"Give me a really good first line, 

something I can sink my teeth into, that just pulls me in and makes me want to read more. For me, a really great first line raises a question in my mind, or, better yet, two or three, where I just have to read the book to find out. 

A good first line gives me context about the story and lays a roadmap for where we're going."

Jennifer March Soloway
Senior Agent at the Andrea Brown Literary Agency
During an interview on the Writers with Wrinkles podcast

December 2023

Welcome! I'm so glad you stopped by.
I hope you find this collection of picture book first lines inspiring and motivational.

If you'd like your book included in a future collection, click here.

Elements of a great first line

La Noche Before Three Kings Day 

By Sheila Colon-Bagley, art by Alejandro Mesa

Published by Harper

First line: ‘Twas la noche before Three Kings Day and all through the casa, everyone was stirring, even Chico our Chihuahua.

Elements used: references a beloved classic and surprises the reader

First Line Revision Journey

Original: ‘Twas the noche before Three Kings Day and all through the casa, everyone was stirring, even Chiquito our chihuahua.

Revision: ‘Twas la noche before Three Kings Day and all through the casa, everyone was stirring, even Chico our chihuahua.

When I set out to write La Noche

Before Three Kings Day, I knew I wanted to use Clement Clark Moore’s “A Visit from St. Nicholas” as a mentor text. Because I was working with an iconic poem that is widely read, I decided to have some fun with the word play. 

I purposefully started with ‘everyone was stirring, even Chico our chihuahua’ because everyone 

knows the phrase, ‘no one was stirring, not even a mouse.’ I wanted to cue immediately that this is not that kind of quiet story. No one is sleeping in this household, at least not at the beginning. This family is having a party, eating, dancing, and celebrating. So that first line is critical in setting the tone for the rest of the story.

SANTA SHARK
A Great White Christmas

By Mike Lowery

Published by Orchard Books

First line: It was late December and somewhere deep down in the ocean, strange sounds were bubbling outof the little house that belonged to a shark named Edgar.

Elements used: engages multiple senses, surprises the reader, and employs unique formatting

How Does Santa Go Down the Chimney?

Words by Mac Barnett, art by Jon Klassen

Published by Candlewick Press

First line: How does he do it?

Elements used: engages the reader

Dasher Can't Wait for Christmas

By Matt Tavares

Published by Candlewick Press

First line: Dasher lives with her family at the North Pole.

Elements used: introduces the main character, establishes the setting of the story, and references a beloved classic

Otto the Ornament

By Troy Cummings

Published by Random House

First line: It was the night before the night before Christmas.

Elements used: References a beloved classic and surprises the reader

The Magical Snowflake

By Bernette Ford & Erin K. Robinson

Published by Boxer Books

First line: It was late afternoon.

Elements used: establishes the setting of the story

A Creature Was Stirring

Words by Heather S. Pierczynski, art by Skylar Hogan

Published by Katherine Tegan Books

First line: ‘Twas the night before Christmas and all the house, not a creature was stirring, not even a—MOUSE!

Elements used: references a beloved classic

Snowmen's Twelve Nights of Christmas

Words by Caralyn Buehner, art by Mark Buehner

Published by Dial Books for Young Readers

First line: On the first night of Christmas my dog chased up a tree an elf with a present for me.

Elements used: references a beloved classic and establishes a rhythm that pulls the reader in

I'm Going to Build a SNOWMAN

By Jashar Awan

Published by Simong & Schuster Books for Young Readers

First line: zzzzzzzzzz MOM! It snowed!

Elements used: makes the reader feel something and references something with universal appeal

Dreams of Green
A Three Kings' Story

Words by Mariel Jungkunz, art by Monica Paola Rodriguez

Published by Astra Young Readers

First line: Every winter, I dream of green—grass, palms, leaves—and when the time comes, I gather these gifts for the Three Kings.

Elements used: surprises the reader

The Twelve Hours of Christmas

Words by Jenn Bailey, art by Bea Jackson
Published by Little, Brown and Company
First line: In the first hour of Christmas, Santa left for me...a kitten underneath the Christmas tree!
Elements used: references a beloved classic and uses unique formatting

Mendel's Hanukkah Mess Up

Words by Chana and Larry Stiefel, art by Daphna Awadish
Published by Kalaniot Books
First line: Of all the Jewish holidays, Hanukkah was Mendel's favorite.
Elements used: references something with universal appeal, makes the reader wonder something and feel something, and introduces the main character

Charlotte and the Nutcracker

Words by Charlotte Nebres with Sarah Warren, art by Alea Marley
Published by Random House
First line: It isn't quite Christmas—not yet.
Elements used: references something with universal appeal and makes the reader wonder something

Santarella

Words by Suzy Senior, art by Lucy Semple
Published by tiger tales
First line: One snowy winter evening, when the moon was bright and high, the stars were sparkling gently; there was magic in the sky.
Elements used: establishes a rhythm that pulls the reader in, engages multiple senses and uses poetic devices

The Snowflake

by Benji Davies
Published by HarperCollins
First line: High in the sky, one winter's night, a snowflake was made.
Elements used: establishes the setting of the story, employs poetic devices, and surprises the reader
*originally featured in the December 2021 collection

Strum & Drum

By Jashar Awan

Published by tundra

First line: The night was silent and still.

Elements used: makes the reader wonder something
*originally featured in the December 2022 collection

Red and Green and Blue and White

by Paul O'Zelinsky
Published by
First line: On a block dressed up in Red and Green, one house shone Blue and White.
Elements used: employs unique formatting, references something with universal appeal,  and makes the reader wonder something
*originally featured in the December 2021 collection

When Santa Came to Stay

By Billy Sharff, art by Eda Kaban

Published by Dial Books for Young Readers

First line: When Santa Claus came by last year, He liked our cookies so…He came again on New Year’s Eve and did not want to go.

Elements used: establishes a rhythm that pulls the reader in, engages multiple senses, and references something with universal appeal
*originally featured in the December 2022 collection

The Truth about Mrs. Claus

By Meena Harris, art by Keisha Morris

Published by Little, Brown and Company

First line: Amalia the Elf came from a long line of proud teddy-bear makers.

Elements used: references something with universal appeal and introduces a unique premise
*originally featured in the December 2022 collection

The Three Latkes

by Eric A. Kimmel, art by Fernonia Parker-Thomas
Published by Kar-Ben Publishing
First line: Once upon a time, there were three latkes.
Elements used: introduces a unique main character
*originally featured in the December 2021 collection

Cold Turkey

by Corey Rosen Schwartz and Kirsti Call, art by Chad Otis
Published by
First line: Turkey woke up c-c-cold.
Elements used: introduces the main character and their problem, engages multiple senses, and makes the reader laugh
*originally featured in the December 2021 collection

Super Santa

By Bruce Hale, art by Guy Francis

Published by Harper

First line: Hey-ho, here we go! It’s countdown time—just minutes away from Christmas Eve, the most magical night of the year.

Elements used: references something with universal appeal
*originally featured in the December 2022 collection