"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

September 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


Words by Susan Johnston Taylor, art by Annie Bakst

Published by Gnome Road Publishing

First line: Ever seen a purple snail?

Elements used: surprises and engages the reader

Comp tags: poetry, unique animals, NF

First Line Revision Journey

Because Animals in Surprising Shades is a STEM poetry collection, I thought opening with a series of questions would engage young readers and spark their curiosity, especially in read alouds. From first draft to publication, my opening line has always been: "Ever seen a purple snail?" However, in the first draft, that was followed by the rhyme, "A squirrel with a navy tail?"  I ended up cutting the poem about Malabar Giant Squirrels, so the second line became "A spotted newt with orange tail?" (about the eastern newt).

I think the new line sounds more rhythmic and fun, so I'm glad I made that change. Although the first line didn't change, the rest of the book changed substantially after I received a revise & resubmit from an agent in the summer of 2020. She liked the concrete poem about the pink manta ray and challenged me to revise the other poems to that same level of surprise and whimsy. For many of the other poems, I decided that the animal I'd chosen wasn't surprising enough, so I started over with a different animal to really amp up the 

element of surprise.
During my revision process, I also mixed in more poetic variety, so on each page, there's a nonfiction sidebar about that animal, as well as a sidebar explaining the poetic form used, whether it's haiku, concrete poem, quatrain, and so on. Just as animals come in many colors and shades, poems come in a wide variety, too, so this reflects the incredible biodiversity of our world. 

Just One Pebble

Words by Dianna Wilson Sirkovsky, art by Sara Casilda

Published by Clavis

First line: So, this morning, Pepper has an accident in my sneaker.

Elements used: makes the reader wonder something and starts in the middle of the action

Comp tags: making a difference, helping the unhoused, inspiring others

Bibi

words by Jo Weaver

Published by Peachtree

First line: On a still morning, the sun rose over the lake

Elements used: establishes the setting of the story

Comp tags: courage, bravery, community, leadership, crisis

Mouseboat

words by Larissa Theule, art by Abigail Halpin

Published by Viking

First line: The wind is your voice.

Elements used: employs poetic devises and makes the reader wonder something

Comp tags: death of a parent, unique fonts and formatting

Summer Is for Cousins

words by Rajani LaRocca, art by Abhi Alwar

Published by Abrams Books for Young Readers

First line: Summer is for cousins.

Elements used: references something with universal appeal (summer and cousins)

Comp tags: summer, family, traditions

My Mommy, the Octopus

words by Wendy and Nonnie Gerber, art by Tori Davis

Published by Sky Pony Press

First line: When I wake up in the morning, the first things that I see are mommy’s arms, open wide, to give a hug to me.

Elements used: establishes a rhythm that pulls the reader in and makes the reader feel something

Comp tags: parental love, everything mothers do

The Digger and the Butterfly

By Joseph Kuefler

Published by Balzer & Bray

First line: It was spring, and the big trucks were busy.

Elements used: makes the reader wonder something and establishes the setting of the story

Comp tags: unlikely friendships, dealing with interruptions, life cycle of a butterfly

The Yellow Hankerchief

words by Donna Barba Higuera, art by Cynthia Alonso

Published by Abrams Books for Young Readers

First line: My abuela wears an old yellow handkerchief that her grandmother gave to her.

Elements used: makes the reader wonder something, 

Comp tags: shame about differences, learning to appreciate differences, intergenerational relationships

A Song of
Sun and Sky

By Jason Cockcroft

Published by Godwin Books

First line: The first color was orange.

Elements used: makes the reader wonder something

Comp tags: color, road trip, art, nature, Georgia O’Keeffe

When Things Aren't Going Right, GO LEFT

Words by Marc Colagiovanni, art by Peter Reynolds

Published by Orchard Books

First line: One day, for no particular reason, nothing was going right.

Elements used: hints at a universal theme and makes the reader feel something

Comp tags: anxiety, fears, worries, overcoming

Jack the Library Cat

By Marietta Apollonio

Published by Albert Whitman & Company

First line: Jack snuck through the doors fo the library each morning.

Elements used: makes the reader wonder something

Comp tags: reading, buddy reading, cats, library, friendship

Enough is...

Words by Jessica Whipple, art by Nicole Wong

Published by Tilbury House Publishers

First line: Somewhere between a little and a lot, there is Enough.

Elements used: Establishes a unique premise and makes the reader wonder something

Comp tags: contentment, generosity

Max and Moonbean

By Rob Scotton

Published by Harper

First line: Max twiddled his fingers and tapped his toes as he nervously waited his turn for show-and-tell.

Elements used: introduces the main character, hints at his problem, hints at a universal theme, makes the reader feel something, and starts in the middle of the action

Comp tags: show-n-tell, imagination, aliens, friendship

A Book about You and All the World, Too

Words by Jean Reidy, art by Joey Chou

Published by Harper 

First line: A beautiful story began with just you.

Elements used: engages the reader

Comp tags: reading, learning, growing, cooperating, rhyming

I, Sea: A Tale Told in Homonyms

Words by Suzanne Sutherland, art by Ashley Barron

Published by Owlkids Books

First line: I, sea.

Elements used: uses a play on words.

Comp tags: homonym, ocean, language

From HERE to THERE A First Book of Maps

Words by Vivian French, art by Ya-Ling Huang

Published by Candlewick Press

First line: This is Anna’s house…and this is where Zane lives.

Elements used: Establishes the setting of the story

Comp tags: maps

OOPS!

Words by Julie Massy, art by Pascale Bonenfant

Published by Orca Book Publishers

First line: Eggs are very breakable.

Elements used: Surprises the reader, hints at an unusual premise

Comp tags: making messes

Let's Build a Dam!

Words by Daniel Fehr, art by Mariachiara Di Giorgio

Published by North South

First line: Not far from where they lived, May and LIly built a dam.

Elements used: Introduces the main characters

Comp tags: pretend, working together

You Need to Chill!

Words by Juno Dawson, art by Laura Hughes

Published by sourcebooks

First line: Sometimes people say to me, “What happened to your brother Bill?

Elements used: makes the reader wonder something

Comp tags: transgender, siblings, rhyming

Dakota Crumb and the secret bookshop

Words by amie Michalak, art by Kelly Murphy

Published by Candlewick Press

First line: Somewhere in Paris, a small figure steps into the shadows.

Elements used: makes the reader wonder something and establishes the setting of the story

Comp tags: mystery, treasure hunt, birthday, friends

Waking Ben Doldrums

Words by Heather Smith, art by Byron Eggenschwiler

Published by Orca Book Publishers

First line: In the Big House, there are four apartments.

Elements used: establishes the setting of the story

Comp tags: neighbors, depression, rituals

The Never-Ending Sweater

Words by Erin Welch, art by Dorothy Leung

Published by Orca Book Publishers

First line: When young Peter was very young, he asked his grandmother to make him a sweater.

Elements used: introduces the main character, surprises the reader and makes the reader wonder something

Comp tags: intergenerational relationships, 

ABC and you and me

By Corinna Luyken

Published by Rocky Pond Books

First line: Can you wiggle your wrists?

Elements used: engages and surprises the reader

Comp tags: ABC, body movement

When Rubin Plays

By Gracey Zhang

Published by Orchard Books

First line (over two spreads): In a small town by a big forest, there was a little orchestra…a little orchestra that played beautiful sounds.

Elements used: establishes the setting of the story

Comp tags: music, passion, persistence

City Beet

Words by Tziporah Cohen, art by Udayana Lugo

Published by Sleeping Bear Press

First line: “Raw beet and garlic salad?” said Victoria to Mrs. Kosta

Elements used: surprises the reader and makes the reader wonder something

Comp tags: gardening, community, intergenerational relationships, folk tale, humor, repeating refrain, teamwork

How Are You, Verity?

By Meghan Wilson Duff, art by Taylor Barron

Published by Magination Press

First line: On the limb of the old oak tree, Verity was imagining they were a vampire squid.

Elements used: introduces main character, establishes the setting of the story, surprises the reader, and makes the reader wonder something

Comp tags: neurodivergence, social norms

Papa's Magical Water-Jug Clock

Words by Jesus Trejo, art by Eliza Kinkz

Published by minerva

First line: Buenos Dias! Finally, it’s Saturday—the day I get to help Papa at work!

Elements used: references things with universal appeal (family, weekend) and  introduces the main character and their goal

Comp tags: family, work, magic, fun, teamwork

Let's Build a Little Train

Words by Julia Richardson, art by Ryan O’Rourke

Published by Sleeping Bear Press

First line: Let’s build a little train to chug along the track that goes from here to there and circles round and back.

Elements used: establishes a rhythm that pulls the reader in and references something with universal appeal

Comp tags: trains, rhyming

Pirate & Penguin

Words by MIke Allegra, art by Jenn Harney

Published by Page Street Kids

First line: Ahoy! Avast! A PARROT?

Elements used: references something with universal appeal

Comp tags: humor, misunderstanding, pirates, parallel story

Paradise Sands

By Levi Pinfold

Published by Walker Books Ltd

First line: It was dry and dustry, and it was Bill driving, Danny in the passenger seat, and Bob beside me in the back.

Elements used: introduces the main character, engages multiple senses, and establishes the setting of the story

Comp tags: fable, family

Sora's Seashells

Words by Helena Ku Rhee, art by Stella Lim with Ji-Hyuk Kim

Published by Candlewick Press

First line: Sora’s grandmother, Halmoni, visited from far away every summer.

Elements used: references something with universal appeal (a grandparent’s visit and summer

Comp tags: intergenerational relationships, kindness, generosity, names, loss

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