hooks by linda brumfield middle paxton elementary

Hooksby Linda Brumfield

Middle Paxton Elementary

Does your piece start with a “hook” to spark the interest of the

reader?

by Linda BrumfieldMiddle Paxton Elementary

Start with:

• Interesting dialogue • A description of a person, place, or thing• Something humorous• An exciting action or occurrence• An exclamation!• An intriguing question ?• Something that demonstrates strong

emotion• a mysterious statement


“JUNIOR.”Junior was digging under the pine trees. His mother called again from the porch.

“JUNIOR!”Junior still didn’t hear her. He was intent. He dug carefully, lifting shallowscoops of earth on his shovel, thenthrowing them sideways into the brush. sweat rolled down his shiny face.

“JUNIOR Blossom!” Now he looked up. He made a visor

with one hand and shaded his eyes from the late afternoon sun.

“What are you up to,

Junior?”

“I’m making something.”

From Wanted…Mud Blossoms by Betsy Byars

“Under a chill, gray sky, two riders jogged across the turf. Taran, the taller horseman, Set his face against the wind and leaned forwardin the saddle, his eyes on the distant hills. AtHis belt hung a sword, and from his shoulder aSilver-bound battle horn. His companion Gurgi, shaggier than the pony he rode, pulledHis weathered cloak around him, rubbed his frost-Nipped ears, and began groaning so wretchedlythat Taron at last reigned up the stallion.”

•From The High King by Lloyd Alexander

“My name is REGINALD BODDY, AND I’M your host for the weekend. Please give your bags – and your weapons – to my maid, Mrs. White. I have no intention of being murdered again.”

From Clue: The Case of the Invisible CatBy A.E. Parker


My real name is John. John Coogan. But everybody calls me Crash, Even my parents.

It started way back when I got my first football helmet for Christmas.I don’t really remember this happening, but they say that when my uncleHerm’s family came over to see our presents, as they were coming through the front door, I got down into a four-point stance, growled,“Hut! Hut! Hut!” and charged ahead with my brand-new helmet. Seems Iknocked my cousin Bridget clear back out the doorway and onto herbutt into a foot of snow. They say she bawled bloody murder and refused to come into the house, so Uncle Herm finally had to drag his whole familyaway before they even had a chance to take their coats off.

From CrashBy Jerry Spinelli


“WATCH OUT, PUDGE-BOY! Here comes number twenty-three!”

That was Billy Becker.“Splat! Squish!”That was Arnie Markle, providing sound effects for the final

moments of the bug Billy was smushing against the back of my head.“Mmmph grrgle!”That was me, Rod Allbright, trying to say, “Let me go!” - which

wasn’t easy with Arnie sitting on my back and pressing my face into the grass.

Why was Billy Becker squashing a bug against the back of my head?It was his hobby.

From Aliens Ate My HomeworkBy Bruce Coville


“Emma! What-what what are you doingthere?”

From The Secret of the IndianBy Lynne Reid Banks


The next morning, Monday, Jonathan woke up thinkingthat something terrible had happened.

He was right: President Lincoln had been shot.How could he get out of bed and go to school, just asif nothing was wrong?

From Back to the Day Lincoln Was Shot!By Beatrice Gormley

From Frindle by Andrew Clements

• “If you asked the kids and the teachers at Lincoln Elementary School to make three lists – all the really bad kids, all the really smart kids, and all the really good kids – Nick Allen would not be on any of them. Nick deserved a list all his own, and everyone knew it.”


Are you hooked on “hooks?”


Activity:Find several fiction books.

Choose 2 or more books and identify 2 or more different types of interesting hooks.

For each book/hook, use a ¼ sheet, and list your name, desk #, and Title and author of the book,

”Quote the hook”.

Identify and list what kind of hook was used for each.

If time, do more than 2 and share with a finished friend.


Small Group Share Activity• In groups of 2, 3 or 4, take turns reading

the most interesting hook that you found.

• Have your group identify the type of hook your book contained.

• Share your favorite whole class.


Name__________Desk #Use one per book/hook.

Title and author of the book,

”Quote the hook”:“________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________.”

Identify and list the type of hook:________________________

Name__________Desk #Use one per book/hook.

Title and author of the book,

”Quote the hook”:“________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________.”

Identify and list the type of hook:________________________

hooks by linda brumfield middle paxton elementary

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