Top ten first lines in children's and teen books

Jon Walter is the author of the novel Close To The Wind.

One of his ten top first lines in children's and teen books, as shared at the Guardian:

A Wizard of Earthsea by Ursula Le Guin

Ruth Ackroyd was in the garden checking the rhubarb when the RAF Spitfire accidently shot her chimney pot to bits.

Elegant prose that's solid as a rock. This may be quiet but it's so assured that you can relax into it, knowing you won't be disappointed in what is to follow. So begins one of the best ever books about a school for wizards.

Read about another entry on the list.

A Wizard of Earthsea is among Tanya Byrne's ten best books for children and teenagers which are about black characters, five books that changed Gary Corby, and Lev Grossman's top five fantasy novels.

Also see: Top ten opening lines of novels in the English language.

--Marshal Zeringue