Period 5 - 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 17:33:14 UTC

Junior is a Native American teenager who had brain damage as a baby, and as a result he has many physical challenges such having 42 teeth, seizures and he cannot speak clearly. This led to Junior being bullied by other teenagers. He likes to draw in his room because he wants to express himself in a way that everyone can understand him since words are challenging.

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

abuchalski — 2025-02-06 11:56:16 UTC

Junior lives in poverty and as a result sometimes he has wait 18 hours to have a meal. Moreover, his best friend is a dog named Oscar who is sick. Unfortunately, his father had to kill Oscar because they could not afford to take him to the vet. Junior's parents have dreams and skills, but they cannot achieve them because they live on a poor reservation.

Chapter 3: "Revenge is My Middle Name"

abuchalski — 2025-02-06 11:56:23 UTC

At the start of the chapter, readers meet Rowdy, who is Junior's best friend and he is aggressive and tough. Rowdy's parents, especially his father, are physically abusive. However, Junior's parents do not hurt him physically. Rowdy and Junior go to the powwow and Junior gets beat up by the 30 year old Andruss brothers. Rowdy gets revenge for Junior by shaving their eyebrows and cutting their braids. Even though Rowdy is aggressive, he can also be a great friend. Junior draws cartoons for him and Rowdy is a excellent protector.

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

abuchalski — 2025-02-14 12:03:22 UTC

Junior has his first day of high school and he's excited for math class, but worried Rowdy will leave him behind on the basketball team. His sister Mary lives in the basement but she's really funny and beautiful. Mr. P is Junior's geometry teacher and he sometimes goes to school in his pajamas. Mr. P gives Junior the math textbook and he sees that it belongs to his mother, Agnes Adams. As a result, he got mad an threw the book at Mr. P!

Chapter 5: "Hope Against Hope"

abuchalski — 2025-02-23 18:45:32 UTC

Junior is at home because he was suspended for throwing the book at Mr. P. His family was very disappointed in his actions. During the day Mr. P visits Junior to forgive him and to also apologize for his mistreatment of Native Americans in the past. Also, Mr. P shares with Junior that his sister is very smart and likes to write romance novels. Lastly, Mr. P tells Junior he must leave the reservation to find hope in his future.

Chapter 6: "Go Means Go"

abuchalski — 2025-02-26 16:55:05 UTC

To start this chapter, Mr. P left Junior on the porch thinking about his life. Later his parents arrived, he asked, "Who has the most hope?" His parents looked at each other confused and responded, "White people," like he thought. When he said he wanted to transfer schools, his parents suggested two different schools, but he wanted to go to Reardan. His parents are supportive, but they know they cannot afford to move there. In the end, his parents said he will be the first one to leave the rez, and that the other Indians are going to get mad at him.

Chapter 7: "Rowdy Sings The Blues"

abuchalski — 2025-02-27 14:33:23 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 15:09:01 UTC

To start, Junior's father drives him to school and encourages him to be brave. During homeroom, he introduces himself to a beautiful girl named Penelope and she laughs at his name and his accent. The teacher, Mr. Grant calls Junior by his real name, Arnold Spirit. Penelope gets mad because she thinks he lied about his real name. Later, Roger and his friends started calling Junior racist names, so Junior punched him. In the end, Junior is confused as to why Roger did not fight back.

Chapter 9: "Grandmother Gives Me Some Advice"

abuchalski — 2025-03-05 15:09:18 UTC

To start, Junior talks to his grandmother about his fight with Roger and she tells him that Roger has respect for him. Junior asks his parents for a ride to school, but they don't have gas money, so he starts walking. Along the way, he sees his father's friend Eugene who brings him to school on his motorcycle. Roger sees Junior with the bike and his respect for Junior increases. Lastly, Penelope pretends not to know Junior.

Chapter 10: "Tears of a Clown"

abuchalski — 2025-03-07 15:04:36 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 15:04:56 UTC

It's Halloween and Junior goes to school dressed as a homeless person and so is Penelope because she wants to raise money for them. Junior also wants to collect money because he wants to impress Penelope. Later that night, Junior collected some money, but unfortunately he got beat up by three people from the reservation who stole his money. The next day Junior told Penelope that the money was stolen, but she was more worried about his wounds than the money. As a result, Penelope said she'd add his name to the donation. Unfortunately this did not bring Junior and Penelope closer together.

Chapter 12: "Slouching Towards Thanksgiving"

abuchalski — 2025-03-10 15:35:42 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 16:53:02 UTC

Mary writes an email to Junior to share how her life in Montana is different than her life on the Spokane rez. For example, The Flathead rez has a hotel, horses and twenty restaurants. She's happy and excited for this new adventure!

Chapter 14: "Thanksgiving"

abuchalski — 2025-03-12 17:20:44 UTC

It's Thanksgiving and Junior is celebrating with his family. Later he decides to draw Rowdy a cartoon because he misses him. Next, he goes to Rowdy's house where his father called him "gay" and was very rude to him. As he was leaving, he saw Rowdy in the window flipping him off, but he didn't rip the cartoon.

Chapter 15: "Hunger Pains"

abuchalski — 2025-03-17 14:06:16 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 14:06:37 UTC

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 16:25:19 UTC

Junior wears his dad's suit to the dance and he and Penelope have an amazing time. However, at the end of the dance Penelope wants to go out to a restaurant to get pancakes and Junior only has 5 dollars. Junior lies to Roger and says he forgot his wallet, so Roger gives him 40 dollars for dinner. In the end, Junior tells the truth about his poverty to Penelope and she accepts him. Roger drives Junior home.

Chapter 18: "Don't Trust Your Computer"

abuchalski — 2025-03-21 16:26:03 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 16:26:20 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 17:32:19 UTC

To start, Junior is trying out for the basketball team and the coach makes him play against Roger. It's difficult because Roger is huge and skilled, however Junior doesn't give up. The coach allows Junior to join the varsity team because he's an excellent shooter. A few weeks later they have their first game against Wellpinit, the reservation school and Junior is very nervous. When Junior arrives at Wellpinit, his tribal community treats him like a traitor and they even hurt him. During the game, Rowdy and Junior play against each other and Rowdy gives Junior a concussion. Lastly, Junior goes to the hospital where he stays up late talking with his coach.

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

abuchalski — 2025-03-25 13:08:46 UTC

It's the Christmas holiday and his father left for a week to get drunk, even though they didn't have enough money to buy presents. His father returns and gives Junior five dollars to apologize. In the end, Junior feels terrible for judging his father, but he also felt proud of his father for not spending the last five dollars.

Chapter 22: "Red Versus White"

abuchalski — 2025-03-27 17:06:46 UTC

To start Junior tells readers about how present the reservation parents are and how absent the white parents' are for their children. Junior believes his grandmother is the most tolerant person in the world which is different from other grandmothers. Later, Junior's grandmother is killed by a drunk driver, however "Forgive him" was the last phrase she said before she died. This was especially unfair because she did drink any alcohol, yet she was killed by a drunk driver.

Chapter 23: "Wake"

abuchalski — 2025-04-05 20:01:22 UTC

On the day of his grandmother's funeral, Junior was grieving and his community let him be in peace. Later that day, Ted the billionaire arrives because he thinks he has a powwow outfit that belonged to Grandmother Spirit. However, Junior's mom told Ted that it couldn't be hers because she's not a powwow dancer. As Ted left from embarrassment, 2000 Indians began to laugh as they said goodbye to Grandmother Spirit.

Chapter 24: "Valentine Heart"

abuchalski — 2025-04-11 14:41:30 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 14:41:51 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 10:58:13 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 10:59:37 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 18:16:34 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 18:18:08 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.