Tuesday, August 16, 2016

Picture Book Hooks

This week, I watched the free hour of the mini Picture Book Summit.  The hour was amazing and super informative.  I am definitely going to participate in the full day also!   The action step from Emma's tip was to read some newly published picture books and write a one sentence hook for each.  This sentence should be juicy and include the main character, the general plot, and the theme while dazzling the reader to entice them to read/ask for the manuscript.  I love a little challenge and am posting my hook sentences here.


The Story Book Knight
by: Helen Docherty
Publisher: Sourcebook, Inc.
Expected publish date: October 2016

Leo's parents send their gentle little knight out into the world to tame a dragon with a new shield and sword, but Leo insists on taking his... books? 



Me Want Pet!
by: Tammi Sauer
Publisher: Simon & Schuster Books for Young Readers
Published date: March 6, 2012

Cave Boy tries to find a pet that doesn't cause too many problems; a woolly mammoth, a saber-toothed tiger, a dodo bird - oh my!



Light Up the Night
by: Jean Reidy
Publisher: Disney - Hyperion Books
Published Date: October 11, 2011

A rhyming cumulative bedtime story about a boy who goes out into the universe and makes his way back to his warm cozy bed.  (Of course, I now read this book's inside flap which is two sentences, but so much better!)

"When it's time to sleep, it's nice to know there's a place that's safe.  In a cozy house, in a comfy bed, under a blanket that's white and red, under stars so bright they light up the night, in your own little piece of the universe." ~inside flap



Snappsy the Alligator: did not ask to be in this book!
by: Julie Falatko
Publisher: Viking, Penguin Young Readers Group
Published date: February 2, 2016

What will Snappsy the Alligator do when he realizes someone is narrating his ordinary day while trying to make it extraordinary?


This was an enlightening activity.  Of course, I would spend much more time on my dazzling sentence if it were for my own book that I was submitting. 


Hope you enjoyed my little
today.
Thanks to Two Writing Teachers for hosting.



6 comments:

  1. I love the idea of one sentence hooks! This would work great with my middle schoolers, too!

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  2. I love the idea of one sentence hooks! This would work great with my middle schoolers, too!

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  3. I have learned this summer that picture books are good through all ages and I will definitely be using them

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  4. I've been thinking a lot about picture books and their uses in writers workshop. This sounds like a good activity to practice summarizing.

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  5. YOU hooked me! Great sentences.

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  6. What a fun activity to try with students!

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