Opening Lines in Picture Books

Opening lines of picture books are meant to hook your reader.

Sometimes when I have an idea for a picture book, I get stuck and don't know how to start my book.

Sometimes I've written a picture book and it simply feels like it doesn't start the right way.

One of my favorite things about being a writer is that you don't always have to write. You have to have time to READ too! 

Reading other picture books with a specific purpose in mind will help your own writing. 

Today, I wanted to look at the opening lines of some of my favorite picture books.   Use these lines to inspire a kickstart to your own book!  I challenge you to look at each one and think about what works and why? 

Henny by Elizabeth Rose Stanton
Henny was not a typical chicken. Henny was born with arms.

Crankenstein by Samantha Berger
Have you seen Crankenstein?  Oh, you would totally know if you had.
You would say, Good Morning!!! How are you? 
Crankenstein would say, MEHHRRRR!

Sophie's Squash by Pat Zietlow
One bright fall day, Sophie chose a squash at the farmer's market.  
Her parents planned to serve it for supper, but Sophie had other ideas.

Maple by Lori Nichols
Maple loved her name. 
When she was still a whisper, her parents planted a tiny tree in her honor!
And even though Flavia, Millie Jane, Lena, Lily, and Constance were all good names...
Maple was the perfect fit.

The Good-Pie Party by Liz Garton Scanlon
Posy Peyton doesn't want to move.
She doesn't want to pack her books or take down her bird feeder or undecorate her secret clubhouse.  And she really doesn't want to say good-bye.

How To Clean Your Room in 10 Easy Steps by Jennifer LaRue Huget
Welcome to my room.  You will notice that it is very clean.  I'm going to show you how you can clean yours, too.  The first thing we need is a messy room.  The messier, the better.

Love Monster by Rachel Bright
This is a monster. (Hello, Monster.)  I think you'll agree he's a little bit funny-looking. To say the least.  He lives in a world of cute, fluffy things.  
Which makes being funny-looking...
pretty, darn hard.

Hooway for Wodney Wat by Helen Lester

Poor Wodney. Wodney Wat. His real name was Rodney Rat. But he couldn’t pronounce his Rs. To make matters worse, he was a rodent. A wodent.

Tacky the Penguin by Helen Lester

There once was a penguin. His home was a nice icy land he shared with his companions. His companions were named Goodly, Lovely, Neatly, Angel, and Perfect.  His name was Tacky. Tacky was an odd bird.

Princess in Training by Tammi Sauer

Viola Louise Hassenfeffer was not an ordinary princess.  She spent her time karate chopping, diving into the moat, and skateboarding up and down the drawbridge.  Zip Zup Zoom.

Nugget and Fang by Tammi Sauer

In the deep, deep ocean lived two best friends. Nugget and Fang. They did everything together.  They swam over. Glug.  They swam under.  Glug. Glug. They swam all around. (Glug Glug Glug) until it was time for Nugget to go to school.

Not Your Typical Dragon by Dan Bar-el

Crispin Blaze was born into a proud family of fire breathing dragons. “Every Blaze breaths fire,” explained his father. “I breathe fire. Your mother breathes fire. Tomorrow, when you turn seven, you will breathe fire too.”

Unlovable by Dan Yaccarino

Alfred was unlovable. At least that’s what the cat told him every chance he got. “You’ve got the ugliest mug I’ve ever seen. No one could love you.”

Say Hello to Zorro by Carter Goodrich

Mister Bud had it pretty good.  Everything was just right. He had his own house. His own bed. His own toys. His own dish. But most of all… He had his own schedule. And everybody stuck to the schedule.

Stand Tall Molly Lou Melon by Patty Lovell

Molly Lou Melon stood taller than her dog and was the shortest girl in the first grade.  She didn’t mind.  Her grandma had told her, “Walk as proudly as you can and the world will look up to you.”

Chicken Big by Keith Graves

On a teeny little farm, in an itty-bitty coop, a very small hen laid a big, humongous egg. (Bok!)

The egg began to shake. The egg began to quake. Out popped a big, humongous chick.

“What is it?” crowed the rooster.

“It’s big!” clucked the small chicken.

“It’s enormous!” clucked the smaller chicken.

“It’s an elephant!” peeped the smallest chicken. (She was not the sharpest beak in the flock.)

“He’s too big to stay in our itty-bitty coop,” crowed the little rooster.

“Much, much too big,” clucked the small chicken.

“He’ll break the floor!” clucked the smaller chicken.

“Indoor elephants are dangerous!” squawked the smallest chicken.

“I don’t feel like an elephant,” thought the big chick.

Sign: No Elephants Allowed!

“I wish I were a chicken.”

Mandy Yates is currently an elementary reading specialist and children's book writer. She has an MFA in creative writing from Spalding University and has been published multiple times in Highlights Magazine. 

She is also assisting Mira in teaching The Craft and Business of Writing Children's Books. http://www.childrensbookacademy.com/writing-childrens-picture-books.html, as well as The Chapter Book Alchemist  http://www.childrensbookacademy.com/the-chapter-book-alchemist.html .

Find some of her teacher resources over at http://www.teacherspayteachers.com/Store/Mandy-Yates.

And you can follow her on Pinterest, Twitter,and Facebook.