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Extra Credit by Clements, Andrew (February 1, 2011) Paperback
Traditional Chinese edition of Extra Credit by Andrew Clements. In Traditional Chinese. Distributed by Tsai Fong Books, Inc.
Unknown Binding
First published June 1, 2009
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About the author
Andrew Clements
194 books2,146 followersI was born in Camden, New Jersey in 1949 and lived in Oaklyn and Cherry Hill until the middle of sixth grade. Then we moved to Springfield, Illinois. My parents were avid readers and they gave that love of books and reading to me and to all my brothers and sisters. I didn’t think about being a writer at all back then, but I did love to read. I'm certain there's a link between reading good books and becoming a writer. I don't know a single writer who wasn’t a reader first.
Before moving to Illinois, and even afterwards, our family spent summers at a cabin on a lake in Maine. There was no TV there, no phone, no doorbell—and email wasn’t even invented. All day there was time to swim and fish and mess around outside, and every night, there was time to read. I know those quiet summers helped me begin to think like a writer.
During my senior year at Springfield High School my English teacher handed back a poem I’d written. Two things were amazing about that paper. First, I’d gotten an A—a rare event in this teacher’s class. And she’d also written in large, scrawly red writing, “Andrew—this poem is so funny. This should be published!”
That praise sent me off to Northwestern University feeling like I was a pretty good writer, and occasionally professors there also encouraged me and complimented the essays I was required to write as a literature major. But I didn’t write much on my own—just some poetry now and then. I learned to play guitar and began writing songs, but again, only when I felt like it. Writing felt like hard work—something that’s still true today.
After the songwriting came my first job in publishing. I worked for a small publisher who specialized in how-to books, the kind of books that have photos with informative captions below each one. The book in which my name first appeared in print is called A Country Christmas Treasury. I’d built a number of the projects featured in the book, and I was listed as one of the “craftspeople”on the acknowlegements page, in tiny, tiny type.
In 1990 I began trying to write a story about a boy who makes up a new word. That book eventually became my first novel, Frindle, published in 1996, and you can read the whole story of how it developed on another web site, frindle.com. Frindle became popular, more popular than any of my books before or since—at least so far. And it had the eventual effect of turning me into a full-time writer.
I’ve learned that I need time and a quiet place to think and write. These days, I spend a lot of my time sitting in a small shed about seventy feet from my back door at our home in Massachusetts. There’s a woodstove in there for the cold winters, and an air conditioner for the hot summers. There’s a desk and chair, and I carry a laptop computer back and forth. But there’s no TV, no phone, no doorbell, no email. And the woodstove and the pine board walls make the place smell just like that cabin in Maine where I spent my earliest summers.
Sometimes kids ask how I've been able to write so many books. The answer is simple: one word at a time. Which is a good lesson, I think. You don't have to do everything at once. You don't have to know how every story is going to end. You just have to take that next step, look for that next idea, write that next word. And growing up, it's the same way. We just have to go to that next class, read that next chapter, help that next person. You simply have to do that next good thing, and before you know it, you're living a good life.
Before moving to Illinois, and even afterwards, our family spent summers at a cabin on a lake in Maine. There was no TV there, no phone, no doorbell—and email wasn’t even invented. All day there was time to swim and fish and mess around outside, and every night, there was time to read. I know those quiet summers helped me begin to think like a writer.
During my senior year at Springfield High School my English teacher handed back a poem I’d written. Two things were amazing about that paper. First, I’d gotten an A—a rare event in this teacher’s class. And she’d also written in large, scrawly red writing, “Andrew—this poem is so funny. This should be published!”
That praise sent me off to Northwestern University feeling like I was a pretty good writer, and occasionally professors there also encouraged me and complimented the essays I was required to write as a literature major. But I didn’t write much on my own—just some poetry now and then. I learned to play guitar and began writing songs, but again, only when I felt like it. Writing felt like hard work—something that’s still true today.
After the songwriting came my first job in publishing. I worked for a small publisher who specialized in how-to books, the kind of books that have photos with informative captions below each one. The book in which my name first appeared in print is called A Country Christmas Treasury. I’d built a number of the projects featured in the book, and I was listed as one of the “craftspeople”on the acknowlegements page, in tiny, tiny type.
In 1990 I began trying to write a story about a boy who makes up a new word. That book eventually became my first novel, Frindle, published in 1996, and you can read the whole story of how it developed on another web site, frindle.com. Frindle became popular, more popular than any of my books before or since—at least so far. And it had the eventual effect of turning me into a full-time writer.
I’ve learned that I need time and a quiet place to think and write. These days, I spend a lot of my time sitting in a small shed about seventy feet from my back door at our home in Massachusetts. There’s a woodstove in there for the cold winters, and an air conditioner for the hot summers. There’s a desk and chair, and I carry a laptop computer back and forth. But there’s no TV, no phone, no doorbell, no email. And the woodstove and the pine board walls make the place smell just like that cabin in Maine where I spent my earliest summers.
Sometimes kids ask how I've been able to write so many books. The answer is simple: one word at a time. Which is a good lesson, I think. You don't have to do everything at once. You don't have to know how every story is going to end. You just have to take that next step, look for that next idea, write that next word. And growing up, it's the same way. We just have to go to that next class, read that next chapter, help that next person. You simply have to do that next good thing, and before you know it, you're living a good life.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 642 reviews
April 6, 2013
I've always liked Clements' books, but was really impressed with this one. Some things I liked about it:
1)It effectively portrays a student who doesn't really care to do her work; it's not that she can't, she just doesn't want to. I think I have many students who could relate to this. I expected the stereotypical "never really learned how to read", but that wasn't it.
2) There are caring parents and teachers. (Sure, the dad is a bit gruff at times, but that's probably realistic.)
3) Kids can learn about another culture, and perhaps appreciate their own a bit. They can also learn a bit of history. I've read reviews that were disappointed that Clements didn't take the Afghan conflicts further, but I think he wanted to be sure to make this book accessible to students without overdoing it.
4)Things didn't always happen the way I expected.
5)The narrator did a pretty decent job.
6)Abby did grow, and perhaps other students might be inspired.
7)Teachers could use this book in many ways.
(Slight spoiler: I was a bit surprised that Abby seemed to move on when the letters stopped. But, that's a good thing. I shouldn't figure it all out.)
1)It effectively portrays a student who doesn't really care to do her work; it's not that she can't, she just doesn't want to. I think I have many students who could relate to this. I expected the stereotypical "never really learned how to read", but that wasn't it.
2) There are caring parents and teachers. (Sure, the dad is a bit gruff at times, but that's probably realistic.)
3) Kids can learn about another culture, and perhaps appreciate their own a bit. They can also learn a bit of history. I've read reviews that were disappointed that Clements didn't take the Afghan conflicts further, but I think he wanted to be sure to make this book accessible to students without overdoing it.
4)Things didn't always happen the way I expected.
5)The narrator did a pretty decent job.
6)Abby did grow, and perhaps other students might be inspired.
7)Teachers could use this book in many ways.
(Slight spoiler: I was a bit surprised that Abby seemed to move on when the letters stopped. But, that's a good thing. I shouldn't figure it all out.)
May 18, 2024
Andrew Clements is one of those authors who can slip by you unnoticed, if you let that happen. His books never received vocal support in Newbery discussions, but were read by lots of kids. He had a robust, loyal following among grade schoolers, and with the release of Extra Credit in 2009 I was intrigued to hear, really for the first time, Newbery talk about an Andrew Clements book.
I can see why this book would receive the praise it's been given. The narrative deftly weaves in and out of two sharply distinct cultures, from the points of view of American sixth grader Abby Carson and her Afghan counterpart, a boy named Sadeed Bayat. I was greatly impressed with the aptitude shown by Andrew Clements in skipping back and forth between these two nations that are so different, and doing so with such clear skill. Each time the tale crossed to the other ocean shore it took but a few well-chosen words to immerse me in what was happening there, in the thoughts and sounds and feelings that are so unique to each of their worlds. The story moves along without pretty word pictures or masterful use of metaphor, but simply, honestly, and with straightforward intentions that fit so well with the book's characters.
Extra Credit begins when Abby, a smart girl who just doesn't like the idea of doing a lot of schoolwork, is confronted by her teachers with the reality that her poor work in school is going to result in her having to repeat the sixth grade the following year, unless her academic ways dramatically change. One of the requirements that faces her is an essentially mandatory extra credit project, in which she will write a letter to a student in Afghanistan and attempt to begin a friendship as pen pals.
This exchange works quite well at the start, and soon Abby "meets" Sadeed, and the two kids begin writing letters back and forth to each other. Things are much more complicated than they might seem, however. Abby is required to put her letters (copies, at least) to and from Sadeed up on a bulletin board at school, to display her extra credit project as it begins to take shape. This inhibits her somewhat from getting too personal in what she says, leading her to begin writing two copies of each letter that she pens: a real letter to Sadeed, and a more innocuous one for use at school. Sadeed, meanwhile, cannot write to Abby directly because the elders in his Afghan village consider it inappropriate for a girl and boy of Sadeed and Abby's ages to communicate, even by letter. The situation is not ideal for either of them, but somehow through it all a glimmer of friendship's potential seems to emerge between Abby and Sadeed. Somehow, the sparks of humanity that they share regardless of cultural differences and lives that contrast so totally, fan into the beginning fires of a meaningful relationship.
I think the major ideas that Andrew Clements wanted to express in this story are outlined very well in Abby's final speech to her class, when she must summarize her extra credit project to them and describe what she learned along the way. Abby says that she was able to really see that kids are basically the same no matter what culture they live in; the important parts of who they are—their love for family and friends, hopes for the future, and desire to experience a happy, peaceful life—are the same whether they live in central Illinois like Abby or war-threatened Afghanistan, like Sadeed. Another important point she makes is that people are basically simple in what they really want, but those around them can make things much more complicated than they need to be. Abby's friendship with Sadeed makes for a vivid object lesson here: All they really want is to be friends, but the people around them, especially some of the residents in Sadeed's village, have the power to turn that into an impossibility. This is a sad but very true reality for Abby and Sadeed.
I like this book, for sure. Andrew Clements is an author whose work I would certainly be glad to read more of in the future. The dividing line between rounding my solid two-and-a-half-star rating either up or down out of necessity was a close one, but I reluctantly chose to round down. Extra Credit is definitely worth the additional half star though, in my opinion.
I can see why this book would receive the praise it's been given. The narrative deftly weaves in and out of two sharply distinct cultures, from the points of view of American sixth grader Abby Carson and her Afghan counterpart, a boy named Sadeed Bayat. I was greatly impressed with the aptitude shown by Andrew Clements in skipping back and forth between these two nations that are so different, and doing so with such clear skill. Each time the tale crossed to the other ocean shore it took but a few well-chosen words to immerse me in what was happening there, in the thoughts and sounds and feelings that are so unique to each of their worlds. The story moves along without pretty word pictures or masterful use of metaphor, but simply, honestly, and with straightforward intentions that fit so well with the book's characters.
Extra Credit begins when Abby, a smart girl who just doesn't like the idea of doing a lot of schoolwork, is confronted by her teachers with the reality that her poor work in school is going to result in her having to repeat the sixth grade the following year, unless her academic ways dramatically change. One of the requirements that faces her is an essentially mandatory extra credit project, in which she will write a letter to a student in Afghanistan and attempt to begin a friendship as pen pals.
This exchange works quite well at the start, and soon Abby "meets" Sadeed, and the two kids begin writing letters back and forth to each other. Things are much more complicated than they might seem, however. Abby is required to put her letters (copies, at least) to and from Sadeed up on a bulletin board at school, to display her extra credit project as it begins to take shape. This inhibits her somewhat from getting too personal in what she says, leading her to begin writing two copies of each letter that she pens: a real letter to Sadeed, and a more innocuous one for use at school. Sadeed, meanwhile, cannot write to Abby directly because the elders in his Afghan village consider it inappropriate for a girl and boy of Sadeed and Abby's ages to communicate, even by letter. The situation is not ideal for either of them, but somehow through it all a glimmer of friendship's potential seems to emerge between Abby and Sadeed. Somehow, the sparks of humanity that they share regardless of cultural differences and lives that contrast so totally, fan into the beginning fires of a meaningful relationship.
I think the major ideas that Andrew Clements wanted to express in this story are outlined very well in Abby's final speech to her class, when she must summarize her extra credit project to them and describe what she learned along the way. Abby says that she was able to really see that kids are basically the same no matter what culture they live in; the important parts of who they are—their love for family and friends, hopes for the future, and desire to experience a happy, peaceful life—are the same whether they live in central Illinois like Abby or war-threatened Afghanistan, like Sadeed. Another important point she makes is that people are basically simple in what they really want, but those around them can make things much more complicated than they need to be. Abby's friendship with Sadeed makes for a vivid object lesson here: All they really want is to be friends, but the people around them, especially some of the residents in Sadeed's village, have the power to turn that into an impossibility. This is a sad but very true reality for Abby and Sadeed.
I like this book, for sure. Andrew Clements is an author whose work I would certainly be glad to read more of in the future. The dividing line between rounding my solid two-and-a-half-star rating either up or down out of necessity was a close one, but I reluctantly chose to round down. Extra Credit is definitely worth the additional half star though, in my opinion.
February 7, 2023
Good middle-grade read, about a boy from Afghanistan and an American girl who become sixth-grade pen pals. It was short, but very interesting.
I wish the author had included some notes at the end about how he came to write this; I’m sure there is a backstory somewhere to be found!
I wish the author had included some notes at the end about how he came to write this; I’m sure there is a backstory somewhere to be found!
December 1, 2019
This was a very sweet and endearing middle schooler book. I like how both Abby and Sadeed changed a little throughout the story. One issue I have with books is how characters change drastically from who they are with hardly any effort. Nothing and nobody changes without any effort or reason. Amira and Mariah act as constants for both Sadeed and Abby so readers notice the change. I also liked how Mr. Clements showed a realistic way that children see ether world at a young age (in this case 10 and 12). Since this is a kids book it only lightly touched on sensitive subjects but did a good job explaining some aspects that answered questions I had. Mr. Elliott's drawings added a wonderful addition to this book. Although I wish he would have drawn the pictures described in the letters because it didn't make sense to me not to have Sadeed draw pictures and not feature said drawings. That is my only complaint about this delightful read.
February 7, 2012
Abby is in 6th grade and would rather spend her time outside or rock climbing rather than doing her homework. Halfway through the school year, she learns that she’ll be held back if her performance doesn’t improve. Determined to do everything in her power to bring up her grades, Abby focuses on her school work. Because she’s so far behind, her teachers also give her an extra credit project – she has to exchange letters with a student in another country. She picks Afghanistan (because of the surrounding mountains), and her first letter reaches Sadeed and Amira Bayat – who live just north of Kabul. It immediately presents the students’ teacher with a problem. He feels their best student – Sadeed – should respond to the letter, but because it comes from a girl, it is not considered appropriate. Instead, Sadeed’s younger sister, Amira, is asked to respond with Sadeed’s assistance. Sadeed, who is initially skeptical, finds himself intrigued by Abby and her country, and ends up putting much more of himself into the letters he sends to America, than he intends. Abby, upon receiving these letters, also finds herself interested in Sadeed and his land. The project is curtailed when those who hold anti-American sentiments threaten Sadeed’s village, but both Abby and Sadeed learn something about their similarities and differences and are able to see their own homes through fresh eyes.
This starts a little slowly, but becomes more engaging as Abby and Sadeed exchange letters and thoughts about their countries, becoming friends despite their differences. I would have liked to see some of the “drawings” Sadeed sent Abby. There are illustrations throughout this book, but for some reason not the ones that are mentioned in the text. (Perhaps the author and illustrator wanted readers to imagine these things for themselves?) This could easily be used in a classroom to spark interest in other countries, and for discussion (particularly of how America is viewed by people in other nations), and for spear-heading other pen pal exchanges. A fast and thought-provoking read.
This starts a little slowly, but becomes more engaging as Abby and Sadeed exchange letters and thoughts about their countries, becoming friends despite their differences. I would have liked to see some of the “drawings” Sadeed sent Abby. There are illustrations throughout this book, but for some reason not the ones that are mentioned in the text. (Perhaps the author and illustrator wanted readers to imagine these things for themselves?) This could easily be used in a classroom to spark interest in other countries, and for discussion (particularly of how America is viewed by people in other nations), and for spear-heading other pen pal exchanges. A fast and thought-provoking read.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
August 16, 2009
When Abby Carson learns she's in danger of failing the sixth grade, her teacher assigns her an extra credit assignment to help with her social studies grade. Abby will write to a pen pal in Afghanistan and then present a report to the class. When Sadeed writes back to her, Abby learns that although they are different, they are also the same, and she begins to see her life in America through new eyes.
Andrew Clements is a master of realistic fiction for middle graders. Abby and Sadeed came to life for me and I didn't want to stop reading about them. I wouldn't say this is one of my favorite of Clements's books, but it's a solid addition to his stellar list of titles. With the Middle East in the news so often, this would make a great classroom title and perhaps it'll inspire elementary students to pick up a pen and make their own connections across the globe.
Read my full review on my blog:
http://abbylibrarian.blogspot.com/200...
Andrew Clements is a master of realistic fiction for middle graders. Abby and Sadeed came to life for me and I didn't want to stop reading about them. I wouldn't say this is one of my favorite of Clements's books, but it's a solid addition to his stellar list of titles. With the Middle East in the news so often, this would make a great classroom title and perhaps it'll inspire elementary students to pick up a pen and make their own connections across the globe.
Read my full review on my blog:
http://abbylibrarian.blogspot.com/200...
January 1, 2018
Well-done. Highly recommended, especially to the target audience of 3rd - 6th grade children, especially to female reluctant readers grade 5 or 6. Because that's Abby. And she's easy to empathize/ identify with, and a good role model, too. Maybe a little too earnest for the full five stars, but a wonderful story nonetheless.
Very mild spoiler:
Very mild spoiler:
March 4, 2023
Andrew Clements was my first introduction to realistic fiction beyond the goofy style of Junie B. Jones and Amber Brown. As a kid, I read and reread Frindle, No Talking, The Report Card, The School Story, and Lost and Found, but Extra Credit was never one of the ones that interested me beyond that first read. I think that may have been because it was written about and geared toward a slightly older audience than my childhood favorites, or at least it seemed that way at the time.
Now, it still doesn't resonate with me. The attitudes toward both Afghanistan foreign or cross-cultural interaction in general seem very dated, even though this book was from less than fifteen years ago. The whole thing seemed very performative. I also didn't like the attitude toward failing. It seemed like Abby was receiving no help from the school until it was too late. As someone who's been in her situation, and as an adult looking back while studying education and working with children, I was pretty uncomfortable with the way all of this was addressed.
I think that Extra Credit introduces a lot of stereotypes about gender and international relations, and for some of the gender barriers that boys and girls in general experience, I think it does an okay job of addressing them. However, for stereotypes about Afghanistan and intercultural relations, I think Extra Credit does more to perpetuate these stereotypes than to address or combat them.
For a stronger (own voices) book with a similar audience and similar content I would recommend the 2015 memoir in letters I Will Always Write Back: How One Letter Changed Two Lives by Caitlin Alifirenka and Martin Ganda, as I feel like it hits all the marks that Extra Credit misses.
I will review further about audience, shortcomings, and the comparison to I Will Always Write Back on my children's book account when I have the chance.
Now, it still doesn't resonate with me. The attitudes toward both Afghanistan foreign or cross-cultural interaction in general seem very dated, even though this book was from less than fifteen years ago. The whole thing seemed very performative. I also didn't like the attitude toward failing. It seemed like Abby was receiving no help from the school until it was too late. As someone who's been in her situation, and as an adult looking back while studying education and working with children, I was pretty uncomfortable with the way all of this was addressed.
I think that Extra Credit introduces a lot of stereotypes about gender and international relations, and for some of the gender barriers that boys and girls in general experience, I think it does an okay job of addressing them. However, for stereotypes about Afghanistan and intercultural relations, I think Extra Credit does more to perpetuate these stereotypes than to address or combat them.
For a stronger (own voices) book with a similar audience and similar content I would recommend the 2015 memoir in letters I Will Always Write Back: How One Letter Changed Two Lives by Caitlin Alifirenka and Martin Ganda, as I feel like it hits all the marks that Extra Credit misses.
I will review further about audience, shortcomings, and the comparison to I Will Always Write Back on my children's book account when I have the chance.
June 27, 2017
This started out slow for me and I wasn't sure about it. Then something happened and it became a fantastic story. This is about Pen Pals between Abby in Illinois and Sadeed in Afganistan. It does a great job of showing difference between the two cultures and all the privileges Americans have. The story was so well done. Andrew Clements can be counted on for a fantastic story. I've never been let down. It also reminds me of my youth and the pen pals I had. I think that is such a great experience.
July 26, 2023
read this with the boy i tutor!
May 11, 2024
Read this as a read aloud with my kiddos.
We all really enjoyed it.
We all really enjoyed it.
August 22, 2016
This was the 10th book by Clements that I have read over the last few months. Most of his books have a lesson but this one dealing with hostilities between the US and Afghanistan as experienced by students in both countries pushes the boundary for Clements. It is an interesting read but not one of my favorites by Clements.
This is primarily a story about pen pals, Abby Carson and Sadeed Bayat. Abby is in desperate need of a pen pal because she is about to repeat her grade and an Extra Credit project. The project she get's if to have a pen pal and share at least 5 letters and do a bulletin board in the classroom to share the information she learns with her classmates. Her teacher gives her the choice of a few locations where she has contacts in school. Abby decides to write Afghanistan because they have mountains and her favorite thing is the rock climbing wall in the gym at school, because Illinois.
The story deals with some typical stereotypes, but also breaking down boundaries. At first Sadeed is reluctant to write to Abby because he is to work with his younger sister and do it. For a boy and girl writing is not appropriate. He feels writing a girl is below him. But as the letters exchange his feelings change. Both Abby and Sadeed encounter resistance, some parents at Abby's school complain about the Afghan flag on her display. And a stranger is furious when he sees American flag stamps on a letter Saeed has. Even accusing Saeed of being a traitor or spy.
Both children learn to deal with their feelings. They both encounter feelings they did not expect. They also both learn to appreciate aspects about the others culture and day to day life.
In some ways this book was more intense than many of Clements other books. Because of the political nature and the content. But in other ways it was slower as letters were written and events going on in between the letters travelling back and forth.
The book was an interesting read. It also does a fairly good job of trying to handle such political issues. It was also the first book by Clements that I have encountered that has some budding romance in it. It was a little slower read than many of his other books but still one with a good message. It helped me think about my biases or preconceived notions, and any book that makes us think is good in my books.
Read the review on my blog Book Reviews and More and reviews of other books by Andrew Clements.
This is primarily a story about pen pals, Abby Carson and Sadeed Bayat. Abby is in desperate need of a pen pal because she is about to repeat her grade and an Extra Credit project. The project she get's if to have a pen pal and share at least 5 letters and do a bulletin board in the classroom to share the information she learns with her classmates. Her teacher gives her the choice of a few locations where she has contacts in school. Abby decides to write Afghanistan because they have mountains and her favorite thing is the rock climbing wall in the gym at school, because Illinois.
The story deals with some typical stereotypes, but also breaking down boundaries. At first Sadeed is reluctant to write to Abby because he is to work with his younger sister and do it. For a boy and girl writing is not appropriate. He feels writing a girl is below him. But as the letters exchange his feelings change. Both Abby and Sadeed encounter resistance, some parents at Abby's school complain about the Afghan flag on her display. And a stranger is furious when he sees American flag stamps on a letter Saeed has. Even accusing Saeed of being a traitor or spy.
Both children learn to deal with their feelings. They both encounter feelings they did not expect. They also both learn to appreciate aspects about the others culture and day to day life.
In some ways this book was more intense than many of Clements other books. Because of the political nature and the content. But in other ways it was slower as letters were written and events going on in between the letters travelling back and forth.
The book was an interesting read. It also does a fairly good job of trying to handle such political issues. It was also the first book by Clements that I have encountered that has some budding romance in it. It was a little slower read than many of his other books but still one with a good message. It helped me think about my biases or preconceived notions, and any book that makes us think is good in my books.
Read the review on my blog Book Reviews and More and reviews of other books by Andrew Clements.
September 10, 2017
I thought this book was BORING because it didn't have any adventure or excitement in it and those are my favorite things in books. A basic summary of the book is that Abby is a 6th grader who goes to school in Illinois. She was failing 6th grade so she might have to repeat it next year, so if she doesn't want to repeat 6th grade next year she has to do EXTRA CREDIT. The extra credit is that Abby has to be a pen pal with someone in Afghanistan. In the end she does pretty well on the tests but I don't know if she went to 7th grade or not. That's IT, isn't it BORING? I still think that Abby learned to appreciate that she lives in America other than Afghanistan.
May 18, 2019
Such a great kid's book for those kids who like to learn about different countries and how kids are in other parts of the world. This book created a lot of dialogue for us as we listened. I was impressed how Clements (as always) can make a setting come alive for young readers. We were able to talk about differences that we experience here as a family, the freedoms we have that so many others don't. Yet in the same vein children are the same every where with the same desires. I like how Clements made it seem like the characters in Kabul because they had contact with Abby the American girl started thinking differently about certain things.
November 21, 2014
My 8 year old recommended this book to me since she really loves books by Andrew Clements. This was a sweet book about understanding others and their culture as well as friendship. I think this book was written in a way that kids can relate to and is interesting for them to read.
November 8, 2017
Kids weren't very well behaved, had a bad attitude. Beside that, I liked the political look it gave.
January 7, 2023
Extra Credit
Banned in Duval County, Florida as part of the blanket ban against the Essential Voices classroom library series
This middle grades novel is about an American girl, Abby, in Illinois, struggling with school. To make up for her poor grades in order to move up to Junior High, Abby has to do an extra credit pen-pal project. A world away in the mountains of Afghanistan, Sadeed Bayat receives an assignment from his teacher and the village head man: help his little sister Amira write to this girl in America and show America that their village has excellent and smart students. When Amira gets all the credit for a letter Sadeed wrote, he becomes jealous. What he does next is forbidden and could get him and Abby into a lot of trouble.
I don't know why this book is banned because that's too ironic! In Afghanistan they ban books! Kids are only allowed to read books approved by the Ministry of Education. Sadeed's teacher gives him forbidden books from Britain and America to read.
Sadeed's reading list includes
Frog and Toad Are Friends (his first English book)
Robinson Crusoe (Christian themes)
Robin Hood (also Christian but noble characters)
Hatchet (The most modern book Sadeed has read in English).
In America, Abby must put up a bulletin board in the classroom to share her letters and everything she learns about Afghanistan. The Afghan flag is banned because it made one student feel "uncomfortable" when the student and parent research the writing on the flag and also because the flag has an image of a mosque on it.
I picked this up because I had 80 pen-pals from around the world when I was Sadeed's age. I like learning about new places and I was curious about how this American author was going to portray Afghanistan. Ironically, in Sadeed and Amira's village, girls are allowed to go to school. Amira's father encourages her to get an education. There's been some fighting in the mountains nearby and when Sadeed was younger, a house across the street was blown up and people died. The mountains Abby loves to much compared to her flat Illinois plains can be dangerous for other reasons relating to nature.
There's one scene where Sadeed is threatened by a soldier and that has repercussions throughout the village and for Abby.
I couldn't relate to Abby. She seems to exhibit signs of ADHD and I was always a dedicated student and a big reader. Abby is outdoorsy, athletic and dreams of climbing mountains and I'm a couch potato. I liked Sadeed better because he's more studious and eager to leave his small village through academics like me. Plus Abby's life feels dated while Sadeed and Amira's is different. I'm not sure how accurate the portrayal is because there's no mention of consulting with beta readers or Afghani refugees. It was written not long after 9-11. Sadeed is clever but he's also arrogant at times and mean to his little sister. Amira is only in 4th grade. She's been sheltered from the outside world or so her brother assumes. He makes some sexist comments about girls but through Abby's letters he comes to see that girls and boys can be friends and that he does love his sister even if she can be annoying and immature.
This is an important book to have in classroom libraries. It doesn't feel dated yet because there's internet and cell phones with text messaging in Abby's world. In Afghanistan, even though those things exist in the cities, Sadeed lives in a small village where the mountains impede access to technology. I think most kids will be able to relate to Abby and it would be good to learn something about Afghanistan, especially now when the Taliban is back and many people have fled.
Banned in Duval County, Florida as part of the blanket ban against the Essential Voices classroom library series
This middle grades novel is about an American girl, Abby, in Illinois, struggling with school. To make up for her poor grades in order to move up to Junior High, Abby has to do an extra credit pen-pal project. A world away in the mountains of Afghanistan, Sadeed Bayat receives an assignment from his teacher and the village head man: help his little sister Amira write to this girl in America and show America that their village has excellent and smart students. When Amira gets all the credit for a letter Sadeed wrote, he becomes jealous. What he does next is forbidden and could get him and Abby into a lot of trouble.
I don't know why this book is banned because that's too ironic! In Afghanistan they ban books! Kids are only allowed to read books approved by the Ministry of Education. Sadeed's teacher gives him forbidden books from Britain and America to read.
Sadeed's reading list includes
Frog and Toad Are Friends (his first English book)
Robinson Crusoe (Christian themes)
Robin Hood (also Christian but noble characters)
Hatchet (The most modern book Sadeed has read in English).
In America, Abby must put up a bulletin board in the classroom to share her letters and everything she learns about Afghanistan. The Afghan flag is banned because it made one student feel "uncomfortable" when the student and parent research the writing on the flag and also because the flag has an image of a mosque on it.
I picked this up because I had 80 pen-pals from around the world when I was Sadeed's age. I like learning about new places and I was curious about how this American author was going to portray Afghanistan. Ironically, in Sadeed and Amira's village, girls are allowed to go to school. Amira's father encourages her to get an education. There's been some fighting in the mountains nearby and when Sadeed was younger, a house across the street was blown up and people died. The mountains Abby loves to much compared to her flat Illinois plains can be dangerous for other reasons relating to nature.
There's one scene where Sadeed is threatened by a soldier and that has repercussions throughout the village and for Abby.
I couldn't relate to Abby. She seems to exhibit signs of ADHD and I was always a dedicated student and a big reader. Abby is outdoorsy, athletic and dreams of climbing mountains and I'm a couch potato. I liked Sadeed better because he's more studious and eager to leave his small village through academics like me. Plus Abby's life feels dated while Sadeed and Amira's is different. I'm not sure how accurate the portrayal is because there's no mention of consulting with beta readers or Afghani refugees. It was written not long after 9-11. Sadeed is clever but he's also arrogant at times and mean to his little sister. Amira is only in 4th grade. She's been sheltered from the outside world or so her brother assumes. He makes some sexist comments about girls but through Abby's letters he comes to see that girls and boys can be friends and that he does love his sister even if she can be annoying and immature.
This is an important book to have in classroom libraries. It doesn't feel dated yet because there's internet and cell phones with text messaging in Abby's world. In Afghanistan, even though those things exist in the cities, Sadeed lives in a small village where the mountains impede access to technology. I think most kids will be able to relate to Abby and it would be good to learn something about Afghanistan, especially now when the Taliban is back and many people have fled.
December 18, 2022
This winter break I will be rereading all of the books that shaped me as a child. Picked this up to deal w the existential doom having final essays til the 21st has brought me. Anyways, Andrew Clements still holds up! Though the end disappointed me, I'd forgotten that's how it ended.
July 12, 2020
Andrew Clements is a great middle-grade writer and this was a good, slightly anti-climatic/boring story.
The MC must become penpals with a brother and sister pair in Afghanistan in order to pass the 6th grade. The reader gets to see both worlds and their differences, though it is a very small window into the worlds.
I liked that it can introduce children to new cultures and encourage them to learn about different people.
I also liked that the MC struggles with school and prefers nature and rock climbing, some readers will definitely relate to that.
Recommended for younger readers who are curious about the world.
((listened to for a short audiobook))
The MC must become penpals with a brother and sister pair in Afghanistan in order to pass the 6th grade. The reader gets to see both worlds and their differences, though it is a very small window into the worlds.
I liked that it can introduce children to new cultures and encourage them to learn about different people.
I also liked that the MC struggles with school and prefers nature and rock climbing, some readers will definitely relate to that.
Recommended for younger readers who are curious about the world.
((listened to for a short audiobook))
November 22, 2015
A very unique, creative, thoughtful, and timely book dealing with realistic fiction in the authentic and powerfully meaningful ways Andrew Clements is so well known for. Firstly, his approach toward helping students grasp the seriousness of slacking off on their academic responsibilities - putting their promotion onto the next grade in serious jeopardy - was wonderful. I've never heard of an author seriously broaching this topic and showing failing students the steps they can take to turn their academic failures around. Since I am a teacher in a state that has one of the highest dropout rates within the USA, I'm keenly aware that this type of "inside information" is desperately needed by many failing students, especially those whose parents/guardians are indifferent regarding the student's academic future and/or capabilities.
I believe this author was exceptionally brave and thoughtful in including the pen-pal relationships that most of this book centers around. The potential bigotry and rampant ignorance found within both the USA and Afghanistan offers students a broader perspective on the impacts of war, from both sides of the situation. Informing students that girls are restricted from attending schools in huge numbers of nations and cultures, all over the world, is essential, if we are to close the educational, financial, and occupational gaps between both genders, all around the world. We each have the ability to aid girls and women, all around the globe, but not unless we are first made aware of how vastly different their options are from those in the westernized countries.
It was particularly insightful for the author to show how boys of any culture (including the USA and the Middle East), often have built-in prejudices against girls - biases that could keep them from making important friendships and learning a lot of valuable things about life and the world. As long as boys believe they are somehow innately superior to girls (thus, too proud and arrogant to get to know them), and/or that the two genders are too different to ever be good friends, then both the males/boys and the females/girls involved will continue to be lonelier than they need to be, along with experiencing severe problems with dating and marriage later on - as those types of relationships DEMAND that both members of the couple be good friends FIRST, before moving their relationship on to something more intimate/close.
There is nothing inherently superior or inferior about either gender and the sooner that all boys and girls around the world (along with their extended families), learn this fact, the better for all concerned. The genders share much more in common with each other than they have differences. Their shared commonalities permit them to work successfully together in all occupations, along with sharing hobbies, classes, household and yard-care responsibilities, and much more. I applaud the author for successfully broaching this topic in an age-appropriate way. Bravo!
I believe this author was exceptionally brave and thoughtful in including the pen-pal relationships that most of this book centers around. The potential bigotry and rampant ignorance found within both the USA and Afghanistan offers students a broader perspective on the impacts of war, from both sides of the situation. Informing students that girls are restricted from attending schools in huge numbers of nations and cultures, all over the world, is essential, if we are to close the educational, financial, and occupational gaps between both genders, all around the world. We each have the ability to aid girls and women, all around the globe, but not unless we are first made aware of how vastly different their options are from those in the westernized countries.
It was particularly insightful for the author to show how boys of any culture (including the USA and the Middle East), often have built-in prejudices against girls - biases that could keep them from making important friendships and learning a lot of valuable things about life and the world. As long as boys believe they are somehow innately superior to girls (thus, too proud and arrogant to get to know them), and/or that the two genders are too different to ever be good friends, then both the males/boys and the females/girls involved will continue to be lonelier than they need to be, along with experiencing severe problems with dating and marriage later on - as those types of relationships DEMAND that both members of the couple be good friends FIRST, before moving their relationship on to something more intimate/close.
There is nothing inherently superior or inferior about either gender and the sooner that all boys and girls around the world (along with their extended families), learn this fact, the better for all concerned. The genders share much more in common with each other than they have differences. Their shared commonalities permit them to work successfully together in all occupations, along with sharing hobbies, classes, household and yard-care responsibilities, and much more. I applaud the author for successfully broaching this topic in an age-appropriate way. Bravo!
April 22, 2018
This book begins with the opposite premise from "The Report Card" by the same author. Whereas The Report Card is all about questioning the hyperfocus on grades and the effectiveness of memorization testing, Extra Credit takes this all as the status quo and does not question it. The main character is failing 6th grade and under threat of being held back, takes on an extra credit assignment becoming a penpal with someone in Afghanistan. As with several of the author's books, the story touches on some interesting topics, but just kind if leaves them dangling without a lot of substance. It touches on censorship, extremism, traditional values vs modern freedoms, and more. The book is a decent read, but I felt it lacked a significant catharsis or resolution or major lesson.
The audio narration is pretty good, with one huge glaring exception. The narrative does a good job changing voices depending on who is talking, or whose viewpoint is being narrated. She puts on an accent when narrating for the Afghani family members, and does an American girl voice when narrating for the main character. She even has the Afghani girl pronounce Illinois wrong, with an s sound at the ends which makes perfect sense. However, every single time she reads the word Afghanistan, she pronounces it with an affected accent: Af-GHAH-nis-TAHN. This bugged me to no end, especially since the name a Afghanistan is mentioned constantly throughout the book. Do young sixth grade girls and their teachers pronounce Mexico MEH-hee-ko or Italy Ee-TAH-lia? Of course not. They use the proper American English pronunciation. And they pronounce Afghanistan the same way. I'm sure it's not intended this way, but it comes across as obnoxious.
The audio narration is pretty good, with one huge glaring exception. The narrative does a good job changing voices depending on who is talking, or whose viewpoint is being narrated. She puts on an accent when narrating for the Afghani family members, and does an American girl voice when narrating for the main character. She even has the Afghani girl pronounce Illinois wrong, with an s sound at the ends which makes perfect sense. However, every single time she reads the word Afghanistan, she pronounces it with an affected accent: Af-GHAH-nis-TAHN. This bugged me to no end, especially since the name a Afghanistan is mentioned constantly throughout the book. Do young sixth grade girls and their teachers pronounce Mexico MEH-hee-ko or Italy Ee-TAH-lia? Of course not. They use the proper American English pronunciation. And they pronounce Afghanistan the same way. I'm sure it's not intended this way, but it comes across as obnoxious.
November 11, 2018
Choice book #1 Quarter #2
Extra Credit written by Andrew Clements is a realistic fiction book and it takes place in Illinois and Afghanistan.
Abby and Sadeed
Abby: Abby is a determined girl who loves to rope climb, but she doesn't do that well is 6th grade so she has to do some extra credit to bring her grades up. She loves to explore in the woods and she has a good mind for creating stuff. But sometimes exploring can interfere with her homework.
Sadeed: Sadeed is a strong, brave kid who works for his dad and loves school and English in America. He sort of is the opposite of Abby because he wants more school work when Abby hates school work and wants less. Sadeed's sister is Abby's official pen pal but Sadeed is the one who writes all of the letters.
There are two main problems one for Abby and one for Sadeed. The problem for Abby is she has to get good grades or else she will have to stay in 6th grade for another year. And Sadeed's problem is he want's to write to Abby but her sister got the job.
In the book Extra Credit Addy is doing poorly in school and she has to do a pen pal project to get her grades up. But an unexpected person starts writing with her instead of the main pen pal. Read the book to find out who this person is, and the relationship she or he has with Addy.
My favorite part in the book Extra Credit is when they told us about Abby in the woods with her treehouse. I liked this part because it was very descriptive and it painted a very good pitcher in my mind. A conation I had with the book Extra Credit was the book Lunch Money is, they both have a problem between a boy and a girl, and they get through it together.
Extra Credit written by Andrew Clements is a realistic fiction book and it takes place in Illinois and Afghanistan.
Abby and Sadeed
Abby: Abby is a determined girl who loves to rope climb, but she doesn't do that well is 6th grade so she has to do some extra credit to bring her grades up. She loves to explore in the woods and she has a good mind for creating stuff. But sometimes exploring can interfere with her homework.
Sadeed: Sadeed is a strong, brave kid who works for his dad and loves school and English in America. He sort of is the opposite of Abby because he wants more school work when Abby hates school work and wants less. Sadeed's sister is Abby's official pen pal but Sadeed is the one who writes all of the letters.
There are two main problems one for Abby and one for Sadeed. The problem for Abby is she has to get good grades or else she will have to stay in 6th grade for another year. And Sadeed's problem is he want's to write to Abby but her sister got the job.
In the book Extra Credit Addy is doing poorly in school and she has to do a pen pal project to get her grades up. But an unexpected person starts writing with her instead of the main pen pal. Read the book to find out who this person is, and the relationship she or he has with Addy.
My favorite part in the book Extra Credit is when they told us about Abby in the woods with her treehouse. I liked this part because it was very descriptive and it painted a very good pitcher in my mind. A conation I had with the book Extra Credit was the book Lunch Money is, they both have a problem between a boy and a girl, and they get through it together.
September 5, 2011
Plot: Abby Carson is in danger of being held back in the 6th grade. As part of an extra credit assignment she writes to a pen pal in Afghanistan. Amira is the girl who receives Abby's letters, but it's her brother who handles writing back even though it's not considered proper by the men of the village for a boy to write to a girl. Abby's growing friendship with Amira and her brother Sadeed must come to a quick end when it becomes unsafe for the village to receive letters from America.
Why I picked it up: It was another on the long list of our Solano Kids Read choices.
Why I kept reading: It was interesting to learn some of the customs of the middle east. Clements created characters many readers will be able to relate to and sympathize with. Clements creates not one, but two settings - one in America and one in Afghanistan. He gives readers a glimpse of a country that readers will likely not see on the evening news, that of homes and schools and people who aren't all that different from you and me.
In the end: The ending was particularly poignant and leaves the reader wondering what will happen in the coming years of these characters' lives.
I recommend this book to those who want to learn more about life in Afghanistan, those who like stories of friendship and overcoming cultural differences, and of course all fans of Andrew Clements.
Why I picked it up: It was another on the long list of our Solano Kids Read choices.
Why I kept reading: It was interesting to learn some of the customs of the middle east. Clements created characters many readers will be able to relate to and sympathize with. Clements creates not one, but two settings - one in America and one in Afghanistan. He gives readers a glimpse of a country that readers will likely not see on the evening news, that of homes and schools and people who aren't all that different from you and me.
In the end: The ending was particularly poignant and leaves the reader wondering what will happen in the coming years of these characters' lives.
I recommend this book to those who want to learn more about life in Afghanistan, those who like stories of friendship and overcoming cultural differences, and of course all fans of Andrew Clements.
October 21, 2019
A sweet story about penpals in different countries. Perhaps not entirely realistic, but still a sweet tale. As someone who still writes/sends actual letters to people, I loved reading a book that championed just that.
February 15, 2011
Abby Carson has perfected the art of homework avoidance. It's not that she can't do it, she just finds other things more enticing. She discovers to her shock, however, that unless she can make up some of the missing work, she will be held back a year. Abby finds herself working on a project involving a pen pal from Afghanistan.
Sadeed loves his schoolwork and is the best student in his class, but he cannot correspond with Abby directly, because she is a girl. His younger sister is given the task of corresponding with Abby, but Sadeed finds himself intrigued with the American girl and starts writing to her himself.
Both students find themselves fascinated by the experiences of the other. They soon discover that not all people are willing and able to be so open and accepting. This book provides a glimpse of a lifestyle and culture very different from that of many children in the United States. Clements does a good job of giving the reader characters to root for and an opportunity to realize that people from other cultures can connect with each other if they are willing to try.
Sadeed loves his schoolwork and is the best student in his class, but he cannot correspond with Abby directly, because she is a girl. His younger sister is given the task of corresponding with Abby, but Sadeed finds himself intrigued with the American girl and starts writing to her himself.
Both students find themselves fascinated by the experiences of the other. They soon discover that not all people are willing and able to be so open and accepting. This book provides a glimpse of a lifestyle and culture very different from that of many children in the United States. Clements does a good job of giving the reader characters to root for and an opportunity to realize that people from other cultures can connect with each other if they are willing to try.
May 9, 2011
Abby Carson hasn't done well in school and might have to repeat sixth grade is she doesn't bring up her grades and do an extra credit project. The project is a penpal exchange with a student in Afghanistan.
She writes and gets a letter in return. It is supposedly from a girl, but in fact she's helped by her able brother who is two years older and the best student in the school. He couldn't write directly because the culture deems an exchange between 12-year-olds of the oppposite sex inappropriate.
Though from flat Illinois prairie, Abby loves rock climbing. The Afghans don't love the mountains for they present hardships. In their exchanges Abby and Sadeed learn a lot about each other, and he finds a way to write directly.
But then someone objects to the display of the Afghan flag in Abby's classroom. Sadeed is threatened when someone sees the American stamps. It becomes too dangerous to continue the correspondence.
The boy writes one last time and says he's tried mountain climbing and she appreciates his comment on the boring cornfields as a smile of God.
Interesting, holds your attention, sad too that the communication stops.
Grade 3 or 4-6.
She writes and gets a letter in return. It is supposedly from a girl, but in fact she's helped by her able brother who is two years older and the best student in the school. He couldn't write directly because the culture deems an exchange between 12-year-olds of the oppposite sex inappropriate.
Though from flat Illinois prairie, Abby loves rock climbing. The Afghans don't love the mountains for they present hardships. In their exchanges Abby and Sadeed learn a lot about each other, and he finds a way to write directly.
But then someone objects to the display of the Afghan flag in Abby's classroom. Sadeed is threatened when someone sees the American stamps. It becomes too dangerous to continue the correspondence.
The boy writes one last time and says he's tried mountain climbing and she appreciates his comment on the boring cornfields as a smile of God.
Interesting, holds your attention, sad too that the communication stops.
Grade 3 or 4-6.
January 13, 2010
I have to say I am quite fond of Andrew Clements. I have yet to read one of his books that I didn't like. This one was just as delightful as the rest. Maybe I best relate to the twelve year olds of his world?
Last night I began reading and as I crawled into bed to finish up the chapter I was on I found myself turning page after page until I was done. Finished! I finished the whole book in one reading. I know it is a kids book and all but the story was sweet, and telling. Andrew Clements has a way of putting the reader into the character's very worlds. Both Abby and Sadeed are bright and a bit too into themselves. Just like most twelve year olds I have known, myself included. And while I may not be a twelve year old anymore, he took me back to those very real feelings in a very real way.
I would recommend this book for any child age 10 to 13. Though you may get an eyeroll or two from the older set. But I think secretly, they will be glad they read it because they will know they are not alone.
Last night I began reading and as I crawled into bed to finish up the chapter I was on I found myself turning page after page until I was done. Finished! I finished the whole book in one reading. I know it is a kids book and all but the story was sweet, and telling. Andrew Clements has a way of putting the reader into the character's very worlds. Both Abby and Sadeed are bright and a bit too into themselves. Just like most twelve year olds I have known, myself included. And while I may not be a twelve year old anymore, he took me back to those very real feelings in a very real way.
I would recommend this book for any child age 10 to 13. Though you may get an eyeroll or two from the older set. But I think secretly, they will be glad they read it because they will know they are not alone.
January 24, 2019
Andrew Clements: Man? God? Who can tell. What we have here is another brilliant story about the drama of eleven year olds from two perspectives a world away. Afghanistan has been in the news a lot lately because of that wedding singer who looks like Justin Trudeau (and also because American foreign policy, the end of the USSR, and maybe Saudis), but Abby chooses an Afghani penpal because Afghanistan is mountainous and her favorite thing at school is rock climbing. Abby doesn't like school and chooses a pen pal situation as Extra Credit so that she doesn't get left back. Sadeed is chosen to respond to Abby (in his sister's name) because he is the best student in English at his school. In just a few letters, Abby and Sadeed establish crushes on each other based completely on ideation and secretness, but Sadeed grows closer to his sister, Abby passes sixth grade, rock climbing becomes universal, and earths are appreciated, until jingoism in both countries forces an end to their correspondence. Awesome book. Clements knocks it out of the park again. Must read.
November 10, 2010
I'd really like to give this 3 1/2 stars, but I can't do the half star. This story is about a penpal project between an American girl and a boy in Afghanistan, who has to let his little sister appear to write the letters for the sake of propriety. It was an interesting look at two very different cultures, and showed how both children had misconceptions about each other's country. Through their contact, Abby learns to appreciate her country more, and Sadeed learns that the Americans fighting in his country are fighting for a freedom that allows many good things that he currently does not have. I didn't like it as well as some of Clement's other books because it didn't leave me with an oomph at the end, it didn't leave me with things to think about. Maybe others will feel differently about it. Recommended nevertheless.
September 26, 2016
This book is really good book for me because it has a lot of good things in it like expressions, emotion and enthusiasm. I like how it is a girl and a boy who talk to each other from far away.From Afghanistan to the United States of America. They communicate by writing letters to each other from Afghanistan to USA.
I recommend this book to people that like adventure books. They would write letters every day to each other. It is hard for the boy in Afghanistan to write in English so he figures it out in the book. The girl in USA had struggled in school so they had to put her with someone smart like the guy in Afghanistan.
I recommend this book to people that like adventure books. They would write letters every day to each other. It is hard for the boy in Afghanistan to write in English so he figures it out in the book. The girl in USA had struggled in school so they had to put her with someone smart like the guy in Afghanistan.
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