** First Line Blogfest entry at bottom of post.
Shannon Whitney Messenger decided it was time to give middle grade stories the attention they deserve, and "Marvelous Middle Grade Mondays" was born. I couldn't resist being a part of such brilliance.
Wolf: The Journey Home
by 'Asta Bowen
Goodreads Blurb:
In this fictionalized account of real events, a female wolf named Marta, along with her young family, sets out on an epic journey to return to their home hunting grounds in Montana after they are mistakenly relocated by a group of naturalists.
Told believably from Marta’s point of view, the story takes the reader deep into a wolf's world, as Marta's determination to protect her pups and find their way home takes her on adventures that are by turns heart warming, perilous, and ultimately tragic.
This is the touching, sometimes heart-wrenching, story of a real-life group of wolves. Ms. Bowen wrote it as fiction, but it is fully based on real events. We have class sets of this novel at my school and it never fails to be a hit. It's a winner with MG and YA readers.
In 2006 it was nominated as a Teens' Top Ten book and has flown under the radar since then. This is one of those books that has failed to receive the acclaim it deserves. Read it and let me know what you think.
Oops! I almost forgot.... (thanks, Beth Fred, for the reminder)
The First Line Blogfest
Hosted by Brenda Drake
My first line:
I crouched in my favorite box elder tree, fourth branch up from the ground and only one branch over from my sister’s piñata.
Visit Brenda's blog to see the other participants. There are 100!!
Happy Monday!
I love this cover!! Thank you for sharing it!
ReplyDeleteThis looks so sweet, informative, and cool!
ReplyDeleteSounds like a nice story.
ReplyDeleteBTW I linked to your blog today at mine. Have a super week. :O)
That cover says it ALL!
ReplyDeleteAm going to snatch up WOLF today for my animal-loving boy!
Wow, it sounds great. I'll have to check it out. =)
ReplyDeleteLooks like one my little brother would love. Yes, I have a 12-yr-old brother!
ReplyDeleteI love finding these little gems. It's awesome of you to give some publicity to a great book that's gotten overlooked. Hopefully it won't be any more!
ReplyDeleteSuper first line! Love that you threw in the pinata at the end. Nice and unexpected as you get a very natural image of the child in the tree, and then...the pinata. Nicely done.
Regarding first line:
ReplyDeleteI like the details but would like a little more of the character's voice. I am intrigued and would read on to figure out why the MC's in the tree and what's going on with the pinata.
Good luck!
Interesting first line! Great visual, but I agree with vbtremper's comment about voice. Maybe use a different word for "sat" to show voice (like, perched, hovered, balanced, etc.). I would imagine the m.c. is gonna cause some trouble - - use words to hint toward that.
ReplyDeleteI'll be on the look out for this one! Sounds like my kind of book! Thanks!
ReplyDeleteI'll have to look for that book it sounds really good. I love your opening line! It makes me wonder what he is going to do and why he's up there... I just posted my opening line too. Best of luck!
ReplyDeleteSounds like a great book! And I love your first line! Hope you have a great week!!
ReplyDeletexoxo, The BooKrushers.
I loved this opening line - oh dear!
ReplyDeleteIf you cut back - short and sweet - it could be:
I clung to the elder branch, one over from my sister’s piñata.
Nice opening line!! I can see your mc amidst the tree and I think she is above the pinata! It makes me wonder what she's up to! (It could be a he of course!!). Take care
ReplyDeletex
The book sounds interesting. I love the first line, too!
ReplyDeleteThe piñata detail really makes this sentence sing. Great job!
ReplyDeleteWow, that's a lot of participants. And I love that you highlighted a story told from a wolf's perspective. How very creative.
ReplyDeleteI like your sentence.
I love the sound of the book--it's going onto my TBR list! :)
ReplyDeleteIs something going to happen to that pinata?
I love your first line :) and the book sounds wonderful.
ReplyDeleteGood post for Monday, pepped me up and I like you first line!
ReplyDeleteShows the setting nicely, but I don't clearly see a conflict. If you mean to use the Pinata for that, make it a bit more clear.
ReplyDeleteThat sounds like a touching book. And the cover is adorable!
ReplyDeleteVery captivating first line.
ReplyDeleteThanks for sharing this , I enjoyed reading.
ReplyDeleteYvonne.
1st line...
ReplyDeleteI'd take out the part about the fourth branch. It just seems like a little excessive and to remove it would make the sentence "punchier."
Good luck with the contest, though!
It's a nice first line, but I think it is lacking some punch. There's a lot of detail of where the character is "fourth branch up", "one branch over" that's probably not necessary.
ReplyDeleteI liked your first line. You're telling us immediately what's happening--I can almost see the look in his eye thinking of breaking that pinata.
ReplyDeleteIf that's the INTENDED thought--then your line is excellent!
I like this! It sounds sweet...with a hint of mischief thrown in for good measure. :)
ReplyDeleteOh I really LIKE IT!! It's got a bit of sassy, "about-to-cause-some-trouble" feel!
ReplyDeleteI like the sense of trouble brewing.
ReplyDeleteThanks for sharing!
Welcome to another participant in MMGM. I posted today as well, writing about Eva Ibbotson, but I am adding a link to yours, as I haven't heard of this, and it sounds wonderful. You have a follower!
ReplyDeleteI like this but wonder if the MC is looking at the pinata with destruction or longing? I would like to know the feeling of the croucher at this moment in time.
ReplyDeleteGood luck!
Corinne
Hi Shannon -
ReplyDeleteThanks for the review. This sounds like an excellent book for adults as well as kids.
Blessings,
Susan :)
I like this line, but I think it'd be better if there was more voice, as others have suggested. Is she plotting something with the piñata?
ReplyDeleteWhy don't I have this book in my classroom already! I'll have to fix that!
ReplyDeleteI heart wolves! This is definitely going on my list and I will probably cry...won't I?
ReplyDeleteI used to have a thing for wolves. Maybe that's why I love husky dogs (not that we have any).
ReplyDeleteLove your first line. :)
I could be tightened a bit.
ReplyDeleteIn my favorite box elder tree, I crouched on the fourth branch from the ground, just above my sister's piñata.
IMO- The sentence flows smoother this way.
I hope it helps... It sounds interesting. What kind of mischief is she getting herself into?
Michael
I'm curious about what is going on in your story...What is your mc about to do???
ReplyDeleteWow! Thank you for that review - I'm sure my son would love it :)
ReplyDeleteI really like your first line - immediately makes me go 'aw, how cute!'
ReplyDeleteThis puts us in the setting very well. I would wan to read more.
ReplyDeleteDefinitely curious about the book. I think the cover is a attention grabber
ReplyDeleteTerrific first line. Well done!
ReplyDeleteIntriguing first line. Great stuff! :O)
ReplyDelete