Bolting Out of the Gate: Great Beginnings in Kid Lit

One day, I had enough. This was over a decade ago, but it was the day to end all days. That day. 

I sifted through my students' narratives. They all started the same. "One day...". 

This must have been a great day for all fourth grade writers, I mused, because according to their opening lines, they were all there. That same, fateful day. 

So we had a talk. First, I praised them for their fantastic stories. They had it all. Multi-paragraphs? Check. Strong verbs? Check. Beginning, middle, and end? Done. 

But how, I asked, did everybody's exciting adventure start on the same day? What are the odds of such an amazing coincidence?

I glanced around the classroom. Dozens of chapter books lined the bookshelves, so I pulled some out and read the first sentence of each to my students:

From Bud, Not Buddy, by Christopher Paul Curits, (1999); 2000 Newberry Medal Winner:
Here we go again.


From A Wind in the Door, by Madeleine L'Engle, (1973):
"There are dragons in the twins' vegetable garden."


From Tuck Everlasting, by Natalie Babbit, (1975):
The road that led to Treegap had been trod out long before by a herd of cows who were, to say the least, relaxed.

From Harry Potter and the Sorcerers Stone, J.K. Rowling, (1997):
Mr. and Mrs. Dursley, of number four, Privet Drive, were proud to say that they were perfectly normal, thank you very much.

From The Tale of Despereaux, by Kate DiCamillo, (2003):
This story begins within the walls of a castle, with the birth of a mouse. 


From The Whipping Boy, by Sid Fleischman, (1986); 1987 Newberry Medal Winner:
The young prince was known here and there (and just about everywhere else) as Prince Brat.


It got their juices flowing, and we practiced coming up with strange, wondrous, and even absurd beginnings. It was fun!

And it worked. Her Royal Highness, Queen Kessler (that's me), made a decree throughout the fourth grade kingdom: from now on, no story shall start with "One day...." or "Once upon a time...." (unless we're penning fairy tales). Furthermore, thou shalt not tweak the "one day" starter with "One Saturday...." or Monday or Tuesday or any other day of the week.

And one day, it worked! It was a grand day, and we all lived happily ever after. Well, maybe not all of us, but it was a good start.