Once Upon a Time.....YUK!
 |
The beginning of your
story is quite important. It will determine whether or
not your reader will continue reading, wanting to know
more; continue reading with eyes glossed over in boredom;
or not continue reading at all. Pretty important,
wouldn't you say? |
After you have read the lesson, click here to complete an interactive worksheet to submit to Professor Pen |
So, Professor
Pen, what makes a good beginning? I thought you'd never ask.
Let's take a look at some great stories to see how they begin:
| Book | Author | Beginning | Technique | Result |
| Red Sails to Capri, Newberry Honor Winner | Ann Weil | "Angelo!
Angelo!, look! A boat!" Angelo put down the net he was mending, pushed his red cap back off his forehead, and looked at Michelle. |
The author starts with a quote, and follows up with an action. | This beginning immediately puts the main character into the setting. |
| Moby Dick | Herman Melville | Call me Ishmael. Some years ago- never mind how long precisely- having little or no money in my purse, and nothing particular to interest me on shore, I thought I would sail about a little and see the watery part of the world. | The author starts with a command to the reader, and follows up with a thought. | This beginning tells the reader a little about the character, the setting, and even what the story will be about in just two sentences! |
| Jumanji, Caldecott Medal Winner | Chris van Allsberg | "Now remember, " Mother said, "your father and I are bringing some guests by after the opera, so please keep the house neat." | The author starts with a quote. | The beginning serves to tell us a little about the plot of the story.....are these kids really going to be able to keep the house neat? |
| Stuart Little | E.B. White | When Mrs. Frederick C. Little's second son was born, everybody noticed that he was not much bigger than a mouse. | The author begins with a action (noticing), instead of the statement ("he was"). | This beginning makes the reader curious - why was he so small that everybody noticed? Was everybody looking at him? Why? |
| Her Seven Brothers | Paul Goble | Do you know what the birds and animals say? | The author begins with a question. | This is another effective technique to get the readers attention. |
| Winnie-the-Pooh | A.A. Milne | Here is Edward Bear, coming downstairs now, bump, bump, bump, on the back of his head, behind Christopher Robin. | The author begins with and action, including a sound effect. | The author has immediately put us in the scene. We can almost see the little boy dragging his teddy down the steps. The "bump, bump, bump", helps us visualize it, too. |
| Brother Eagle, Sister Sky | Susan
Jeffers (Using a speech written by Chief Seattle) |
"How can you buy the sky?" | The author begins with a question. | The reader knows one cannot buy the sky, so we want to read on, to find out what the message of the story is. |
Call it Courage |
Armstrong Sperry | (After
the introduction): It was the sea that Mafatu feared. |
The author begins with a strong statement about the theme of the story. | The reader knows that the story will be about Mafatu's battle with his fear of the sea. |
Now that you have seen a few
examples of how some great stories begin, let's review. Try to
start your stories with.....
Click Here to go to an interactive worksheet that you can submit to Professor Pen!