Focus on Genre: Short Story

Authors write short stories to help readers imagine different experiences and to communicate themes, or messages, about life. The author’s word choices bring imaginary people, places, and events to life.

In the land of the drifting sands where the Bedouin move their tents to follow the fertile grasses, there lived a girl whose stubbornness and flashing temper caused her to be known throughout the desert as Nadia the Willful.

Your Job as a Reader: Reading Strategy: Make Inferences

As you read, use the clues and details the author gives you to make inferences about the characters and events.

Illustration of the selection 1 title page, “Nadia the Willful”