ReFoReMo Day 18: Penny Klostermann Highlights the Opening Act

3/19/2015

by Penny Klostermann

I’ve chosen to share picture books with brilliant opening lines. In just a few sentences they offer an irresistible invitation to continue turning pages. Strong opening lines hold up as they prove their relevance throughout the story. I strive for these kinds of opening lines in my stories—lines that invite and delight.

MR. TIGER GOES WILD By Peter Brown
SOPHIE’S SQUASH By Pat Zietlow Miller, Illustrated by Anne Wilsdorf
ONE BIG PAIR OF UNDERWEAR By Laura Gehl, Illustrated by Tom Lichtenheld
THE MONSTORE by Tara Lazar, Illustrated by James Burks
GOLDILOCKS AND THE THREE DINOSAURS By Mo Willems

Prize Alert
Penny is offering a picture book critique to one lucky winner at the conclusion of ReFoReMo. To be eligible, you must be a fully registered participant, comment on this post, read daily, and keep records of your progress.

Penny Parker Klostermann is a hugger of picture books. She is the author of THERE WAS AN OLD DRAGON WHO SWALLOWED A KNIGHT (August 2015), and A COOKED-UP FAIRY TALE (2016), both forthcoming from Random House. Visit Penny HERE.

133 Comments

Urania Smith

3/17/2015 06:44:32 pm

Thanks! There's something about a book that pulls you right in. You know from the first page that you're in for a treat.

Penny

3/18/2015 01:57:25 am

Exactly, Urania. When I read an awesome first line it brings a smile!

Ashley Bankhead

3/17/2015 06:51:54 pm

Thanks for sharing books with great opening lines. I have read all of these, but now I want to go back and read the first lines again. There's nothing like a great first line to set up a great book.

Penny

3/18/2015 02:00:41 am

I was telling Carrie that I've read the bulk of the books mentioned in ReFoReMo but that I'm going back to read them in light of the information provided by the author-educators. ReFoReMo is an awesome look at picture book elements that make a book memorable.

Carrie Charley Brown

3/18/2015 07:51:07 am

Thanks, Penny! I agree, and rereading is a big part of how I approach ReFoReMo. I could read a picture ten different times...each time, studying a different aspect of the book. Once for opening lines, once for plot, once for endings, etc...

Maria Laso

3/17/2015 06:56:06 pm

In the beginning... A great beginning.

Penny

3/18/2015 02:01:02 am

:-)

Myrna Foster link

3/17/2015 07:19:50 pm

These are wonderful books! I'll have to go look at their beginnings. Thanks for the recommendations!

Penny

3/18/2015 02:01:36 am

You're welcome, Myrna.

MaDonna Maurer link

3/17/2015 08:26:21 pm

Thanks for the reminder about the opening line. I know that is important when writing novels. Guess I am always looking at all the words in a PB and how they should be perfect, but this makes sense to me...feeling like I'm having a "duh!" moment, or maybe an "Aha!" moment depending on how you look at it. Anyway, thanks for the suggestions...will be going back to look at some of those!

Penny

3/18/2015 02:15:39 am

All the words are so important, of course. But I feel these are especially important because they set up the entire story. I probably obsess over openings but it's a productive obsession ;-)

Kaye Baillie

3/17/2015 08:55:39 pm

I love looking at first lines - I need reminding on how important they are.

Heather Gale

3/17/2015 09:48:06 pm

I'm addicted to openings that leave me in awe

Penny

3/18/2015 02:47:04 am

A great addiction to have :-)

Elaine Hillson

3/17/2015 09:48:34 pm

First lines - so important and yet they can be so difficult to write. For me these are one of the most difficult aspects of picture book writing.
Thank you for the recommendations and the timely reminder of what to look for in mentor texts.

Penny

3/18/2015 02:28:52 am

They are difficult to write, Elaine. In my book, A COOKED-UP FAIRY TALE, that recently sold, I had opening lines that I loved. My critique group saw this manuscript 4 times and over the course of the four times a couple of members of the group commented that I might be able to top the opening lines.
For the longest time, I didn't listen because I thought the lines were perfect. But I finally gave in and decided to give them a second look...even though it wasn't unanimous at all in my critique group that they needing changing. Anyhow, I thought and thought about how the lines could give a stronger sense of my MC. I spent an unbelievable amount of time writing and rewriting the opening. And you know what?? I finally hit on lines SO much better that it shocked me! The time was time well spent. I think my original opening was strong but the new opening puts the original under the table. So they are difficult..."one of the most difficult aspects of picture book writing" for sure, but put in the time, Elaine! It's worth it :-)

Carrie Charley Brown

3/18/2015 07:56:01 am

Putting in time and lots of work is so important! I will repost this comment in our group. :)

Deborah Allmand

3/17/2015 11:12:49 pm

Wonderful list of books. Thank you for reminding us that every word counts but also that the first sentence should be inviting and full of promise. Good luck with your books coming out this year and next year.

Julie Burchstead

3/17/2015 11:19:38 pm

I have read most of these and now look forward to finding the others. I am thinking it might be a good idea to begin collecting great mentor "first lines" in my writer's notebook. Thanks for the recommendations.

Penny

3/18/2015 02:31:47 am

Julie,
I think that's an awesome idea. I did have a list at one time and need to find that file and keep adding to it.

Joanne Sher link

3/18/2015 12:09:52 am

That first line is SO important - and totally agree with you, Penny, on the four of these I have read. Requesting the fifth as we speak! Thanks a ton!

Rebecca Colby

3/18/2015 12:14:48 am

A first line is the hook you use to draw the reader into reading the rest of the book. I look forward to checking out the first lines in the three of these books that I haven't read yet. Thanks for the recommendations, Penny!

Penny

3/18/2015 02:34:15 am

Hi Rebecca! You're a whiz at openings!

Manju Howard link

3/18/2015 12:34:36 am

I spend oodles of time on the first sentences of my stories. I have not read GOLDILOCKS AND THE THREE DINOSAURS. Does Mo Willems ever sleep? So many books!

Penny

3/18/2015 02:34:58 am

Manju,
The first line of GOLDILOCKS AND THE THREE DINOSAURS will crack you up!

Beth Gallagher

3/18/2015 12:44:24 am

What a great post! Seems like the opening line is so very important and also the hardest! :)

Katie McEnaney link

3/18/2015 12:48:24 am

Great choices for openers, thanks! Was just sharing Monstore and Three Dinosaurs with my third graders last week so great excuse to give them a closer look!

Linda Schueler link

3/18/2015 12:59:10 am

I love good openings. I will check out these ones.

Robin Currie link

3/18/2015 01:13:50 am

When a line is good, you can't stop reading. I pretty much write a story and remove everything before real action happens! (I always throw out the first 1/2 page of every sermon for the same reason). It is like the first things I write are my brain setting the frame and then the story starts. Thanks for the great examples.

Laura K Zimmermann link

3/18/2015 01:29:25 am

First lines are powerful...thank you for suggesting these wonderful mentor texts for reference.

Angela Hawkins link

3/18/2015 01:29:38 am

Great beginnings are everything! Could we all agree our home libraries need some Mo? :)

Penny

3/18/2015 02:40:33 am

Totally agree! I think my favorite Mo book EVER is NAKED MOLE RAT GETS DRESSED. It was written in 2009 so it's not what we would consider a "current" picture book...but it holds up for me. Look at this opening!!! Do you love it or what???

“There is so much to learn about the fascinating little creatures known as naked mole rats. But, for this story, you only need to know three things:
1. They are a little bit rat. 2. They are a little bit mole. 3. They are all naked…”

Angela Hawkins link

3/18/2015 11:52:19 pm

HaHa! Yes it is great! My four year old can't go a single day without some Elephant and Piggie love!

Joyce Tucker link

3/18/2015 01:36:00 am

I have been struggling with a lead...what timing!

Debra Shumaker

3/18/2015 01:37:40 am

Great idea to focus on opening lines. Thanks! And I can't wait to read your upcoming books - they sound like they'll be a blast!

Marianne Kuzujanakis

3/18/2015 01:46:49 am

"Everyone was perfectly fine with the way things were. Everyone but Mr. Tiger." - Mr. Tiger Goes Wild

Definitely a great start. The same for the other examples.

Thanks, Penny, for the reminder that in order to get kids to read, we are obligated to keep them engaged from the very start.

Penny

3/18/2015 02:42:00 am

See how great that is!! Thanks for posting it, Marianne. It made me smile all over again :-)

Deirdre Englehart

3/18/2015 01:47:01 am

I love that you have some of the same books here but we can look at them from a different perspective! Thanks!

Juliana Lee link

3/18/2015 01:54:52 am

All great recommendations. Now I can't wait to read There Was An Old Dragon Who Swallowed A Knight this summer!

sharon giltrow

3/18/2015 01:55:16 am

ah!! the importance of an opening line thanks for the reminder.

Anita Banks

3/18/2015 01:57:07 am

Thanks for the suggestions. One of the things that I am doing this month, when I am logging my reading I am including first and last lines in my notes.

Penny

3/18/2015 02:43:22 am

Perfect, Anita. That is a great thing to have in your notes. Very beneficial!

Doreen Lepore link

3/18/2015 02:05:42 am

Thanks for the great advice and book list!

Val McCammon

3/18/2015 02:15:48 am

Excellent -- a kid must be hooked right away. I can't wait to read the one here I haven't yet and will go back and read only the first line of many of the others, too! Thank you Penny.

Rita Lorraine Hubbard link

3/18/2015 02:18:16 am

'Morning Penny, thanks for this list! I was only able to find one at the local library, so I guess that means a detour to the bookstore for me. I can hardly wait to read the opening line for One Big Pair of Underwear. The title and cover art are so clever I'm sure the opening line will have me in stitches! Thanks again.

Penny

3/18/2015 02:46:24 am

I happened to review this on my blog and had the opening lines in the review. I'll paste them here for your enjoyment!

ONE big pair of underwear.
TWO brown bears who hate to share.
ONE bear wears the underwear.
ONE bear cries, “This isn’t fair!”

Heather Pierce Stigall

3/18/2015 02:59:26 am

Oh, I think writing opening lines is so difficult! I do it over an over again it seems (on the same story), but I love a great one. One of my all-time favorites is another of Mo Willems: "Leonardo was a terrible monster. He couldn't scare anyone." In just two lines he introduces the character and the story problem and does it with a twist. Brilliant!

Penny

3/18/2015 07:32:56 am

Yes...brilliant!

Kristi Veitenheimer

3/18/2015 03:01:41 am

I constantly struggle with opening lines, so I appreciate the mentor text selections. Thanks!

Annette Bay Pimentel link

3/18/2015 03:12:44 am

I love the reminder that first lines should "invite and delight." What a great mantra to keep in mind as I work on beginnings!

Leslie Goodman link

3/18/2015 03:16:33 am

Yeah! I have all but one of these mentor PBs in my collection. I'm heading to the library today and I'll add, One Big Pair Of Underpants to my list. If you included it with my other absolute favorites, I have a feeling I'm going to love it.
I, too, can't resist a perfect opening to a PB.(who can?) Often, it takes as much time to write a perfect first line as it does the rest of the manuscript! At a writer's retreat I was given the advice not to stress over the first sentence if it doesn't ring perfectly, instead, write the story that needs telling, come up with the ultimate ending, and from there the perfect opening line will come.

Penny

3/18/2015 07:36:28 am

I think that's excellent advice, Leslie. I try very hard to not self-edit as I write my first draft. I have to slap my own hands because I want to edit, edit, edit. The truth is until you get that story out you're not sure what the perfect opening is.

Lori Dubbin

3/18/2015 03:28:35 am

Thanks, Penny, for this great discussion about first lines. The first line is like an invitation to the reader to a fun party. You want them thrilled to open the invitation, excited to attend, and staying till the end. :)

Rachel Hamby link

3/18/2015 03:43:50 am

I just read How To Cheer Up Dad by Fred Koehler. The opening really struck me as being so clever/wonderful. The text is--Little Jumbo's dad was having a bad day. Simple, right? But Dad isn't in the illustration at all. Just Little Jumbo wearing a cereal box robot costume, bags of spilled cereal in his wake. Ha! Love it!

Penny

3/18/2015 07:38:42 am

Cute!

Maria Gianferrari link

3/18/2015 03:47:06 am

Great selection of books, Penny! I especially love the rollicking rhyme in One Big Pair of Underwear. I'll have to re-visit it, and pay special attention to the opening. You're right, they're so important hooking the reader and drawing them into the story (and w/ PBs, there's not much time to do that!)

Cannot wait to read your books! :)

Penny

3/18/2015 07:39:55 am

Thanks, Maria. I love how the opening for ONE BIG PAIR OF UNDERWEAR sets up the story so well.

Laura J / Laura Jenkins

3/18/2015 03:48:28 am

Thanks Penny. I'm always reminding myself that the first line is key!!

Denise Engle

3/18/2015 03:56:44 am

I just read Sophie's Squash yesterday and found it delightful. The strong opening lines pushed me to read more. Loved the result!

Penny

3/18/2015 07:41:28 am

I love EVERYTHING about Sophie's Squash. I was lucky enough to read an advanced reader's copy before it was released and when I closed the book, I hugged it! Yep! One of those huggable books!

Karen Nordseth Roos

3/18/2015 03:56:48 am

thanks! can't wait to get goldilocks and the three dinosaurs….if only my book requests weren't maxed out!!! wonderful suggestions.

Sue Heavenrich

3/18/2015 03:58:28 am

Great group of books. One thing I've been doing over the past couple weeks is jotting down first lines. That's one place I need to work on my own stories.

Caroline Twomey link

3/18/2015 03:59:56 am

I agree completely-the first line sets up your expectation for the remainder of the book-if it's exciting, you're just going to get pulled into the story even more ") Also, it can mean the difference between buying the book or not!

Mike Karg link

3/18/2015 04:19:11 am

The first line of Sophie's Squash is deceptively simple.

"One bright fall day, Sophie chose a squash at the farmers' market."

It's not over-the-top and grandiose, but perfectly sets the scene for an idiosyncratic little earth muffin who has just picked out a beautiful doll.

Penny

3/18/2015 08:01:57 am

It is deceptively simple. I immediately wanted to know more! And it's so relevant to the story.

Gabrielle Snyder

3/18/2015 04:22:57 am

Thanks, Penny, for the fabulous recommendations. There are a couple of these I haven't read yet, so I will definitely check them out. And I love Julie's idea of collecting great first lines from mentor texts. I'll have to try that, too!

sally suehler

3/18/2015 04:32:23 am

First line... yep, that is why I went back over my stories. That first line just wasn't grabby enough! Thanks Penny!

Lindsey Tate

3/18/2015 04:59:58 am

Thanks Penny for these great book suggestions - a couple of new ones here for me as well as some old favorites. I think it's important to remember - as you mentioned in a response to another post - that these opening lines are inspiring but they probably went through many, many revisions to end up that way.

Penny

3/18/2015 08:05:01 am

Exactly, Lindsey. Not only did I work hours on the opening for A COOKED-UP FAIRY TALE, the manuscript that went out to editors was "Save As" file #102! That doesn't mean 102 complete revisions but 102 serious looks with some serious changes over the course of writing the manuscript.

AJ Irving link

3/18/2015 05:08:08 am

Excellent post, Penny! Thank you for sharing these books with fabulous opening lines!

Marlaina Gray Cockcroft link

3/18/2015 05:08:40 am

Love these suggestions, Penny, can't wait to read your books!

Jilanne Hoffmann

3/18/2015 05:55:07 am

I love seeing a mix of picture books that others have recommended along with ones I've never seen mentioned before. Three of these are my favorites. Thanks for the recs!

Vivian Kirkfield link

3/18/2015 05:58:02 am

It's so true that the first line or two of a story sets the tone for the rest of the book. I'm loving the books you've chosen, Penny...I've actually read all of them...and own a few. :) Thanks for reminding us to start strong!

Bridget Magee link

3/18/2015 06:12:14 am

Perfect selections, Penny! I especially love Mo Willems' Goldilocks opening...and everything else in every Mo Willems book. =)

Laura Renauld

3/18/2015 06:43:05 am

One Big Pair of Underwear is the only one I haven't read out of this set. I foresee it as a hit in this house of two boys, ages 5 and 4 :) Finding a spot-on opening line is like finding a treasure. Thank you for your list. Congrats on your books! I can't wait to read them.

Penny

3/18/2015 08:29:22 am

Opening lines are like finding a treasure! And getting there is like paying close attention to a treasure map as you consider the twist and turns in your story. OK...I think I'm getting a little too piratey here! Arrgh!

Maria Marshall

3/18/2015 06:49:10 am

I've read and own all, but one. Thanks for the reminder of great opening lines. I also like the suggestion to keep a page in our notebook dedicated to great opening lines. Nice way to trigger ideas when we get stumped by our own openings.

Romelle Broas link

3/18/2015 06:55:46 am

I agree! These are one of my favorite books!

Cassie Bentley

3/18/2015 06:58:58 am

Thank you for reminding me to recheck opening lines. I've read three on the list looking for pacing or plot. I'll go back and look closer at the openings. They hooked me so well, I kept going wanting to find out what happens.

JEN Garrett link

3/18/2015 07:04:40 am

Getting that perfect first line is so challenging... And then sometimes, it's that first line that writes the book.

Penny

3/19/2015 01:07:05 am

Jen,
I have had several manuscripts where my first line wrote the story. It's kind of like coming up with a clever title that translates into a completed draft. It seems like most of the time my first line changes...at least a little bit...as my story is on its way to being polished. But I can think of two of my manuscripts where the first line has stayed the same.
Great point.

Heidi Yates

3/18/2015 07:08:06 am

Thank you for the wonderful book recommendations with great opening lines, and for the helpful advice.

Stephanie Geckle link

3/18/2015 07:09:24 am

Perfect timing, Penny, as I am currently struggling with an opening line of my own. Thank you!

Therese Nagi

3/18/2015 07:49:23 am

Penny I'm having it etched in working memory your quote, "Lines that invite and delight."
Definitely will use when writing opening lines.
Also, looking forward to reading your recommend books..

Jennette Mutolo

3/18/2015 07:57:28 am

Going to rework some first lines! Thank you Penny!

Rena Traxel

3/18/2015 08:14:48 am

Penny I can't wait to get my hands on your book! Great examples.

Kathy Mazurowski

3/18/2015 08:34:41 am

I love opening lines and struggle with them. Thanks for the recommendations. I am on my way to the library now!

Renee Kirchner

3/18/2015 08:41:39 am

I agree that opening lines are so important, but difficult to get right. Thanks for the great suggestions!

Sandy Powell

3/18/2015 08:53:54 am

Love your choices for today's mentor texts. Especially, Goldilocks and the Three Dinosaurs. Mo Willems is a genius. First lines are very important. It's all about grabbing the readers attention, and first lines is a great way to do it. Thank you for your post plus I really enjoyed your reply to Elaine Hillson that Charlie posted on Facebook. It was great advice.

Sandy Perlic

3/18/2015 09:39:30 am

Getting that first line right is tricky! I'll have to re-read these to see why they stand out for you. Thanks, Penny!

Alice Fulgione

3/18/2015 09:58:23 am

I've read a couple of your suggestions and loved them. I'm sure that I'll love the others too.

Nancy Brown

3/18/2015 10:42:34 am

Great suggestions! Thank you--I'm keeping a notebook of great openings too!

Jennifer Judd link

3/18/2015 11:26:47 am

Great post, Penny! Love how you point out the first lines of these books--now I am going to go back and home in on the ones I have been reading!

Kathy Phillips

3/18/2015 12:12:33 pm

Ooooh...I definitely need to get my hands on these. My stories could use a great opening :)

Lindsay Bonilla link

3/18/2015 01:01:35 pm

Yes! A great opening line definitely entices the reader! :) Thanks for these suggestions!

shirley johnson

3/18/2015 01:12:59 pm

Great book list! Thank you for sharing this post on first lines.

Suzy Leopold

3/18/2015 02:08:28 pm

Opening lines are so important. These first lines must be the hook that entices the reader and grabs their attention. Thank you, Penny. I agree with you, all five titles that you shared begin at just the right place.

Keila Dawson link

3/18/2015 02:21:42 pm

We aim to invite and delight, well said Penny.

Kristen Kirwan Browning

3/18/2015 04:31:11 pm

Thanks for the post! I look forward to reading ONE BIG PAIR OF UNDERWEAR and to reading your upcoming books. Thanks to the ReFoReMo, I have been noticing (and recording in my notebook) opening lines like never before. This study has already helped me improve the opening in one of my mss.

Janie Reinart

3/18/2015 04:53:47 pm

Thanks for the post! I've been recoding the first and last lines of the books I'm studying. Great idea.

Wendy Engelmann

3/18/2015 05:01:34 pm

Thank you for naming such great books. It is easy to over look beginning lines if you are drawn into the whole story. I love the book, ONE BIG PAIR OF UNDERWARE!!

Juliann (Juli) Caveny link

3/18/2015 06:52:39 pm

There's so much that can be said in the title and the first lines! Thanks for pointing these out. (By the way-- I can't wait to read your dragon book... I LOVE dragon books!)

Yvonne Mes link

3/18/2015 09:32:22 pm

Thank you, Penny, those strong opening lines can be quite tricky, I'll revisit these books!

Penny

3/19/2015 01:17:01 am

Thanks for the great discussion on opening lines. And thanks for showing excitement about my upcoming book/s! ReFoReMo is wonderful and I have a feeling your WIPs are being looked at from so many angles that they'll be much stronger after applying what you're learning this month. I know my manuscripts will benefit. Thanks, Carrie!!!

Carrie Charley Brown

3/23/2015 11:18:51 am

Thank YOU, Penny! I could spend a whole month researching just opening lines! :) You've sparked a wonderful research topic!

Lisa Connors link

3/19/2015 01:47:01 am

Thanks Penny! And congratulations on your new releases. I look forward to finding and reading them.

Erin Nowak link

3/19/2015 02:44:06 am

Thanks so much for the diverse choices presented here! I love that they are all so different , but yet are connected by strong openings. I love the opening line to Mr. Tiger...so intriguing and enticing!

Carrie Finison

3/19/2015 04:03:47 am

Thanks for the list, Penny! I used to keep a little Word document of great opening lines. I'll have to go back and look at that to remind myself.

I find I often start with what I think is a strong opening, but then the story changes underneath me and I do have to go back and rework the beginning (for the better!) It's hard to let go of the things you love, but that's revising, I guess!

Penny

3/23/2015 08:10:30 am

Isn't that the truth, Carrie. Especially when the first line of a draft shaped the manuscript! To have to go back and delete it is torture :-/

Janet Smart link

3/19/2015 06:08:56 am

Thanks for the list. I love Sophie's Squash!

Chana Stiefel link

3/19/2015 10:44:00 am

Great suggestions! My favorite first line from today's haul (from IGGY PECK ARCHITECT by Andrea Beaty):
Young Iggy Peck is an architect
and has been since he was two,
when he built a great tower--in only an hour--
with nothing but diapers and glue.

Jeanette Bradley

3/19/2015 01:24:27 pm

Opening lines are so hard for me to get right. Thanks for this list of greats!

Helen Dening link

3/19/2015 02:00:39 pm

Thanks, Penny. I want my book to invite and delight. I'm reading your list with new eyes and then look at my ms again. Thank you!

Sara Eastler link

3/19/2015 02:24:25 pm

Ah, the siren call of the well-crafted first line! I don't know about you, but after I write a solid ending, I find it easier to write a better first line. Does anyone else have to wait until the entire story's written and revised in order to come up with the killer first line???

Penny

3/23/2015 08:09:13 am

Very true, Sara. The solid ending is hugely important. Yes, I do have to wait for that killer first line.

Carrie Charley Brown

3/23/2015 11:22:00 am

And I am in reverse. If I don't have my beginning quite right first, then my ending can't come back around to the beginning. I can map it out generally, but it won't click until my beginning is solid.

Kelley Lewis

3/20/2015 07:28:42 am

Thank you for this! I often start with the first or the final line and then build the book around that. The problem is, sometimes I have to let go of that initial first line in order to let the draft really sing! Still, it's the first line that inspires.

Penny

3/23/2015 08:07:32 am

I've had to let go of many first lines, too, Kelley. I agree that first and final lines are wonderful sparks for drafts. I don't think I've ever kept an original first line of a draft. I just make sure that my first line is super strong when I've polished that draft and it heads out the door for submission.

Rene' Diane Aube

3/20/2015 09:16:17 am

Thank you for sharing, Penny :) I hope to learn to come up with some strong openers as I study these brilliant lines!

Mary Warth

3/20/2015 04:02:15 pm

Thanks for the great list of opening line mentor texts. After a few visits to different branch libraries I have them all. I appreciate the differences in style and I plan on recommending them to my critique group!!

Lindsay Bonilla link

3/21/2015 03:25:50 pm

First lines are so important! Thanks for the reminder. I can't wait to check out some of these titles that are new to me! :)

Saba

3/21/2015 05:02:28 pm

Soooooo true!!! I have read Sophie's Squash and The Monstore and they both have wonderful openings!

Linda

3/23/2015 05:07:06 am

Wonderful ideas! Thank you.

Mary Worley

3/24/2015 09:54:14 am

Great examples of openings that pull us right in as readers. Love the books that you mean to just glance through deciding if they're "good enough" to check out and end up reading on the spot.

Ann Magee

3/25/2015 03:39:37 am

Thanks for this book list highlighting openings. I like how you said openings invite us to read/turn pages and prove to be relevant throughout the story. I look forward to going back to these just to read the hooks.

Gina Silvester

3/25/2015 07:38:44 am

Thank you for choosing such a specific aspect of the books. Sometimes it is so easy to get caught up in the story you forget how you got there.

Lauri Meyers link

3/26/2015 02:55:29 am

I still haven't read Sophie's Squash. I hope I don't get kicked out of SCBWI:) Sometimes I read these opening lines, and I am blown away by how much is accomplished in a few words.

Noel Csermak

3/30/2015 10:42:12 am

Penny, I will now go back to my manuscripts and try to entice my reader in the first few lines. There's always room for improvement and improvement may one day lead to publication!

Karen Nordseth Roos

3/30/2015 04:22:18 pm

ah, the first line! and omg, i am totally in love with mr. tiger. thank you for introducing us!

Laurie J. Edwards link

3/30/2015 07:59:58 pm

Fun choices, Penny!

Ellen Sirianni

3/31/2015 07:13:46 am

Thank you for this great post and book list!

Tanya Konerman link

3/31/2015 09:13:22 am

Oh, good, a couple I've never read! Thanks for the great ideas!

Amie Valore-Caplan

3/31/2015 10:06:53 am

Thanks for the reminder to look carefully at first lines and to challenge ourselves to make them even better. I liked the earlier suggestion to include first lines in our notes about mentor texts. The cover and title can help draw a reader in, and the first line can help keep them reading on... Thanks again for these fun book recommendations!

ReFoReMo Day 18: Penny Klostermann Highlights the Opening Act

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