20 Powerful First Lines To Get You Hooked On A Story

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Children's reading lists

18 powerful first lines to get you hooked on a story

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9 books for fans of sci-fi and dystopian reads

Fly Me Home

Full of friendship, family and magic, this stunning novel by Polly Ho-Yen, author of Boy in the Tower and Where Monsters Lie, is a must-read for 9-12 readers.

Polly used to be a primary school teacher in London and while she was teaching there she used to get up very early in the morning to write stories. The first of those stories is now a book called Boy in the Tower. 
She’s still writing stories and though she doesn’t teach now, she still visit schools … only now they’re all over the country. 
She lives in Bristol with her husband Dan who designs the covers of her books.

Feeling lost and alone in a strange new city, Leelu wishes she could fly away back home – her real home where her dad is, thousands of miles away. 
 
London is cold and grey and the neighbours are noisy and there’s concrete everywhere. 
 
But Leelu is not alone; someone is leaving her gifts outside her house – wonders which give her curious magical powers. 
 
Powers which might help her find her way home . . . 
 
Fly Me Home is an incredibly moving portrait of one family’s struggle to adjust to life in a new country. Full of friendship, family and magic, this stunning novel by Polly Ho-Yen, author of Boy in the Tower (shortlisted for the Waterstones Children's Book Prize and the Blue Peter Book Award) and Where Monsters Lie, is a must-read for 9-12 readers. 
 
Praise for Boy in the Tower 
 
'An unusual and very impressive debut' The Bookseller 
 
‘I loved it’ Bookbag 
 
Praise for Where Monsters Lie 
 
‘One of the most unusual and distinctive new voices in children’s fiction’ The Bookseller

Where Monsters Lie

From author of critically acclaimed Boy in the Tower - a spooky, atmospheric tale, steeped in legend and mystery

The children of Mivtown have grown up hearing the legend of the monsters of the loch. But it’s only a story – a warning to stay away from the water. 
 
Then strange things start happening in the village. Effie’s rabbit Buster escapes from a locked hutch, her mum disappears without trace and slugs start to infest her home. 
 
Along with her best friend Finn, Effie begins to hunt for clues to solve the mysteries of Mivtown. Could this all be connected to the legend? Is it really just a story or is there something lurking in those deep, dark waters?

Boy In The Tower

A middle-grade The Day of the Triffids, and an absolutely captivating fable about fear and hope, loneliness and friendship.

SHORTLISTED FOR THE BLUE PETER BOOK AWARD 2015 
LONGLISTED FOR THE BRANFORD BOASE AWARD 2015 
SHORTLISTED FOR THE REDBRIDGE AWARD 2015 
RUNNER UP TEACH PRIMARY NEW CHILDREN'S FICTION AWARD 2015 
BOOKTRUST PICK 
When they first arrived, they came quietly and stealthily as if they tip-toed into the world when we were all looking the other way. 
 
 Ade loves living at the top of a tower block. From his window, he feels like he can see the whole world stretching out beneath him. 
 
 His mum doesn't really like looking outside - but it's going outside that she hates. She prefers to sleep all day inside their tower, where it's safe. 
 
 Except it isn't any more. Strange plants have started to take over and tower blocks are falling down around them. 
Now Ade and his mum are trapped and there's no way out . . .

This matches a dystopian plot with a hugely engaging narrator . . . An unusual and very impressive debut.

Haunting and compelling, with characters you really care for

Polly Ho-Yen

Abridged Edition

In this story, Ade lives in a tower block in London. One day, something bad happens to Ade's mum. After that, she stays in her bedroom all the time and sleeps. Then buildings start falling down in the night, and there are strange plants on the street. What will happen to Ade and his friend Gaia? 
 
Our Penguin Readers books include: 
 
• Simple text (CEFR-levelled) 
• Pictures to help you understand the story 
• Fun exercises to help you learn and practise English 
 
With the print book, you can get even more help online: 
• Read the book online 
• Listen to the book being read out loud 
• Get lesson plans for teachers 
• Find answers to check your understanding 
 
Note: online resources not available with the eBook.

Polly Ho-Yen

Penguin Readers Level 2: Boy In The Tower (ELT Graded Reader)

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