The Absolutely True Diary of a Part Time Indian by Sherman Alexie

I was born with water on the brain. Okay, so that’s not exactly true. I was actually born with too much cerebral spine fluid inside my skull. But cerebral spine fluid is just the doctor’s fancy way of saying brain grease. And brain grease works inside the lobes like car grease works inside an engine. It keeps things running smooth and fast.

This is the story of a young boy who chooses to leave the reservation and attend a white school twenty miles away. Junior loves basketball and drawing and hates living in a place where people die randomly and too soon. His cartoons illustrate his stories and thoughts. This is a quirky, funny, serious and authentic book. On the face of it, The Absolutely True Diary of a Part-Time Indian might seem remote or exotic. But in fact its central dilemma – a boy who hates who he is and wants to be someone else – is universal teen experience. This is one powerful book. 
 
The Absolutely True Diary of a Part Time Indian is longlisted for the Silver Inky