Top Five Hooks

Five (or six) of the best middle grade first lines ever:

5.  "Andrew Marcus wanted freckles. Nicky Lane had freckles. He had a million of them. They covered his face, his ears and the back of his neck. Andrew didn't have any freckles. He had two warts on his finger. But they didn't do him any good at all." - Judy Blume, Freckle Juice

4. "My name is India Opal Buloni, and last summer my daddy, the preacher, sent me to the store for a box of macaroni-and-cheese, some white rice, and two tomatoes and I came back with a dog. -Kate DiCamillo, Because of Winn-Dixie

3. "The two men appeared out of nowhere, a few yards apart in the narrow, moonlit lane. For a second they stood quite still, wands directed at each other's chests; then, recognizing each other, they stowed their wands beneath their cloaks and started walking briskly in the same direction." -JK Rowling, Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows

2. "It's a funny thing about mothers and fathers. Even when their own child is the most disgusting little blister you could ever imagine, they still think that he or she is wonderful." - Roald Dahl, Matilda

1. Two Rick Riordan hooks tie for the top spot:

"Even before he got electrocuted, Jason was having a rotten day." - Rick Riordan, The Lost Hero

"The Friday before winter break, my mom packed me an overnight bag and a few deadly weapons and took me to a new boarding school." - Rick Riordan, The Titan's Curse