Use these essay questions as writing and critical thinking exercises for all levels of writers, and to build their literary analysis skills by requiring textual references throughout the essay.

Differentiation Suggestion: For English learners or struggling writers, strategies that work well include graphic organizers, sentence frames or starters, group work, or oral responses.

Scaffolded Essay Questions

Student Prompt: Write a short (1-3 paragraph) response using one of the below bulleted outlines. Cite details from the text over the course of your response that serve as examples and support.

1. Throughout the novel, Fadi encounters different opinions regarding the Taliban rule in Afghanistan.

• Which opinion does Fadi’s family have regarding the Taliban, and do their views represent other Afghans in the story? (topic sentence)
• Find three examples from the novel where an Afghan shares her/his opinion on Taliban rule.
• In your concluding sentence or sentences, explain why many Afghans believe that the Taliban has Transitioned From Afghanistan’s Savior to Its Oppressor in the novel.

2. For Fadi, photography is more than just a hobby.

• Why is photography an important medium for Fadi? (topic sentence)
• Find and discuss an example in which Fadi uses photography to achieve a specific goal.
• In your concluding sentence or sentences, explain how Photography is a Means of Connecting Cultures for Fadi and his classmates.