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A review by celia_thebookishhufflepuff
Extra Credit by Andrew Clements
3.0
[a:Andrew Clements|63095|Andrew Clements|https://s.gr-assets.com/assets/nophoto/user/u_50x66-632230dc9882b4352d753eedf9396530.png] 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 [b:Frindle|439173|Frindle|Andrew Clements|https://i.gr-assets.com/images/S/compressed.photo.goodreads.com/books/1344395824l/439173._SX50_.jpg|1993854], [b:No Talking|235127|No Talking|Andrew Clements|https://i.gr-assets.com/images/S/compressed.photo.goodreads.com/books/1388688752l/235127._SX50_.jpg|6573248], [b:The Report Card|352179|The Report Card|Andrew Clements|https://i.gr-assets.com/images/S/compressed.photo.goodreads.com/books/1388296775l/352179._SY75_.jpg|6573245], [b:The School Story|235117|The School Story|Brian Selznick|https://i.gr-assets.com/images/S/compressed.photo.goodreads.com/books/1363307762l/235117._SY75_.jpg|6573246], and [b:Lost and Found|3112733|Lost and Found|Andrew Clements|https://i.gr-assets.com/images/S/compressed.photo.goodreads.com/books/1349080365l/3112733._SY75_.jpg|3144015], but [b:Extra Credit|6250208|Extra Credit|Andrew Clements|https://i.gr-assets.com/images/S/compressed.photo.goodreads.com/books/1348998669l/6250208._SY75_.jpg|6573373] 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 [b:Extra Credit|6250208|Extra Credit|Andrew Clements|https://i.gr-assets.com/images/S/compressed.photo.goodreads.com/books/1348998669l/6250208._SY75_.jpg|6573373] 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 [b:Extra Credit|6250208|Extra Credit|Andrew Clements|https://i.gr-assets.com/images/S/compressed.photo.goodreads.com/books/1348998669l/6250208._SY75_.jpg|6573373] 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 [b:I Will Always Write Back: How One Letter Changed Two Lives|22875069|I Will Always Write Back How One Letter Changed Two Lives|Caitlin Alifirenka|https://i.gr-assets.com/images/S/compressed.photo.goodreads.com/books/1415206347l/22875069._SY75_.jpg|42439363] by [a:Caitlin Alifirenka|8430981|Caitlin Alifirenka|https://images.gr-assets.com/authors/1426712201p2/8430981.jpg] and [a:Martin Ganda|8430980|Martin Ganda|https://images.gr-assets.com/authors/1426697303p2/8430980.jpg], as I feel like it hits all the marks that [b:Extra Credit|6250208|Extra Credit|Andrew Clements|https://i.gr-assets.com/images/S/compressed.photo.goodreads.com/books/1348998669l/6250208._SY75_.jpg|6573373] misses.
I will review further about audience, shortcomings, and the comparison to [b:I Will Always Write Back|22875069|I Will Always Write Back How One Letter Changed Two Lives|Caitlin Alifirenka|https://i.gr-assets.com/images/S/compressed.photo.goodreads.com/books/1415206347l/22875069._SY75_.jpg|42439363] 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 [b:Extra Credit|6250208|Extra Credit|Andrew Clements|https://i.gr-assets.com/images/S/compressed.photo.goodreads.com/books/1348998669l/6250208._SY75_.jpg|6573373] 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 [b:Extra Credit|6250208|Extra Credit|Andrew Clements|https://i.gr-assets.com/images/S/compressed.photo.goodreads.com/books/1348998669l/6250208._SY75_.jpg|6573373] 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 [b:I Will Always Write Back: How One Letter Changed Two Lives|22875069|I Will Always Write Back How One Letter Changed Two Lives|Caitlin Alifirenka|https://i.gr-assets.com/images/S/compressed.photo.goodreads.com/books/1415206347l/22875069._SY75_.jpg|42439363] by [a:Caitlin Alifirenka|8430981|Caitlin Alifirenka|https://images.gr-assets.com/authors/1426712201p2/8430981.jpg] and [a:Martin Ganda|8430980|Martin Ganda|https://images.gr-assets.com/authors/1426697303p2/8430980.jpg], as I feel like it hits all the marks that [b:Extra Credit|6250208|Extra Credit|Andrew Clements|https://i.gr-assets.com/images/S/compressed.photo.goodreads.com/books/1348998669l/6250208._SY75_.jpg|6573373] misses.
I will review further about audience, shortcomings, and the comparison to [b:I Will Always Write Back|22875069|I Will Always Write Back How One Letter Changed Two Lives|Caitlin Alifirenka|https://i.gr-assets.com/images/S/compressed.photo.goodreads.com/books/1415206347l/22875069._SY75_.jpg|42439363] on my children's book account when I have the chance.