Jack recognizes her as a true princess and they set off on a quest to find her grandmother, Snow White. Gr 5-9–In his twisted fairy-tale world, hapless young Jack fails his princess-rescuing test, but fate gives him another chance when a circle of blue fire deposits May, wearing a T-shirt that reads “Punk Princess,” into his cottage. The only disappointment is that all of the bad guys get away-but there’s pleasure in that, too, as it means we’ll get to see May, Jack, and Phillip track them down to set things right in a much-anticipated sequel. “Quick-paced” is an understatement, as our heroes move swiftly from one danger to the next, with hardly a breath in between. James Riley’s novel is more a re-imagined and greatly embroidered fairy tale than it is a fractured one. A host of familiar fairy tale characters appear, including-but certainly not limited to-Snow White, Merriweather, Malevolent, Red Riding Hood, the Wicked Queen, the Huntsman, the Seven Dwarves, and Rapunzel. Along the way, he and May pick up a dainty companion (a fairy), a noble companion (Prince Phillip) and a scary companion (the Wolf King). Before you know it, Jack is facing witches and wolves, taking on giants and dragons with the best of them. Her grandmother is missing, and she needs Jack’s help to save the old woman.

Still, that hardly seems to matter when a princess named May unexpectedly drops into his life. He alone, of all the village boys, has failed his princess-saving test. Unfortunately, Jack doesn’t seem to be very good at it. His education is devoted to learning how to save a princess, since that is the only way to escape his life as a peasant. Living with his grandfather in the shadow of his father’s reputation as a thief, Jack is a different sort of hero. No, that Jack was this Jack’s father and this Jack hasn’t seen him since that famous encounter with the giant. But he is not the fairy tale Jack of Beanstalk fame. The first character we meet in this tale is Jack. Half Upon A Time has it all-voice, charming fairy tale characters with a twist, hilarity, and an adventure-filled plot.

Half upon a time book series