Book Club Guide for Kareem Between

Kareem Between
By Shifa Saltagi Safadi

For Ages 9-14
Genre: Realistic Fiction & Novel in Verse

Kareem dreams of being the first Syrian American NFL player, but he’ll have to tackle seventh grade first. Being stuck between friends, bullies, and doing the right thing at school is overwhelming, but when his mom returns to war-torn Syria to help family and is unable to return home, it becomes clear which struggles matter most. Will Kareem find the confidence to face his challenges, both big and small? Kareem Between is an excellent choice for tween book clubs, offering the perfect blend of coming-of-age trials and heart. Use these discussion questions, snack, and activity ideas to enhance your next book club.

Kareem Between Book Club Discussion Questions

Get participants engaging with these discussion questions. Need more? See The Youth Desk’s Book Clubs page for general fiction and nonfiction questions.

What was it like reading a novel in verse?
What does the title, Kareem Between, mean? What made him feel like he was stuck between two worlds? Have you ever felt like that?
At the beginning of the book, Kareem fails to make the football team. Could you relate to that? Have you ever wanted something really bad, worked hard, and still failed at it?
Kareem doesn’t like Austin giving him the nickname K without asking. Do you have any nicknames you do or don’t like?
Kareem overhears his parents whispering about whether they should go to Syria to get his grandparents and says, “Something is happening and I don’t know what.” p. 28 Do you think parents should be upfront with their kids about big things, or is it ok to not share everything?
Do you remember any of the books Kareem mentions, and have you read any of them?
- The Last Fifth Grade of Emerson Elementary, The Bad Beginning, The Crossover, Go Long!, Holes, Locomotion, Hatchet, Diary of a Wimpy Kid, Ms. Marvel, and Shooting Kabul
Kareem and his family meet for communal prayers every Friday and go out for ice cream. He says there’s a special feeling in the air on those days. Do you and your family enjoy special traditions?
What did you think about the football references? Do you know as much about the Detroit Lions (or your local NFL team) as Kareem knows about the Chicago Bears?!
Do you think Kareem is a good brother? Why or why not?
Was he a good friend to Fadi? What makes a good friend?
Kareem and his family visit the airport to protest the 2017 travel ban. Have you ever attended a protest or known someone who has? What do you think makes something worth protesting?
Before reading the book, did you know anything about the war in Syria or the 2017 travel ban? What was something new you learned from the book or Kareem’s experiences?

Kareem Between Book Club Snacks

Pita Bread and Hummus

Kareem and his family eat a variety of delicious Syrian foods throughout the book. While not the most authentic options, pita bread and hummus are two foods mentioned (pp. 26 and 59) that are relatively easy to find in most grocery stores. Often, you can find individual hummus packs, too.

Other snack and food ideas from the book include:

“Syrian dough dusted with herbs.” p.26
For breakfast, Kareem scoops “the ful up, stuffing small pockets of pita bread with the salted, boiled fava beans.” p. 29
Kareem has a topping strategy with ice cream, working his way through the alphabet: Airhead pieces over cotton candy cone, blue sour sharks over strawberry scoops, etc. but doesn’t find a topping for u. Can you think of any foods that start with the letter u? What are your favorite ice cream toppings?
Tisiyeh and hummus p. 59
Kusa mihshy for dinner p. 76
“Soggy labneh spread on toast” made by his Baba, instead of the perfect toasted jibneh in rolled pita” made by his Mama. p. 87
Syrian cheese pies in the shape of footballs p. 235
Shakriyeh for dinner, cooked lamb in yogurt with rice p. 262

Math Posters Craft

Kareem and Fadi visit the public library to make their math posters…so make math posters at the public library! Provide construction paper or poster board, pencils, rulers, and markers, and let your book club attendees get creative.

Kareem’s teacher instructs students to “make a poster using geometry” p. 101. Kareem’s “poster shows the C of the Bear’s logo, seamlessly symmetrical when folded,” p. 112, and Fadi’s poster “is Syria’s freedom flag…showing equal angles, parallel straight sides facing each other” p. 113. For more inspiration, let your attendees know that basic geometry includes intersecting lines or shapes, such as triangles, rectangles, cubes, polygons, etc.

More Resources

Kareem Between Book Club Discussion by Shifa Saltagi Safadi
A printable discussion guide created by the author and a form to request signed bookmarks and swag for your attendees!

Kareem Between Educator Guide by Shifa Saltagi Safadi
A resource so good I debated whether to share my own! The author’s educator guide provides a comprehensive overview of the book’s themes and includes discussion questions to facilitate in-class analysis. Plus, an NFL trivia game, a Grammar Poster, and a Poetry Writing Activity.