TITLE: SECRET
GENRE: MG SECRET
Jack Willows’s last day of 5th grade at Seaside Elementary was exactly as embarrassing as his first, and for exactly the same reason - his great aunt Bernadette. She arrived on a bright red Vespa, with the world's ugliest dog riding shotgun in the sidecar. Bernie weaved between the SUVs and minivans containing normal parents in the pick-up lane, and tooted the scooter’s horn like a lunatic. As if Jack, or anyone else, could’ve missed her. Bernadette’s red helmet shone in the sun, and her long, silver hair flew in the wind like a frizzy scarf. She pulled to the curb clearly labeled Buses Only, and pushed her visor up.
“Woo hoo, Jack!” she called and waved. "I brought The Fonz!"
The salt-and-pepper pug wore a tiny motorcycle jacket that matched Bernie's own. His buggy eyes were silvered with cataracts, and his tongue bounced wildly in his wide mouth. Fonzie looked like a fat, little gargoyle.
Miss Snark's First Victim
CONTEMPORARY
ReplyDeleteFrom this opening it seems like this will be a touching and often funny story about Jack's adventures in middle school and with his great aunt, who sounds like quite a character!
Adventure
ReplyDeleteThe aunt is a wild, adventurous person and I get the feeling the MC is not, which leads me to think he will have and adventure over the summer with Auntie.
Contemporary with humor. The tone and setting make me think this. I also think this is a story I'd like. :-)
ReplyDeleteContemporary (with lots of humor), unless Jack's aunt Bernadette is some sort of witch with her long silver hair and maybe the dog has supernatural powers too. But maybe I'm delving too deep. I think it's a contemporary story about a child and his eccentric aunt. Sounds fun!
ReplyDeleteContemporary.
ReplyDeleteFun with an eccentric great aunt.
Contemporary humor, comic character in a normal world
ReplyDeletesounds fun
Fantasy/contemporary
ReplyDeleteModern kid, weird aunt. I'm thinking she'll have a touch of magic.
Perhaps cut that opening line, and start with Great Aunt Bernadette arrived at school on a red vespa etc.
Contemporary. Vespa gives it away. Funny characters. If there's more going on, such as fantasy, you might add more of a hint in the beginning.
ReplyDeleteanonymous (Sherry)
Contemporary with lots of humor.
ReplyDeleteBecause of the setting and voice (which I LOVE!)
Contemporary. Maybe a fun coming of age story.
ReplyDeletecontemporary.
ReplyDeletelove the dog
Contemporary with humor
ReplyDeletesetting and voice
Contemporary. (with humor)
ReplyDeleteHumorous Contemporary
ReplyDeleteLove everything about this entry
Contemporary
ReplyDeleteBernie sounds like fun!
NOT SURE
ReplyDeleteThe setting is contemporary, but the conflict here doesn't sound like it's big enough to be *the* conflict, so it's still open to go in a number of different speculative directions if it wants...
Contemporary humour
ReplyDeleteLove the sound of this, sounds like it could be a fun book and not just for kids.
Contemporary. Great intro! I love the aunt (and the dog!).
ReplyDeleteThis is from my MG Fantasy WIP. I see from the comments I need to hint at fantasy sooner. Back to the breadcrumbs drawing board. This was so helpful. Thank you to everyone who offered comments, and thank you to Authoress for hosting.
ReplyDeleteI dunno, fantasy needs a good build up, and this is a great intro.
Delete