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School Library Journal Best Books of the Year 1998 • The Bulletin Blue Ribbon Book • ALA Best Book for Young Adults • ALA Notable Children's Book • A Notable Children's Trade Book in the Field of Social Studies (CBC)

The Sultan's wife betrayed him with a lover, and so the Sultan killed the two of them. Unwilling to be alone, but believing that all women are betrayers, the Sultan marries a new girl each day and kills her before morning. No young woman in his kingdom is safe. Then Shahrazad, the daughter of the Sultan's own vizier, volunteers to be his wife. Facing death, she asks the Sultan if she can tell her younger sister one last story before she dies. The Sultan agrees, and listens as Shahrazad tells her story to Dunyazad. But as Shahrazad sees the sun rising, she breaks off her story at a particularly exciting spot, promising to finish it the next night if she still lives. The Sultan, entertained and intrigued, grants Shahrazad her life for one more day.
And so begins a tense and uncertain pattern—each night Shahrazad tells a story, but there is always the danger that if it does not please the Sultan, death awaits. After two and a half years, Shahrazad is running out of stories. When a young girl named Marjan visits the harem, she has something Shahrazad needs—more stories. As the Sultan's own mother plots against her, can Shahrazad, with Marjan's help, heal the Sultan's crippled heart and bring him peace and forgiveness? A particularly gripping novel of hurt and the power of forgiveness.

Based on The Tales of the Arabian Nights. 

Progeny Press English/Language Arts curriculum provides your Middle School grade student with: 

About the Author: Learn about Susan Fletcher. 
Background Information:  Arabian Nights, ancient religion.
Vocabulary: Understand words used throughout the novel, utilizing a variety of activities to stimulate retention and growth. 
Literary Techniques:  In context, setting, juxtaposition, style, metaphor, simile, alliteration, onomatopoeia, fragments, analogy, foreshadow, point of view, anthropomorphism, tone, fact vs. opinion, paraphrase, flashback, antonym, synonym, framework story, analogy, theme, plot, conflict, climax, resolution, parallelism, characterization. 
Moral Lessons and Character Values:  Courage, perspective, our tongues, fear, loneliness, assumptions, prayer, hope, worry, bitterness, anger, revenge, parables, all part of the body of Christ, trust God, help the poor, forgiveness.
Activities and Writing Assignments:  Maps, Middle East, timeline, pigeons, class discussions, wordsearch, International fair, crime, Queen Esther, multiple essay choices.
Suggestions for Further Reading:  We include a wonderful reading list of more books by the same author(s) and other books that tie in with, or are similar to, Shadow Spinner by Susan Fletcher. 

All of Progeny Press' Language Arts unit lessons are written from a Christian worldview! 

Features and Benefits of a Progeny Press ELA study guide 

Printed Workbook Format

• Large 8.5x11 format is convenient to read and easy on Middle School student's eyes
• Every question in our novel unit study has plenty of whitespace for middle school level student answers
• Encourages neat and clean handwriting practice
• Easily transports without the need for a laptop or other expensive equipment
• Provides a permanent record of the middle school student’s work
• Complete, removable answer key included for the teacher to make grading simple!

CD Format

• Contains the complete study guide in universally compatible PDF format (works on Mac AND Windows)
• No costly software purchases necessary
• PDf files open in the FREE Adobe Reader program.
  Note: Mobile devices may require an alternative app that supports and saves fillable form fields and interactive features.
• Upgraded, fillable form fields allow the student the opportunity to complete their work on the computer, saving you printing costs
• Conveniently print what you need, when you need it:
• Print the whole ELA study guide at once
• Print single literature lessons or pages as the student completes them
• Print multiple copies of the entire curriculum study guide for classroom sets
• PDF format makes it easy to use with multiple students
• Complete answer key PDF file included for the teacher to make grading simple!

Formatted with your Middle School grade student in mind, Progeny Press language arts study guides divide the book into writing assignments and lessons that strengthen their reading comprehension, vocabulary, and refine their critical analysis and writing skills. Each Progeny Press novel study accomplishes all of this without busy work that can drain the fun out of reading and literature! Kids have loved using Progeny Press ELA curriculum in homeschool, co-ops, and private schools around the world for over 30 years!