Galley Talk

In his masterful YA debut, The Absolutely True Diary of a Part-Time Indian (Little, Brown Books for Young Readers, Sept. 11), acclaimed author Sherman Alexie reaches into his own past to craft the captivating story of Junior, a 14-year-old boy growing up on the Spokane Indian Reservation. With Alexie’s light touch and keen eye, readers share in Junior’s struggle to resolve two disparate worlds—his home life as a Native American on the Rez and his school life as an outsider at the local all-white high school where the only other Indian is the school mascot. At a time when good YA books for male readers are few and far between, Alexie’s novel stands alone as a great choice that doesn’t compromise on depth or on literary merit. Young people, parents and booksellers can all feel confident reaching for this book, secure in the knowledge that it will be an absorbing and thoughtful read. Equally hilarious and heartbreaking, The Absolutely True Diary of a Part-Time Indian is a coming-of-age story that will stay with us for generations.