BookBright
ABOUT THE BOOK
NO SPOILERSTim is a twelve-year-old peasant who wants out of peasant life, and in his kingdom there is only one way to do that: become a knight. He tells his own story straight to the reader, joking around and stopping every so often for what he calls an IQ Booster, where he defines a big vocabulary word with a silly example sentence. When the princess next door, Grace, gets snatched away by a stinx, a two-headed, foul-smelling, bat-winged monster, Prince Ruprecht calls for brave young men to try out as his knights and go rescue her. Tim rushes to the tryouts with his best friend Belinda, who disguises herself as a boy so she can compete too, since girls are not allowed to be knights. Along with the village idiot, Ferkle, and Tim's loyal fr-dog Rover, a frog that still acts exactly like a dog, the four set off toward the stinx's lair, and Tim quickly starts to wonder whether Prince Ruprecht is really as brave as everyone says.
Free Battle of the Books questions for Once Upon a Tim
SPOILERSEvery one of these has the same answer, and that is the point. In a real battle the question is read aloud with a dozen other books in play, and students have a few seconds to place it. Here is what a battle might ask about Once Upon a Tim. Use them as a quiz, a trivia round, or BOTB practice.
Where in the book they come from
- Early in the book
In what book can raccoons and wild boars wander into a hut with no glass windows?
✓ Answer
Once Upon a Tim by Stuart Gibbs
Tim shows the reader his one room home and points out that peasants cannot afford fancy things like glass. With no windows to block anything, any animal that feels like coming inside simply does, up to and including the occasional dragon.
- First half
In what book does a boy wear a live chicken on his head instead of a hat?
✓ Answer
Once Upon a Tim by Stuart Gibbs
Ferkle is the village idiot, and he only wandered onto the tryout field because he was looking for mud to put in his pants. Ruprecht signs him up on the spot, and when Belinda protests that he cannot possibly be a knight, Nerlim shrugs and says that showing up shows gumption.
- First half
In what book does an insect grip a captive with two legs and fight with four?
✓ Answer
Once Upon a Tim by Stuart Gibbs
Tim and Belinda draw their swords to save Ferkle and quickly discover that six legs beat two swords. Every flap of the creature's wings knocks them off balance, and their heavy new armor wears them out fast.
- Second half
In what book do a falling boy's only escape ideas include learning how to fly?
✓ Answer
Once Upon a Tim by Stuart Gibbs
Hanging in the air above the serpent, the narrator lists exactly two plans. He admits the flying one was not really possible, but points out that he was extremely desperate at the time.
- Second half
In what book does a wizard explain that he became a fraud because he hated being a peasant?
✓ Answer
Once Upon a Tim by Stuart Gibbs
Nerlim confesses that he fooled the gullible king and queen because his only other option was staying a peasant. The narrator says he understands that feeling perfectly, which is exactly why he tried out to be a knight.
- Near the end
In what book does a polite troll announce he will be "consuming you for breakfast this morning"?
✓ Answer
Once Upon a Tim by Stuart Gibbs
Argleblarrrrgh greets the trapped party cheerfully and introduces both himself and his partner Pete before getting down to business. The two trolls sound less like monsters and more like waiters taking an order.
