Yes, The Absolutely True Diary of a Part-Time Indian Is Banned!

The Absolutely True Diary of a Part-Time Indian follows Junior, a budding cartoonist on the Spokane Indian Reservation, who decides to attend the wealthy white high school in the neighboring town. His decision makes him a traitor on the rez and an outsider at his new school, and the novel unfolds as Junior navigates both worlds with self-deprecating humor, raw honesty, and the cartoons he draws to make sense of his life. Alexie based the story on his own experiences growing up on the Spokane reservation, and the book won the National Book Award for Young People’s Literature.

One of the most banned books of the 21st century, the novel has faced challenges in nearly every state. With over 50 bans in recent years and a cumulative challenge count approaching 200, objections target its references to masturbation, its profanity, its depictions of alcohol abuse on the reservation, and its frank discussion of racism and poverty in Native American communities. Some tribal communities have also objected to its portrayal of reservation life. The book has been removed from libraries in Texas, Florida, Iowa, Missouri, Tennessee, and Oklahoma, despite being widely recognized as one of the most important young adult novels of its generation.