Shadow Spinner - Study Guide

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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. 

Through Susan Fletcher's tale of intrigue and forgiveness, students will learn: 

About the Author: Learn about Susan Fletcher. 

Background Information:  Arabian Nights, ancient religion.

Vocabulary 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 the unit lessons are written from a Christian worldview! 

Features and Benefits of the study guide 

Printed Workbook Format 

• Large 8.5x11 format is convenient to read and easy on the eyes
• Every question has plenty of whitespace for student’s 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 student’s work
• Convenient, removable answer key included for the teacher! 

  CD Format 

• Provides the study guide in universally compatible PDF format (works on Mac AND Windows)
• No costly software purchases necessary
• Our Interactive Study Guide should be opened with the FREE Adobe Readerprogram. With the interactive feature, students have the capability of entering their answers directly on the computer and saving their work in progress.
  Note: Mobile Devices/Tablets may require alternative app that supports and saves fillable form fields.
• Or choose to conveniently print what you need, when you need it:
  • Print the whole guide at once
  • Print single lessons or pages as the student completes them
  • Print multiple copies of the entire guide for classroom sets
• Easy to use with multiple students
• Complete separate answer key file included for the teacher!