''Extra Credit'' is a

2009 File:2009 Events Collage V2.png, From top left, clockwise: The vertical stabilizer of Air France Flight 447 is pulled out from the Atlantic Ocean; Barack Obama becomes the first African American to become President of the United States; 2009 Iran ...

children's novel written by

Andrew Clements Andrew Elborn Clements (May 29, 1949 – November 28, 2019) was an American author of children's literature. His debut novel ''Frindle'' won an award determined by the vote of U.S. schoolchildren in about 20 different U.S. states. In June 2015, ...

. The work was first published on June 23, 2009 through

Simon & Schuster Simon & Schuster () is an American publishing company and a subsidiary of Paramount Global. It was founded in New York City on January 2, 1924 by Richard L. Simon and M. Lincoln Schuster. As of 2016, Simon & Schuster was the third largest publ ...

and follows a young schoolgirl who is given the option of receiving extra credit by writing to an overseas pen pal in a small Afghanistan village. The book won a '' Christopher Award for Books for Young People'' in 2010.

Plot

The protagonist of ''Extra Credit'' is a 6th grade girl named Abby who is falling behind in her classes. In order to improve her grades so that she will be able to go to Junior High, Abby has to write to a pen pal in another country for extra credit. The teachers of the Afghani town Abby writes to want Sadeed to respond because his English is the best, but the head elder does not think it would be right for a boy and girl to write to one another. Instead, Sadeed's sister Amira is chosen to write with Abby. However, Sadeed secretly writes the letters and Amira just signs them. Eventually Sadeed gets annoyed that Amira gets all the credit for the letters and writes a secret letter to Abby, telling her that he was the one writing the letters.

Reception

The book has received multiple reviews. Two critics for the '' Horn Book Guide'' reviewed ''Extra Credit'', with one writing that "Although the ending is a little too neat, it’s the kind of ending kids like, and Clements’s timely story should receive high marks from middle-grade and early-middle-school readers." ''

Publishers Weekly ''Publishers Weekly'' (''PW'') is an American weekly trade news magazine targeted at publishers, librarians, booksellers, and literary agents. Published continuously since 1872, it has carried the tagline, "The International News Magazine of B ...

'' praised the work, as they liked that Clements discussed different cultures in a way that could be understood and appreciated by younger readers.

Awards

* '' Christopher Award for Books for Young People'' (2010, won)

References

2009 American novels American children's novels Books by Andrew Clements Novels set in Illinois Novels set in Afghanistan 2009 children's books Children's books set in Illinois Children's books set in Afghanistan {{2000s-child-novel-stub