Some authors are just that good. Their titles are frequently on the Rebecca Caudill list. They've won the award at least once and maybe twice. They might even make an appearance in the Newberys. They might receive multiple honors and even win it one year. When you return to the lists of nominees, you will see some of the same authors pop up time and time again. I am thinking of Lowry and Hahn and Parks and Paulsen. And of course, today's review is of a book from such an author – Andrew Clements.
If I can say the word "frindle" and you don't know what that is, I have to ask, "Where have you been?" Frindle, also by Clements, is a contemporary realistic fiction cult classic. I say this and I am not a particular fan of contemporary realistic fiction. I am a fantasy slash sci-fi girl through and through. I prefer dark to light-hearted. And yet, no matter how I try to ignore Clements, he can always get me.
I was NOT looking forward to Extra Credit. I don't have a good reason; I just didn't care to bother. Maybe I just don't like to feel good and happy? Well, Clements got me again. Sucked me right in and I didn't even resist.
There are two stories here connected by a special extra credit project. Abby Carson is our protagonist. She is a sixth grader who had just discovered that she very well may be held back. She most likely won't be attending junior high with her peers. It is not that she isn't smart. She just doesn't care for all of the busy work. She doesn't do her homework. She doesn't study for tests. She just wants to be outside enjoying nature or tackling the climbing wall during gym class.
But Abby will do anything to earn the right to advance to 7th grade with her friends. This includes completing and turning in ALL homework. She must earn at least a B on all future tests and quizzes. AND she must work on an extra project to be pulled randomly from a grab bag. Abby pulls the Pen Pal Project.
Enter Sadeed Bayat of Afghanistan. Well actually, enter his sister, Amira. Abby's first letter arrives at their school. The headmaster wants the best student to respond and represent their school and country. As far as reading and writing in English, that would be Sadeed. But in Afghanistan, it would be considered inappropriate for a boy and a girl to correspond and share their inmost thoughts. The village council advises the headmaster to have Sadeed help his sister to write a good letter back.
Amira’s first letter to Abby, embellished a bit by Sadeed and including a poem and drawings by Sadeed himself, astounds Abby. Her first letter had been half-hearted. She hadn’t really tried. Now she wants to do better, to impress Amira who seems to be an incredible student. Abby praises Amira’s work in her second letter. Of course, Sadeed is unhappy to realize that all of the praise will go to Amira – the praise he deserves – after all, he did the work!
You know what happens. Sadeed has to find a way to let Abby know that it is HE who is the impressive student. Pride comes before the fall.
Recommended to all kids, 4th through 8th grade, but the 9 to 11-year-olds will enjoy it the most. Have a reluctant reader? Here is your book. Have a struggling student? Here is an idea!
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