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

This book combines an interesting mixture of humor and pathos. I didn't realize that a story so sad could also be so funny! Arnold Spirit, at the suggestion of one of his teachers, leaves his reservation school for the larger and more "hopeful" high school off the reservation. As a traitor to his tribe and friends, Arnold, must learn how to pave a new direction in life for himself, while still staying true to his heritage.

I was particularly fond of Alexie's style and humor. While the book is slightly crude, with some bad language and sexual images, I found the story to smack of authenticity. Teens would relate well to the emotions Arnold faces. More than anything, Alexie possesses the knack for depicting real life in writing. As a National Book Award Winner, this book is one that everyone should read.

I also selected this book to review for another important reason. I've often had people ask me how I feel about audio books--are they a legitimate form of literature? I would easily argue--yes!

The Absolutely True Diary of a Part-Time Indian is a perfect example of a high-quality audio book. Not only did it win the Odyssey Award, an award for for the best audio book of the year, but it also provides an enriching dimension to reading the paper copy of the book. Read by the author, the audio recording adds to the humor and dynamics of the story. In fact, the book (since it contains a large number of cartoons drawn by the main character) goes well when read along with the audio recording.

Young adults (or anyone for that reason) can learn a lot when listening to the pitch and rhythm of the written word when delivered by a skilled narrator. Listening to audio books are particularly valuable for students who struggle to read, stutter, suffer from dyslexia, or even avoid reading. Following along in a text while listening can help readers to train their inner "listening" ear; it can help them learn to recognize the way that punctuation should be read. I worked with many students who miss the humor or meaning of a story when reading silently to themselves, but pick up on it when listening to the story vocally.

Audio books also have the advantage of being portable and allowing the listener to multi-task. You can listen to a story while folding laundry, washing dishes, exercising, or even driving (assuming you can do it safely!). If finding time for reading is difficult, audio books can help circumvent this difficulty. I'm not sure about the Columbus Metropolitan Library, but I know that Upper Arlington is starting to offer more and more books in a Playaway format. This audio recording doesn't require a tape or CD player to listen. The book comes entirely downloaded on a 2"x3" device that you can plug a set of head phones into. They are easily portable and convenient.

If you need are still hesitant about audio recordings, this information, taken from YALSA site, might help convince you:

Circulation for children's audio books rose 10.7 percent and the budget for these materials rose 4.8 percent (Audio Publisher Association, December 2004)

The growth in circulation of audio books is outpacing overall library circulation. Book clubs are increasingly made up of hybrid listener-readers, and the market for children's audio books is booming! (“Loud, Proud, Unabridged: It Is Too Reading!; The New York Times, May 26, 2005)

It's important that we recognize the role of audio books in the development of literacy. Consider the following:

Research shows that one of the most important reasons for the increasing interest in audio books for young people is the correlation between listening to audio books and improvements in reading comprehension, fluency, language acquisition, vocabulary development and improved achievement. (“Not Just for Listening,” Book Links, May 2005)

Fewer Americans are reading books than a decade ago, according to the National Endowment for the Arts, but almost a third more are listening to them on tapes, CDs and iPods. (“Loud, Proud, Unabridged: It Is Too Reading!; The New York Times, May 26, 2005)

According to Wendy Kasten, an education professor at Kent State University, “Listening to tapes with books in front of students is very, very good for building vocabulary.” (“To Curl Up with a Good Book, Listen Up,” The Plain Dealer, May 23, 2005)

At any rate, if choosing between not reading at all or listening to a story, I would much rather have student listen to the story. While there are significant advantages to seeing English written correctly (students can see spelling, grammar and mechanics of words), participating in literacy, whatever the medium might be, is better than missing out entirely.