Extra Credit

By: Andrew Clements

Narrated by: Gabra Zackman

It isn't that Abby Carson can't do her schoolwork, it's just that she doesn't like doing it. And that means she's pretty much failing sixth grade. When a warning letter is sent home, Abby realizes that all her slacking off could cause her to be held back -- for real! Unless she wants to repeat the sixth grade, she'll have to meet some specific conditions, including taking on an extra-credit project: find a pen pal in a foreign country. Simple enough (even for a girl who hates homework).

Abby's first letter arrives at a small school in Afghanistan, and Sadeed Bayat is chosen to be her pen pal.... Well, kind of. He is the best writer, but he is also a boy, and in his village it is not appropriate for a boy to correspond with a girl. So his younger sister dictates and signs the letter. Until Sadeed decides what his sister is telling Abby isn't what he'd like Abby to know.

As letters flow back and forth between Illinois and Afghanistan, Abby and Sadeed discover that their letters are crossing more than an ocean. They are crossing a huge cultural divide and a minefield of different lifestyles and traditions. Their growing friendship is also becoming a growing problem for both communities, and some people are not happy. Suddenly things are not so simple.

©2009 Andrew Clements (P)2009 Simon & Schuster

Great

This book is so great!! I love it soo so so much you should read it

The Best Book!

THE BEST BOOK IN THE WORD! U REALY SHOULD WATCH IT. OK. IT IS TO GOOD TO MISS

wonderful read!

Amazing story of friendship and personal growth. All children should read this book in elementary school.

Another great book by Clements

My girls (7 and 9) "loved this book very, very much." (A direct quote). Clements' books are favorites in our household and this one is particularly good..incorporates contemporary issues regarding Afghanistan well, it provides the basis for talking about how we are not reflective about our own situations and surroundings until someone else points out the beauty and distinctivenes that we take for granted.

Daddy/Daughter time

my daughter loves the Andrew Clements books.
after downloading and listening to Frindle (still her favorite), she is going through each of his books on audio now as we either drive together or listens to a chapter or two right before bedtime

good

i really loved this book it has a great story line and gives you a real look in the main characters lives

Great Book!

This was a great story!
I especially liked how it went back and forth from America to Afghanistan

I rated it all 5 stars because it totally deserved it. Ganda Zackman does a great job reading. Andrew Clements wrote a great book.

It was okay

It is a good book. I would suggest reading it. It gives a good view of what other cultures there are in the world.

Great Story with Nice Message

Clements writes a tale of two cultures being introduced to each other-- through the letters of kids in Grade 6. Not surprisingly, the Afghani boy and the American girl end up having much in common. My 7 year old son and 9 year old daughter really enjoyed it. It didn't capture my five year old, though.

A story of discovery

This was a story about a Midwestern girl learning about Afghanistan and coming to appreciate her own life. It had Andrew Clements' trademark insightfulness.