Extra Credit

　　艾比不是不會做回家作業，她只是不想做，但這表示她的六年級成績將會非常難看。直到一張通知單寄回家裡，艾比才了解自己真的可能會重讀六年級。除非她願意被留級，否則她必須完成一個特別的作業：交一個國外的筆友。這還不算太難啦，對一個真的很討厭寫作業的學生來說。

　　艾比的第一封信被送到了阿富汗的一個小學校，雅米拉成了她名義上的筆友，因為實際上和艾比通信的是她的哥哥薩迪德。

　　在美國與阿富汗間來往的信件中，艾比和薩迪德發現了這種互動方式可以穿越空間的屏障，他們認識了彼此的文化隔閡以及生活傳統的差異。不過，這段隨著信件日漸增長的友誼，還是引起某些人的反感。跨界的友情果然並非這麼單純啊！

　　It isn’t that Abby Carson can’t do her schoolwork. She just doesn’t like doing it. And consequently, Abby will have to repeat sixth grade—unless she meets some specific conditions, including taking on an extra credit project: find a pen pal in a distant country. But when Abby’s first letter arrives at a small school in Afghanistan, complications arise. The elders agree that any letters going back to America must be written well, but the only qualified English-speaking student is a boy. And in this village, it’s not proper for a boy to correspond with a girl. So, Sadeed’s sister will dictate and sign the letters for him. But what about the villagers who believe that girls should not be anywhere near a school? And what about those who believe that any contact with Americans is...unhealthy?

　　As letters flow back and forth—between the prairies of Illinois and the mountains of central Asia, across cultural and religious divides, through the minefields of different lifestyles and traditions—a small group of children begin to speak and listen to each other. And in just a few short weeks, they make important discoveries about their communities, about their world, and most of all, about themselves.

　　★本書中譯版《我的阿富汗筆友：安德魯．克萊門斯9》由遠流出版。

作者簡介

安德魯．克萊門斯(Andrew Clements)

　　美國備受歡迎與敬重的暢銷作家，著作超過五十本。克萊門斯為兒童創作圖畫書，也為青少年寫小說。他最著名的作品是也是他的第一本小說《我們叫它粉靈豆─Frindle》，一出版即暢銷，長踞《紐約時報》暢銷書排行榜，在美國已銷售超過兩百萬冊，獲獎數十次，並售出十餘國版權。

　　克萊門斯從中學時代即開始寫詩，他曾有一首詩被英文老師評為：「太有趣了，這可以出版！」，開啟了他後來的作家之路。他還曾擔任過中學教師、為歌手創作歌曲，也曾在出版社擔任主編工作。目前是專職作家，住在美國麻薩諸塞州。

　　Andrew Clements is the author of the enormously popular Frindle. Over ten million of his books have sold to date and he has been nominated for a multitude of state awards and has won two Christopher Awards and an Edgar Award. His popular works include Extra Credit, Lost and Found, No Talking, Room One, Lunch Money and more.  He is also the author of the Benjamin Pratt & the Keepers of the School series. Mr. Clements taught in the public schools near Chicago for seven years before moving East to begin a career in publishing and writing. He lives with his wife in central Massachusetts and has four grown children.  His website is andrewclements.com.