Period 2 - The Absolutely True Diary of a Part-Time Indian Chapter Summaries by Alexandra Buchalski

Chapter 1 "The Black Eye of the Month Club"

abuchalski — 2025-02-02 17:26:33 UTC

Junior was born with extra water in his brain and as a result they had to do a dangerous surgery as a baby. This lead to seizures, a stutter, a lisp, lopsided eyes, a big head, large feet and too many teeth. Unfortunately as a result of these challenges, Junior is bullied on the reservation. Lastly, he likes to draw to express his feelings because everyone can understand a picture.

Chapter 2: "Why Chicken Means So Much To Me"

abuchalski — 2025-02-06 11:55:53 UTC

Junior is very poor and his best friend is a dog named, Oscar. Oscar was sick and due to poverty they couldn't save the dog. His father killed the dog to relieve his suffering. Junior and his family do not always have enough money for food and it's an amazing day when they can eat friend chicken! To add his parents have dreams. His mother loves to read and his father is a great musician who plays many instruments. Junior thinks his parents cannot reach their dreams because they are Indian and poor.

Chapter 3: "Revenge is My Middle Name"

abuchalski — 2025-02-12 12:00:17 UTC

In this chapter readers are introduced to Junior's best human friend, Rowdy. Rowdy's parents are physically abusive, while Junior's parents are not. Rowdy and Junior go to the powwow and Rowdy buys whiskey. As a result he gets more aggressive and almost hurts Junior when he laughs at him. Next, the Andruss brothers beat up Junior and as a result Rowdy wants revenge. He sneaks into their tent and shaves their eyebrows and cuts their braids. We also learn about Rowdy's kinder side because he likes cartoons and Junior's draws for him.

Chapter 4: "Because Geometry is Not a Country Somewhere Near France"

abuchalski — 2025-02-14 12:03:03 UTC

Junior is excited to start high school because he loves geometry, but he's worried that Rowdy will leave him because he's better at basketball. Junior has a sister named Mary who does not have a job and lives in the basement, but he thinks she the prettiest and strongest person he knows. Mr. P is Junior's geometry teacher who sometimes forgets to go to school and wears his pajamas to class. Junior receives the geometry book as his mother, Agnes Adams, and as a result he gets angry and throws the book at Mr. P.

Chapter 5: "Hope Against Hope"

abuchalski — 2025-02-23 18:45:02 UTC

Junior was suspended as a result of throwing the book at Mr. P. His family is very disappointed in him. Mr. P visits Junior to forgive him. Then he apologizes to Junior about what he did to the Indians in the past. Next, Mr. P tells Junior about his sister's dream to be a romance novel writer. Lastly, Mr. P encourages Junior to leave the reservation so he does not give up on his dreams. He believes Junior still has hope for a bright future.

Chapter 6: "Go Means Go"

abuchalski — 2025-02-26 16:54:44 UTC

To start, after Mr. P left, Junior sat on the porch for awhile thinking about what he will do with his life. When his parents came home he asked, "Who has the most hope?" They responded, "White people," at the same time. After that, Junior asked to transfer to another school called Reardan near that farms that was rich and racist towards Indians. They agreed to let him go, but said that everyone on the reservation will hate him for that.

Chapter 7: "Rowdy Sings The Blues"

abuchalski — 2025-02-27 14:32:31 UTC

To start, Junior meets Rowdy on the playground so he can tell him he is transferring to Reardan. This school beats the reservation school in all sports and academic competitions, so Rowdy is furious at Junior for making this decision. Moreover, he does not want to transfer with Junior. Next, Rowdy cries and then punches Junior because he is so sad and angry. Junior feels as though his best friend has become his worst enemy.

Chapter 8: "How to Fight Monsters"

abuchalski — 2025-03-05 15:09:29 UTC

On Junior's first day of school, his father drives him the 22 miles to Reardan, but when he arrives the door is locked. Many of the students are staring at Junior and later they made fun of his name when Penelope asks who he is. In Reardan his name is Arnold, but on the reservation he is known as Junior. As a result he feels like two people in one body. Junior also meets Roger and his friends who call him terrible racist names. This led to Junior punching Roger, but Roger does not fight back, he just walks away.

Chapter 9: "Grandmother Gives Me Some Advice"

abuchalski — 2025-03-05 15:10:01 UTC

To start, Junior talks to his grandmother to get advice about the fight with Roger at school. Then, Junior had to walk to school because his dad did not have enough gas to drive the 22 miles. However, Junior saw his dad's best friend Eugene and he gave him a ride to school on his motorcycle. When he arrived at school, all the kids stared at him. Roger showed respect, while Penelope acted like she didn't know him.

Chapter 10: "Tears of a Clown"

abuchalski — 2025-03-07 15:01:21 UTC

When Junior was 12, he told Rowdy about a girl he liked named Dawn and he cries. Rowdy promises Junior that he will keep his secret forever.

Chapter 11: "Halloween"

abuchalski — 2025-03-07 15:06:10 UTC

To start, Junior goes to school dressed as a homeless person and he notices that Penelope is also dressed in the same costume. Penelope is wearing this costume to protest and collect money to support homeless people, and Junior decides to do the same on the reservation. He agrees because he wants to impress Penelope. While trick or treating, Junior is successful in collecting money, however he gets jumped and the three people steal his money. The next day, Junior tells Penelope what happened and she is worried for his wounds. Unfortunately, Junior and Penelope do not become closer, as he had hoped.

Chapter 12: "Slouching Towards Thanksgiving"

abuchalski — 2025-03-10 15:35:12 UTC

First, Junior contradicts the teacher about a science topic, and Gordy confirms his ideas. Junior and Gordy become friends because they both enjoy school and reading. Junior tells readers about the many different ways he gets to school and it is always difficult. Lastly, Junior learns that Mary is married to an Indian from Montana.

Chapter 13: "My Sister Sends Me an Email"

abuchalski — 2025-03-12 12:41:53 UTC

Mary sends Junior an email and she expresses to him how happy she is about her new life on the Flathead Indian Reservation. She's trying to get a new job, but in the meantime she is celebrating her honeymoon in a fancy hotel.

Chapter 14: "Thanksgiving"

abuchalski — 2025-03-12 12:54:33 UTC

It's Thanksgiving and Junior's family is celebrating. During the day, he's thinking about and waiting for Rowdy, so he draws a cartoon for him. Later, Junior goes to Rowdy's house and his father was drunk and was very rude with Junior. He gives the cartoon to Rowdy's father and as he's walking away he sees Rowdy in the window looking sad. Rowdy gives Junior the middle finger, however he doesn't rip the cartoon.

Chapter 15: "Hunger Pains"

abuchalski — 2025-03-17 14:05:08 UTC

Junior finds Penelope in the bathroom and discovers that she is bulimic. Junior and Penelope have a long conversation and connect about their future. Earl is Penelope's father and he is racist.

Chapter 16: "Rowdy Gives Me Advice About Love"

abuchalski — 2025-03-17 14:07:03 UTC

Junior enjoys watching Penelope play volleyball. Later, Junior asks both Rowdy and Gordy about how to get a white girl to love him and they both say it's impossible.

Chapter 17: "Dance Dance Dance"

abuchalski — 2025-03-21 16:21:02 UTC

Junior and Penelope attend the Winter Formal and they dance 19 songs together. Later in the evening, Roger invites Penelope and Junior to get pancakes, however Junior does not have enough money to pay for the meal. As a result, Roger gives Junior $40 to pay for the meal. He also asks Junior if he is interested in playing on the basketball team. Then, Junior confesses to Penelope that he is poor. As a result she cries, kisses him on the cheek and Roger drives Junior back to the reservation.

Chapter 18: "Don't Trust Your Computer"

abuchalski — 2025-03-21 16:21:48 UTC

Junior sends Rowdy and email with his smiling face and Rowdy responds with a picture of his butt. Junior confesses to Gordy that the people on the rez call him an apple because he is Indian on the outside and white on the inside.

Chapter 19: "My Sister Sends Me a Letter"

abuchalski — 2025-03-21 16:27:03 UTC

Mary sends Junior a letter to talk about her new house and to tell him that she can't find a job. Junior is not impressed with her new home.

Chapter 20: "Reindeer Games"

abuchalski — 2025-03-21 17:32:57 UTC

To start, Junior is preparing for basketball tryouts and he has to play against Roger. It's difficult because Roger is older and bigger, however Junior never gives up and shows the coach his skills. The coach accepts Junior for the varsity team because he's a great shooter. A few weeks later, Reardan played their first game against the reservation team, Wellpinit. During the game, Rowdy hits Junior in the head and he has to go to the hospital. Also, all the players and fans got into fights. In the end, Wellpinit wins the game. That evening, the coach and Junior talk all night in the hospital.

Chapter 21: "And a Partridge in a Pear Tree"

abuchalski — 2025-03-25 13:08:32 UTC

It's Christmas and Junior's family does not have enough money to celebrate. During the holiday, dad leaves and goes drinking for a week. When he returns, he apologizes to Junior and gives him five dollars. Junior feels grateful and sad for the way his dad acted.

Chapter 22: "Red Versus White"

abuchalski — 2025-03-27 12:55:58 UTC

To start, Junior tells us how kind and tolerant his grandmother was. She was famous among powwow Indians, and everyone loved her. She accepted everyone, even invisible people. Later grandma was walking home from a powwow one night and a drunk driver hit her. She went to the hospital, but before she died she said, "Forgive him" about Gerald, the man who hit her. It's common that people die as a result of drinking alcohol on the rez, however she never drank alcohol so her death was especially unfair.

Chapter 23: "Wake"

abuchalski — 2025-04-05 20:01:33 UTC

On the day of Junior's grandmother's wake, his community left him alone and let him grieve in peace. They all shared stories about grandma and then Billionaire Ted shows up. He has a powwow outfit that he believes belongs to Grandmother Spirit and he tells the story about how he got it. He wants to return the powwow outfit to its original owner. After his story, Junior's mom tells Ted that this could not be her mother's outfit, so Ted leaves feeling embarrassed. In the end, everyone is laughing because it was such an unusual and funny situation.

Chapter 24: "Valentine Heart"

abuchalski — 2025-04-09 11:13:48 UTC

To start, Junior learns that Eugene was shot and killed because he and his friend Bobby were fighting over the last sip of alcohol. As a result, Junior feels guilty for all of the loss and death in his life, and he stays home from school for a few weeks. When he returns to school his teacher, Mrs. Jeremy, mocked him. Then everyone including Gordy, Penelope and Roger defend Junior by throwing their books on the floor. In the end Junior feels joy because he makes lists of people, activities and things that make him happy.

Chapter 25: "In Like a Lion"

abuchalski — 2025-04-11 14:42:21 UTC

To start, Junior and his basketball team were getting prepared for the game against Wellpinit. Junior feels nervous about how the game will be because the coach said that he is the secret weapon. However the fact that he had never won a game against his best friend Rowdy makes him feel especially nervous. Then, a local sports guy starts interviewing him to know about he feels playing against his old school. At the beginning of the interview, Junior did not want to express his feelings, but eventually he told the interviewer how important it was to him to win the game because he feels like he has something to prove to the people of Reardan, Wellpinit and himself. Next, Junior goes to the game and the coach tells him that he will guard Rowdy in which he was successful by taking the ball and making a score of 3 points. As a result, the crowd goes crazy! After the game, Junior felt guilty because he broke his best friend's heart by being a part of the white team. Later, he realized that his basketball team is actually the group who usually hurts and bullies his community. In the end, Junior knew that the Native Americans don't have many opportunities and he destroys one of hopes they have.

Chapter 26: Rowdy and I Have A Long and Serious Discussion About Basketball"

abuchalski — 2025-04-16 10:52:57 UTC

Junior sends Rowdy and email to apologize for the basketball game. Rowdy responds with insults, but at least they're communicating.

Chapter 27: "Because Russian Guys Are Not Always Geniuses"

abuchalski — 2025-04-16 11:00:08 UTC

Junior learns that his sister Mary died when her trailer burned down during a party. His father picked him up from school and he's happy that he did not die in a car crash because of the snowstorm. After the funeral, Junior sees Rowdy in the woods crying, and he blames Junior for Mary's death. Also, Junior doesn't like being at home with his drunk cousins, so he left and went to Reardan where he received more support and comfort.

Chapter 28: "Remembering"

abuchalski — 2025-04-16 18:17:00 UTC

Junior and his family go to the cemetery to visit the graves of his sister, grandmother and Eugene. Junior cries for the first time.

Chapter 29: "Talking About Turtles"

abuchalski — 2025-04-16 18:17:48 UTC

Junior remembers a time when he and Rowdy climbed a huge tree. During summer vacation, Rowdy goes to Junior's house and invites him to play basketball. They enjoyed the time together through the night and didn't keep points.