Gather initial thoughts and broad opinions about the book.

1. What was your overall impression of Kareem Between?

2. How did you feel about the use of football to describe real-life struggles? Did you find the comparisons to be realistic and believable?

3. Kareem Between is one of many middle grade novels written in verse. Compare Shifa Safadi’s text to others in the same genre, like Brown Girl Dreaming by Jacqueline Woodson or Home Is Not a Country by Safia Elhillo. Which use of verse do you find most effective? What do you like most and least about this genre?

Encourage readers to connect the book’s themes and characters with their personal experiences.

1. The title of the novel indicates that Kareem feels stuck between two parts of his identity: being Syrian and being American. Have you ever struggled to reconcile two sides of yourself? How did you handle the experience?

2. Kareem uses football to describe the ups and downs of his life. Is there a sport, hobby, or interest of yours that could represent the experiences you have had?

3. Islam and prayer play a vital role in the everyday lives of Kareem and his family. How has religion impacted you or your loved ones?

4. Kareem gains valuable advice and insight from the adults around him, including Jido and Mama. Who in your life has been influential in shaping who you are?

5. Kareem finds comfort and guidance in books like Holes and Locomotion. Have any books ever impacted you in a similar way?

Examine the book’s relevance to societal issues, historical events, or cultural themes.

1. Evaluate Kareem’s use of Instagram to raise awareness of the travel ban. What does it suggest about the ways social media can be used to influence others? What are some of the benefits and risks associated with this?

2. The 2017 executive order banning citizens of seven Muslim-majority countries from entering the United States features prominently in the novel. What events have shaped contemporary US attitudes toward Islam, and how have they continued to evolve in the years since the order?

3. Kareem views football as a sport that is uniquely American and that unifies people. Are there any sports that currently bring people together globally?

Dive into the book’s structure, characters, themes, and symbolism.

1. Consider the novel’s use of line breaks. How does this feature of verse allow Safadi to create meaning in ways that prose couldn’t capture?

2. The novel is told from the first-person perspective of Kareem. How would the narrative shift if told from multiple perspectives? Consider Fadi, Austin, Jameelah, and Jerry. What would their voices add to the story?

3. Explore the significance of setting, especially locations like the Masjid, the ice cream shop, and the library. What impact do these places have on the mood and atmosphere of the novel?

4. What is Coach’s role in the narrative? How does he treat Austin as compared to Kareem, and why does this matter?

5. Consider the presence of phones throughout the narrative. What might they symbolize?

Encourage imaginative and creative connections to the book.

1. Imagine a conversation between Kareem and Austin after their exchange at the spring scrimmage. Share a poem to capture what they might say to each other.

2. Create a playlist that depicts the mood or themes of Kareem Between. Include seven songs, one for each part of the novel.