
- **recommended** · 10th grade — [source: American Indian Youth Literature Award (American Indian Library Association), via Wikipedia — 2008 AILA Winner (Young Adult)](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/American_Indian_Youth_Literature_Award)
- **recommended** · 11th grade — [source: American Indian Youth Literature Award (American Indian Library Association), via Wikipedia — 2008 AILA Winner (Young Adult)](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/American_Indian_Youth_Literature_Award)
- **recommended** · 12th grade — [source: American Indian Youth Literature Award (American Indian Library Association), via Wikipedia — 2008 AILA Winner (Young Adult)](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/American_Indian_Youth_Literature_Award)

### Boston Globe–Horn Book Award

- **recommended** · 7th grade — [source: Boston Globe–Horn Book Award winners, via Wikipedia — 2008 Winner](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Boston_Globe%E2%80%93Horn_Book_Award)
- **recommended** · 8th grade — [source: Boston Globe–Horn Book Award winners, via Wikipedia — 2008 Winner](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Boston_Globe%E2%80%93Horn_Book_Award)
- **recommended** · 9th grade — [source: Boston Globe–Horn Book Award winners, via Wikipedia — 2008 Winner](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Boston_Globe%E2%80%93Horn_Book_Award)
- **recommended** · 10th grade — [source: Boston Globe–Horn Book Award winners, via Wikipedia — 2008 Winner](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Boston_Globe%E2%80%93Horn_Book_Award)

### California Young Reader Medal

- **recommended** · 7th grade · California — [source: California Young Reader Medal — statewide student-choice program sponsored by CRA, CSLA, CLA & CATE (Intermediate/Middle School/Young Adult divisions; annual since 1974)](https://californiayoungreadermedal.org/)
- **recommended** · 8th grade · California — [source: California Young Reader Medal — statewide student-choice program sponsored by CRA, CSLA, CLA & CATE (Intermediate/Middle School/Young Adult divisions; annual since 1974)](https://californiayoungreadermedal.org/)

### Common Core State Standards (ELA)

- **recommended** · 8th grade — [source: CCSS ELA grades 6-8 contemporary YA exemplar](https://achievethecore.org/page/2699)
- **recommended** · 8th grade · Washington — [source: WA OSPI 8th grade — Spokane-set National Book Award winner](https://www.k12.wa.us/)
- **recommended** · 9th grade — [source: CCSS ELA grades 9-10 Native American voice exemplar](https://achievethecore.org/page/2699)

### Great Lakes Great Books Award

- **recommended** · 7th grade · Michigan — [source: Michigan Reading Association — Great Lakes Great Books Award (student-choice, grade-band shortlists; annual, since 1989). Winner/honor/nominee rolls Grades 4-5, 6-8, 9-12.](https://michiganreading.org/Great-Lakes-Great-Books)
- **recommended** · 8th grade · Michigan — [source: Michigan Reading Association — Great Lakes Great Books Award (student-choice, grade-band shortlists; annual, since 1989). Winner/honor/nominee rolls Grades 4-5, 6-8, 9-12.](https://michiganreading.org/Great-Lakes-Great-Books)

### National Book Award for Young People's Literature

- **recommended** · 8th grade — [source: National Book Award for Young People's Literature winners (National Book Foundation), via Wikipedia — 2007 winner](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/National_Book_Award_for_Young_People%27s_Literature)
- **recommended** · 9th grade — [source: National Book Award for Young People's Literature winners (National Book Foundation), via Wikipedia — 2007 winner](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/National_Book_Award_for_Young_People%27s_Literature)
- **recommended** · 10th grade — [source: National Book Award for Young People's Literature winners (National Book Foundation), via Wikipedia — 2007 winner](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/National_Book_Award_for_Young_People%27s_Literature)
- **recommended** · 11th grade — [source: National Book Award for Young People's Literature winners (National Book Foundation), via Wikipedia — 2007 winner](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/National_Book_Award_for_Young_People%27s_Literature)
- **recommended** · 12th grade — [source: National Book Award for Young People's Literature winners (National Book Foundation), via Wikipedia — 2007 winner](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/National_Book_Award_for_Young_People%27s_Literature)

### Odyssey Award (Best Audiobook)

- **recommended** · 7th grade — [source: Odyssey Award (best audiobook) winners + honors, via Wikipedia — 2009 Winner](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Odyssey_Award)
- **recommended** · 8th grade — [source: Odyssey Award (best audiobook) winners + honors, via Wikipedia — 2009 Winner](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Odyssey_Award)
- **recommended** · 9th grade — [source: Odyssey Award (best audiobook) winners + honors, via Wikipedia — 2009 Winner](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Odyssey_Award)
- **recommended** · 10th grade — [source: Odyssey Award (best audiobook) winners + honors, via Wikipedia — 2009 Winner](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Odyssey_Award)

## Banned / challenged record

Documented removals or formal challenges in at least one school district in 8 states: FL, IA, KS, MO, OR, TX, WA, WY. Source: [PEN America's Index of School Book Bans](https://pen.org/banned-book-list/) 2022-2024.

---

_Generated from primary-source citations indexed on ReadingList.school. For the full HTML view with reading-list cross-references, see https://readinglist.school/book/the-absolutely-true-diary-of-a-part-time-indian._