Winning Scheherazade [Library Binding]

Judith Gorog (Author)

Book Description

Age Level: 10 and up

Having been released from her position as storyteller and doomed bride of the Sultan, Scheherazade is propelled by a mysterious visitor into dangerous adventures in the desert.

Editorial Reviews

From School Library Journal

Grade 5 Up-- Not a retelling of the story of Scheherazade, but rather an account of what happened after the thousand and one nights ended and the feisty heroine was granted her freedom. When the book opens, Scheherazade is unmarried, living in luxury, content with the title bestowed upon her: Storyteller of the Kingdom. Then, a mysterious stranger arrives whose presence causes an upheaval in her household. Scheherazade seeks solitude in the desert, but instead undergoes a series of adventures. She is accused of murder, falls in with a band of man-eating ghouls, and avoids near starvation by tricking an old miser. Throughout these escapades she is accompanied by a man who repels, puzzles, and finally attracts her. At the end of the book, the companion is revealed as none other than the mysterious stranger, a suitor who set up the entire situation to win her over. Others, most notably Robin McKinley in Beauty (HarperCollins, 1978) and Barbara Cohen in Seven Daughters and Seven Sons (Atheneum, 1982), have retold folk and fairy tales for the same audience. This attempt is not nearly so intriguing. The character of the mysterious stranger is not attractive enough to win either Scheherazade's interest or readers' sympathy, and too many "stories within a story" clutter an already short, somewhat abrupt account. Finally, the writing does not rise above the mediocre, and too many questions are left unanswered. --Ellen D. Warwick, Robbins Library, Arlington, MA
Copyright 1991 Reed Business Information, Inc.

Product Details

• Reading level: Ages 10 and up
  
• Library Binding: 101 pages
• Publisher: Atheneum (April 1991)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0689316488
• ISBN-13: 978-0689316487
• Product Dimensions: 8.4 x 5.7 x 0.7 inches
• Shipping Weight: 9.6 ounces
• Average Customer Review: 2.0 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (1 customer review)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #7,640,892 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

2.0 out of 5 stars Expected better..., February 7, 2004

By 

Victory Silvers - See all my reviews

This review is from: Winning Scheherazade (Library Binding)

This book picks up after Scheherazade, the teller of a thousand and one tales, is set free by the king. She is given a comfortable palace and the title of "Storyteller of the Kingdom." What follows next is a strange tale about a stranger who comes to visit Scheherazade's palace, whom she does not care for, and how she decides to take a trip into the desert to be free of him. However, she has no idea what adventure the desert holds for her. I was pretty disappointed by this work. I found all the stories within a story confusing, and the ending left too much questions unanswered. However, it did have many interesting twist and turns, but I don't think this is one of the best fairy tale offshoots.