Openings That Will Grab Your Reader

Here are just three of the many ways to open your nonfiction article or book for a juvenile audience:

Anecdotal
The evening is silent except for the rhythm of the cricket's song. Out of nowhere, a giant black glider soars from the darkening clouds toward the ground. There's a slight scratching sound followed by a tiny scream.

The barn owl, the fiercest hunter of the evening sky, has found its victim.

Quotation
"These waters foam pure white. Best keep your wits about you. And be ready to bail when I give the order." Those are the words of advice whitewater guide Jim Clemmons gives his crew before they take off down West Virginia's New River on board a flimsy rubber raft. Jim's crew will soon learn just how flimsy that raft is.

Statistics
The rain forest is home to more different species of plants and animals than any other habitat on earth. But this incredible habitat is dying. Every sixty seconds, an area of the rain forest the size of a football field is being destroyed.

Writing for children can be both personally and professionally rewarding. It means returning to a child’s point of view, full of wonder when learning something new and letting your imagination run wild. Bright, curious young readers demand realistic compelling characters and exciting plots just as much – if not more – than their adult counterparts.

This workshop will teach you:

Learn more about Fundamentals of Writing for Children