Extra Credit

Consider how Abby’s feelings toward her extra-credit project and education in general change as she learns more about Sadeed and Amira. What do you think Clements intends his American middle grade reader to learn from this?

Despite their differences, Sadeed and Abby become curious about each other’s lives, and treat each other with respect. Consider a time when you met someone very different from yourself. How did you react? Has reading Extra Credit altered how you would react in future?

Write a creative piece where Sadeed and Abby reconnect today as adults. Drawing on the novel, consider what expectations they might have of the other and how the reality might be different.

Of Abby and Sadeed, which character did you relate to more? Why?

The book includes illustrations by Mark Elliot. How do these add to your understanding of the detail of Abby and Sadeed’s lives?

How does Clements deal with issue of cultural and racial prejudice in Extra Credit?

If you had to complete a pen pal project, which country would you choose? What would you hope to learn through this exchange?

Consider what the book would be like if the protagonists’ genders were reversed. Why do you think Clements chose to make them this way?