I wanted to do a first line post. First, my gratitude to the internet which permits me to do the research and to Amazon's Look Inside feature which allows me to copy the first lines into my post without leaving home. The title links are to Amazon so that you, too, may read further and decide if you want to buy or borrow the book from the library.
Next my gratitude to The Los Angeles Public Library whose on-line service enables me to place holds on books I want and/or order books electronically.
These first lines are from The 2014 Cybil winners.
Picture Books
Mr. Tiger Goes Wild written and
illustrated by Peter Brown
Everyone was perfectly fine with the way
things were. Everyone but Mr. Tiger.
I love this.
Easy Reader
It was a busy day at City Hospital. Doctor Glenda was writing something important on the wall chart. Nurse Percy was helping someone in a red coat who was crying because she couldn’t find her grandma.
Not so
much. Three. Count them. Three was __ing in the first
paragraph? Not a great example for an easy reader.
Easy Chapter Books
Horror (scary tales) by James Preller
“Wake up, Liam. We’re here,” Mr. Finn
whispered from the driver’s seat. “Our new home.”
The eight year old boy rubbed his
eyes, groggy from the long drive. He looked out the car window, blinking into
the dark. “What time is it?”
Around midnight,” his father said.
“you three have been crashed out for hours.
Home Sweet
Since
this is admittedly a horror story, I would read on to find the horror
Lockwood & Co. The Screaming Staircase by Jonathan
Stroud
Of the first few hauntings I
investigated with Lockwood & Co. I intend to say little, in part to protect
the identity of the victim, in part because of the gruesome nature of the
incidents, but mainly because, in a variety of ingenious ways, we succeeded in
messing them all up.
Wow. Try saying that all in one breath. I believe the author thought
the editor was sure to read the first sentence and wanted to make it count.
Middle Grade Fiction
Ultra by David Carroll
THE STARTING LINE
Mile O
QUINN: I still don’t
get why it was such a big deal. All the kids like to run. Go to any schoolyard.
You’ll see kids playing tag, soccer, capture-the-flag . . .All those games
involve running.
SYDNEY WATSON
WALTERS:
The difference is, most kids run for 10 or 15 minutes. Not for 24 hours
straight like you.
This
turns out to be a kind of preface. I read on to find out why someone would run
for 24 hours. Sounds like a book I might like.
Young
Adult Speculative Fiction
The SummerPrince
by Alaya Dawn Johnson
I love
this opening. What a great first sentence. Naturally I read on to find out what
happened. If you like the sentence, click the link and read on yourself.
YA Fiction
“Yaqui
Delgado wants to kick your ass.”
A kid named Vanessa tells me this in
the morning before school. She springs out with no warning and blocks my way,
her textbook held at her chest like a shield. She’s tall like me and caramel.
I’ve seen her in the lunchroom, I think. Or maybe in the halls. It’s hard to
remember.
I
have to read this one. She had me at the name.
This is a bit
short so I’ll add three from NY Times Best Seller List from the week of March
25th
The One and Only Ivan
by Katherine Applegate
Hello
I am Ivan. I am a gorilla.
It’s not as easy as it looks.
I've been told by several friends this is a wonderful book. It's definitely one I want to read.
A Long Walk toWater
by Linda Sue Park
Southern Sudan 2008
Going
was easy.
Going, the big Plastic Container
held only air. Tall for her eleven years, Nya could switch the handle form on
hand to the other, swing the container by her side, or cradle it in both arms.
She could even drag it behind her, bumping it against the ground and raising a
tiny cloud of dust with each step.
One
last Book.
Journey by Aaron Becker
This book had no words It’s a story in pictures. It’s 4 on the picture book Best Seller List and a 2014 Caldecott Honor book. I love picture books with no words. So I wanted to call it to your attention.
Happy reading and writing.
