Today we’ll be looking at Kelsey Green, Reading Queen by author Claudia Mills.
Let’s look at what Claudia does to hook us on the first page of this novel.
The Page
Kelsey Green no longer heard any of the voices in her third-grade classroom. All her attention was focused on the book spread open beneath her desk.
Would the old key that had been buried in the earth for the last ten years open the locked door to the hidden garden?
Drawing her breath, Kelsey waited as the key fitted into the keyhole.
The key turned.
Then with a squeak, the door opened slowly… slowly.
Why It Works
Claudia is one of the best authors of chapter books writing today and Kelsey’s opening page shows her mastery not only of this age group, but also how to grab our attention immediately. We know Kelsey loves to read (even if we didn’t know the title)– “All her attention was focused on the book…”–and who among us book lovers hasn’t sneaked a book into our laps to read during class?
But then the clincher–A key turning, a door squeaking open in the book within a book. What will happen next? I can’t wait to find out when I get my copy!
