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Sunday, July 19, 2020

Yay For Middle Grade Books! Guest Post From Kamilla Benko!



Hi, everyone! Today I'm happy to present a guest post from Kamilla Benko, the author of Frozen 2: Forest of Shadows, and The Unicorn Quest series.

Here we go! :)

Kamilla Benko’s Ten Favorite First Lines of Middle Grade Books

Books are magic, and authors work hard to cast a spell on their readers from the very first sentence. A great first sentence often does one of three things: 

  • Creates atmosphere
  • Establishes a character’s voice
  • Surprises the reader 

Sometimes they do all three! But no matter how first sentences are crafted, they are all meant to make you wonder, “What happens next?” Take for example the first line in my most recent book The Unicorn Quest: Fire in the Star:

Claire Martinson was doing something either incredibly brave or incredibly foolish—and deep down, she suspected it was the second. 

Right away, I’m letting the reader know that 1) Claire is the kind of person who likes to think things through and 2) she is definitely about to do something dangerous! My hope is that readers will wonder what dangerous thing is she about to do, and then read the next sentence, the next page, the next chapter…and the rest of the book!  

Here are ten middle grade books with first sentences that completely captivated me and delivered on that first line’s promised magic: 


“Witches aren’t the celebrating sort.” 
--The Tragical Tale of Birdie Bloom by Temre Beltz


“The dragonflies live down by the bayou, but there’s no way to tell which one’s my brother.” 
--King and the Dragonflies by Kacen Callender


“I can turn invisible.” 
--When You Trap a Tiger by Tae Keller


“The day I turned twelve, I was certain it’d be my favorite birthday yet, but then I got the letter.” 
--From the Desk of Zoe Washington by Janae Marks


“There was a rhythm in my fists.” 
--Tristan Strong Punches a Hole in the Sky by Kwame Mbalia


“Leo sprinted to the hallway bathroom, slammed the door, and locked herself in, just in time.”
--Love, Sugar, Magic: A Dash of Trouble by Anna Meriano 


“A monster of a mango tree grew in the courtyard of Namwon Prison.”  
--A Wish in the Dark by Christina Soontornvat


“One morning shortly after Wren turned seven years old, her parents wrestled her into her best blue wool dress, pinned her down to oil her curly hair, and took her up the mountain to be eaten by a dragon.” 
--Wings of Fire: Legends: Dragonslayer by Tui T. Sutherland


“In the middle of a quiet block on 141st Street, inside a brownstone made of deep red shale, the Vanderbeeker family gathered in the living room for a family meeting.” 
The Vanderbeekers of 141st Street by Karina Yan Glaser


“On the eve of the Lunar New Year, the demons invaded.” 
--The Dragon Warrior by Katie Zhao 


I love a good first line that makes you want to keep reading! :)

Thank you to Kamilla Benko for participating in this event! :)


Author Bio: Kamilla Benko is the USA Today bestselling author of Frozen II: Forest of Shadows and The Unicorn Quest trilogy. She spent most of her childhood climbing into wardrobes, trying to step through mirrors, and plotting to run away to an art museum. Now, she visits other worlds as an author and editor. Originally from Indiana, she currently lives in New York with her bookshelves, teapot, and hiking boots.

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1 comment:

  1. Just started Fire in the Star and it's really good!
    Really enjoyed these first sentences.

    ReplyDelete

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