This week's book will take student's a little longer to read, the book is Half Upon a Time by James Riley.   
 

 

In the village of Giant's Hand, Jack's grandfather has been pushing him to find a princess to rescue, so when a young lady falls out of the sky wearing a shirt that says "Punk Princess," and she tells Jack that her grandmother, who looks suspiciously like the long-missing Snow White, has been kidnapped, Jack decides to help her.


From the Publisher: Life's no fairy tale for Jack. After all, his father's been missing ever since that incident with the beanstalk and the giant, and his grandfather keeps pushing him to get out and find a princess to rescue. Who'd want to rescue a snobby, entitled princess anyway? Especially one that falls out of the sky wearing a shirt that says "Punk Princess," and still denies she's royalty. In fact, May doesn't even believe in magic. Yeah, what's that about? May does need help though--a huntsman is chasing her, her grandmother has been kidnapped, and Jack thinks it's all because of the Wicked Queen . . . mostly because May's grandmother might just be the long-lost Snow White. Jack and May's thrillingly hilarious adventure combines all the classic stories—fractured as a broken magic mirror—into one epic novel for the ages.

Study Guide:

http://quizlet.com/45752204/half-upon-a-time-flash-cards/

Discussion Questions:

1. Who is Jack’s father? His grandfather?
2. Who does Jack think May’s grandmother is? Why does he think that?
3. Jack, May, and Phillip are on a quest. What is their quest?
4. What happens the first time Jack and May fall asleep? How do they get away?
5. How do they meet Phillip? What is he doing? What fairy tale does he belong to?
6. What or who is the Eye? What does he give Jack?
7. Who do they meet in the Black Forest?
8. What happens when they find the mirror?
9. Who is Merriweather? How does she know May?
10. Who is Malevolent? How does she help the trio?
11. What happens at the Palace of the Snow Queen? What truth is revealed?
12. Jack and May are both strong characters. How are they alike? How are they different? How does Phillip fit into the story? What role does he play? How does he affect the relationship between Jack and May?
13. What do you predict will happen in the future? Which boy will betray May? Which will die?
14. What is the meaning of the title of the book?
15. What fairy tale characters are present in the book? Which fairy tales do they belong to?
16. Is May a character from a fairy tale? Who do you think she is?

Recommendations: 

A tale dark and grimm by Adam Gidwitz
A world without heroes by Brandon Mull
Emerald atlas by John Stephens
Tuesdays at the castle by Jessica Day George
Igraine the brave by Cornelia Funke
Kat, Incorrigible by Stephanie Burgis
Peter Nimble and His Fantastic Eyes by Jonathan Auxier
The flint heart by John Paterson
Ivy and the meanstalk by Dawn Lairamore
Where the mountain meets the moon by Grace Lin
Tales From The Brothers Grimm And The Sisters Weird by Vivian Vande Velde