The Wrath & The Dawn
Written by Renée Ahdieh

Publisher’s Summary:
Every dawn brings horror to a different family in a land ruled by a killer. Khalid, the eighteen-year-old Caliph of Khorasan, takes a new bride each night only to have her executed at sunrise. So it is a suspicious surprise when sixteen-year-old Shahrzad volunteers to marry Khalid. But she does so with a clever plan to stay alive and exact revenge on the Caliph for the murder of her best friend and countless other girls. Shazi’s wit and will, indeed, get her through to the dawn that no others have seen, but with a catch . . . she’s falling in love with the very boy who killed her dearest friend. She discovers that the murderous boy-king is not all that he seems and neither are the deaths of so many girls. Shazi is determined to uncover the reason for the murders and to break the cycle once and for all.

Primary Source Pairing:
This love story, steeped in figurative language and beautiful imagery, and with a dose of mystery and violence, is sure to capture the hearts of any reader. In books like these with many characters who enter and exit the story, invite students to create a character map to capture the essential characteristics of each person or creature. Character maps can include words, images, or both. For this primary source pairing, encourage students to critique a set of images depicting elements of the plot. There are many like this out on the Internet – let students find one that best helps them comprehend the story. Finally, remind students of the map at the front of the book as they geographically place the events of the story.

Questions for Discussion:

• How do the pictures describe the characters in The Wrath & The Dawn?
• What additional pictures would you use to describe the characters in this book? Focus specifically on Shahrzad, Khalid, and Tariq.
• How does using images help you understand the characters in the book?

Questions for Discussion for the Map of Khorasan:

• What on the map looks strange or unfamiliar?
• What place or places does the map show?
• How does this map connect to your visualization of the plot and setting in The Wrath & The Dawn?

Credits:
Book Cover and Summary: Follett
The Wrath & The Dawn Character Map: Pinterest, original creator unknown