1. Polly finds the ballads "Thomas the Rhymer" and "Tarn Lin" in The Oxford Book of Ballads. Read those two ballads. What elements from them form the premise of Fire and Hemlock? Why did Jones choose to combine the two tales? Which ballad does she use more, and why?

2. Contrast Polly's relationship with Tom to Laurel's or Ivy's relationships with the men they love. As you define those relationships, examine what is different in Polly's and Tom's. Which characteristics are lauded and which are criticized?

3. Polly reads the story "East of the Sun and West of the Moon" and compares it to her own adventures. Read that story and compare its characters and issues with those in Fire and Hemlock. What issues are important in each? How well developed are they in Fire and Hemlock?

4. Polly's mother tells her, "In this...