February 2022

by Chana Stiefel, art by Chuck Groenink

2021

Hook: the story of young and old Americans financing the completion of Lady Liberty's platform with their pocket money.

by Raul the Third, art by Elaine Bay

2021

First line: Little Lobo has a brand-new truck!

elements used: makes the reader wonder something (what will the MC do with his truck?)

by maddie frost

2021

First line: We have 19,000 rules in the sardine safety handbook.

elements used: makes the reader wonder something and sets the tone for the story. What are the rules and why do they have so many?

by DJ Corchin, art by Dan Dougherty

2021

First line: A boy ran into a fish.

elements used: makes the reader wonder something, starts in the middle of the action, and hints at an unusual premise. Why was this boy engaging this fish?

by Tom Fletcher, art by Greg Abbott

2021

First two lines: GALLOPING GLITTER! There's a UNICORN in your book!

elements used: engages the reader, makes the reader wonder something, and hints at an unusual premise (this won't be your usual unicorn story)

by Nilah Magruder

2022

First line: She was called Wutaryoo, and she lived there, in that shallow hole in the earth.

elements used: introduces an unusual character and makes the reader wonder something (why was she called that?)

by Atinuke, art by Angela Brooksbank

2021

First line: Baby, sweet baby, I'll call on the winds, and you'll sail like a ship through the sky.

elements used: engages the reader, sets the tone for the story (poetic), hints at a universal theme (parental love), establishes a rhythm that pulls the reader into the story, and hints at a beloved classic (Winken, Blinken, and Nod)

by Jacob Souva

2021

First line: On the first day of Spring, Queen Bee declared that it was time to find flowers for the great nectar and pollen harvest.

elements used: sets the scene of the story

by Ruth Can

2021

First line: Every day, we go for a walk.

elements used: hints at a universal theme

by Carmen Agra Deedy, art by Jim La Marche

2021

First line: There once was a time when the sun alone ruled the day, the moon graced the night, and little children were put firmly to bed before sunset.

elements used: makes the reader wonder something (what happened to change that) and sets the tone of the story (has a folktale quality)

by Abbe Rolnick, art by Lynda Porter

2021

First line: When the warm wind rustles with a hint of laughter Bubbie glides in with her magical hair.

elements used: introduces an unusual character, sets the tone of the story (magical realism), establishes a rhythm that pulls the reader in, engages multiple senses (touch, sound, sight)

by David Bowles, art by Erika Meza

2021

First line: Every other Saturday, my dad wakes me up early.

elements used: makes the reader wonder something (why are they getting up early?)

by Kevin Henkes

2021

First line: A house.

elements used: engages the reader (through stating the obvious) and hints at a universal theme

by Thao Lam

2021

First line: It's not easy being Thao.

elements used: makes the reader wonder something, establishes the main character, and hints at their problem

by Jarrett Dapier, art by Eugenia Mello

2021

First line: Struttin' with my Auntie Nina down to a CLUB.

elements used: makes the reader wonder something, establishes the main character, and establishes a rhythm that pulls the reader into the story

by Aracelis Girmay, art by Ariana Fields

2021

First line: When loves comes to the well and asks, what do you know, it says, I know thirst, I know abundance.

elements used: establishes a rhythm that pulls the reader in and establishes an unusual premise (the abstract "love" asking questions)

by Cheryl B. Klein, art by Abhi Alwar

2022

First line: I'm Henry.

elements used: establishes the main character

by Ava and Alexis McClure, art by Courtney Dawson

2021

First line: Ava and Alexis are sisters.

elements used: establishes the main characters and hints at the universal theme of family

by Carolina Farias

2021

First line: In a forest filled with trees, nestled between twigs and leaves, a beautiful flower grew in a bright yellow hue!

elements used: sets the scene of the story and establishes a rhythm that pulls the reader in

by John Loren

2021

First line: I bet you've heard stories, or read the adventures of wily young whiz kids, or expert inventors....

elements used: engages the reader and establishes a rhythm that pulls the reader in

by Mags DeRoma

2021

First line: In a big, big city, on a busy city street, there is a pretty tall building.

elements used: sets the scene of the story

by Dane Liu, art by Lynn Scurfield

2021

First line: In our town, the winter howls.

elements used: sets the scene of the story and engages multiple senses

by Peter H. Reynolds

2021

First line: Violet fondly remembered the table.

elements used: introduces the main character and makes the reader wonder something (what happened to the table?)

by Hongbo Gao, art by Sixin Cheng

2021

First line: I want to s t r e t c h my hand to the tip of the tree branch.

elements used: establishes the main character and sets the tone for the story (poetic and magical)

by Meredith Crandall Brown

2021

First line: Once upon a time, in a refrigerator not too far away, a jug of milk and a bottle of juice fell in love.

elements used: establishes unusual main characters, hints at the universal theme of love, and hints at a beloved classic

by NoNieqa Ramos, art by Keisha Morris

2021

First line: Baby's crown, lush, wild, beautiful brown: Puerto Rican Princesa perfect lips, belleza.

elements used: sets the tone of story (poetic) and establishes a rhythm that pulls the reader in

by Seth Fishman, art by Jessixa Bagley

2021

First line: The sky is dark when I wake.

elements used: makes the reader wonder something (why is the sky dark? Is it still night?)

by Aaron Blabey

2021

First line: Pig was a pug, and I'm sorry to say on Halloween night he'd get carried away...

elements used: introduces the main character, makes the reader wonder something (how did Pig get carried away?), and establishes a rhythm that pulls the reader in

by Heen Yoon

2021

First line: Hello! I'm just looking.

elements used: introduces the main character and hints at the universal theme of curiosity.

by Helen Yoon

2021

First line: Success! I'm in!

elements used: introduces the main character (a wolf dressed as a sheep), engages the reader (invites the reader to find the wolf in disguise on the page), and makes the reader wonder something (what is the wolf planning to do?)