You're listening to Julie's library, where books bring us together.

Today we are reading Dumbie the Jump Truck by Julie Andrews and Emma Walton Hamilton,

illustrated by Tony Walton, and a kite from moon by a Heidi E. Y. Stumpel and Jane Yewlin,

illustrated by Matt Faelen.

Welcome. I'm so glad you're here. I'm Julie Andrews and this is my library.

As always, my daughter Emma Walton Hamilton is here. Hello. We can't wait to read with you today.

Wow Emma, it looks like you've been working at the library desk for a long time. That's one, two,

three cups of tea you've gone through. And so many pages strewn about. What are you working on?

I'm working on a new story. And you know me, Mom, when I get an idea, I just can't stop writing.

I do know the feeling. Writing a story can be just as much fun as reading one.

Yes, but sometimes it's frustrating too. Today I can't figure out the first line of my story.

It's the first thing readers will see and it has to be just right. Well, that's true.

Some of my favorite books have great first lines like, oh, it was a dark and stormy night.

Oh, yes, a classic. And from one of my favorite books, A Wrinkle in Time.

Yes. Or how about this one? She was named O'Ma-Keyes or Little Frog because her first step was a hop.

Oh, fantastic. What's that from him? The Birch Park House by Louise Erdrich. Wonderful.

Introducing a character in your first line is a great idea. It makes readers curious to know what

the character is like. Yes, that's true. I asked our friends if they had any good ideas for first lines

and here's what they came up with. As she waltz through the grand staircase, something caught her

eye, something she had never noticed before. One stir is a person named Afreta, a church so many

meanings turn in, which everybody loved her. One stir is a cyclot's name, Doug. He had a very tiny

body and some children who are cyclot's children, Dale. Mom, I screamed, can you please get my hair done?

...