The False Prince

Use these links to supplement and complement students’ reading of the work and to increase their overall enjoyment of literature. Challenge them to discern parallel themes, engage through visual and aural stimuli, and delve deeper into the thematic possibilities presented by the title.

Recommended Texts for Pairing

The Runaway King

• This is the second of four books in Jennifer A. Nielsen’s The Ascendence Series. (The False Prince is the first in the series.)
• This novel builds upon the plot, characters, and themes established in The False Prince.

“A Scandal in Bohemia”

• the first short story by Sir Arthur Conan Doyle in his famous work The Adventures of Sherlock Holmes
• Discuss shared themes of Identity and Morality after reading this story, particularly with regard to the device of disguise.
• “A Scandal in Bohemia” on SuperSummary

A Night Divided

• Published in 2015, this is another historical fiction by Jennifer A. Nielsen. Like The False Prince, it follows a young person making difficult choice in a hostile world.
• Set in post-WWII Germany, this novel also explores themes of Identity and Patriotism.
• A Night Divided on SuperSummary

Other Student Resources

“The ProFile: Jennifer A. Nielsen”

• a video in which author Jennifer A. Nielsen is interviewed about her inspirations 
• Nielsen describes how a visit to Poland inspired her next book, Resistance. Students can speculate upon what inspired her to write The Ascendance Series.

The Hobbit

• the classic 1937 fantasy book by J.R.R. Tolkien; establishes many of the fantasy tropes seen in The False Prince
• explores themes of Identity and Power
• The Hobbit on SuperSummary

Sir Gawain and the Green Knight

• The setting of this 14th-century anonymous poem provides imagery of medieval times.
• The poem describes how one of King Arthur’s knights, Sir Gawain, accepts a challenge from a mysterious figure known as the “Green Knight.” It is one of the most well-known Arthurian stories, and exemplary of the time period.
• Sir Gawain and the Green Knight on SuperSummary

Teacher Resources

“Life in the Middle Ages”

• informational site with facts and brief articles on daily life, weaponry, feudalism, and more

When Knights Were Bold

• nonfiction book by Eva March Tappan
• details daily life in the medieval period: professions, feudal system, knights and armor, castles and siege warfare, and more