It was a dark and stormy night*…
Directions: Below are the first lines of famous books. Match the opening sentence with the title and author of the book.
You are encouraged to use the library resources, online resources, or ask your library media specialist for assistance.
Answer
Opening Sentence
“The best time to talk to ghosts is just before the sun
comes up.”
"It is a truth universally acknowledged that a single man in
possession of a good fortune, must be in want of a wife.”
“It was almost December, and Jonas was beginning to be
frightened.”
“Dear Friend, I am writing to you because she said you
listen and understand…”
“BRRRRRRRIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIINNG! An alarm clock clanged in
the dark and silent room.”
Title (Author)
1. 1984 (George Orwell)
2. A Tale of Two Cities
(Charles Dickens)
3. Chains (Laurie Halse Anderson)
4. Dogsong (Gary Paulsen)
5. Fahrenheit 451 (Ray Bradbury)
“Call me Ismael.”
“It was a bright cold day in April and the clocks were
striking thirteen.”
“Two households, both alike in dignity, in fair Verona
where we lay our scene from ancient grudge break to new
mutiny, where civil blood makes civil hands unclean."
“When we were in grade school most kids thought Eddie
Proffit was stupid because he would ask questions no one
else would think of.”
“Being of sound mind and body on this 15th day of April in
our sophomore year at Franklin High School, let it be
known that Lorraine Jensen and John Conlan have
decided to record the facts, and only the facts, about our
experiences with Mr. Angelo Pignati.”
“If you are reading this letter, you have found all my
letters, all of my secrets.”
“In my younger and more vulnerable years my father gave
me some advice that I’ve been turning over in my mind
ever since.”
“When he was nearly thirteen, my brother Jem got his arm
badly broken at the elbow.”
“Russel Susskit rolled out of the bunk and put his feet on
the floor and listened in the darkness to the sounds of
morning.”
6. Jane Eyre (Charlotte Bronte)
“There was no possibility of taking a walk that day.”
“Sally”
15. The Hobbit (J. R. Tolkein)
16. The Legend of Buddy Bush
(Shelia P. Moses)
17. The Perks of Being a Wallflower
(Stephen Chblosky)
“It was a pleasure to burn.”
18. The Sledding Hill (Chris Crutcher)
"In a hole in the ground, there lived a hobbit."
“It was the best of times, it was the worst of times . . .”
“You don't know about me, without you have read a book
by the name of The Adventures of Tom Sawyer, but that
ain't no matter.”
* Answer: Paul Clifford by Edward Bulwer-Lytton
School Library Media Month – April 2013
7. Moby-Dick (Herman Melville)
8. Native Son (Richard Wright)
9. The Pigman (Paul Zindel)
10. Pride and Prejudice (Jane Austen)
11. Romeo and Juliet
(William Shakespeare)
12. The Adventures of Huckleberry
Finn (Mark Twain)
13. The Giver (Lois Lowry)
14. The Great Gatsby
(F. Scott Fitzgerald)
19. The Stand (Stephen King)
20. To Kill a Mockingbird (Harper Lee)
Senior High School Titles
Answer Key
Answer
3
10
13
17
8
7
Opening Sentence
“The best time to talk to ghosts is just before the sun
comes up.”
"It is a truth universally acknowledged that a single man
in possession of a good fortune, must be in want of a
wife.”
“It was almost December, and Jonas was beginning to
be frightened.”
“Dear Friend, I am writing to you because she said you
listen and understand…”
“BRRRRRRRIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIINNG! An alarm clock clanged
in the dark and silent room.”
Title (Author)
1. 1984 (George Orwell)
2. A Tale of Two Cities
(Charles Dickens)
3. Chains (Laurie Halse Anderson)
4. Dogsong (Gary Paulsen)
5. Fahrenheit 451 (Ray Bradbury)
6. Jane Eyre (Charlotte Bronte)
4
“Call me Ismael.”
“It was a bright cold day in April and the clocks were
striking thirteen.”
“Two households, both alike in dignity, in fair Verona
where we lay our scene from ancient grudge break to
new mutiny, where civil blood makes civil hands
unclean."
“When we were in grade school most kids thought
Eddie Proffit was stupid because he would ask
questions no one else would think of.”
“Being of sound mind and body on this 15th day of April
in our sophomore year at Franklin High School, let it be
known that Lorraine Jensen and John Conlan have
decided to record the facts, and only the facts, about
our experiences with Mr. Angelo Pignati.”
“If you are reading this letter, you have found all my
letters, all of my secrets.”
“In my younger and more vulnerable years my father
gave me some advice that I’ve been turning over in my
mind ever since.”
“When he was nearly thirteen, my brother Jem got his
arm badly broken at the elbow.”
“Russel Susskit rolled out of the bunk and put his feet
on the floor and listened in the darkness to the sounds
of morning.”
6
“There was no possibility of taking a walk that day.”
15
"In a hole in the ground, there lived a hobbit."
19
“Sally”
15. The Hobbit (J. R. Tolkein)
16. The Legend of Buddy Bush
(Shelia P. Moses)
17. The Perks of Being a Wallflower
(Stephen Chblosky)
5
“It was a pleasure to burn.”
18. The Sledding Hill (Chris Crutcher)
2
“It was the best of times, it was the worst of times . . .”
“You don't know about me, without you have read a
book by the name of The Adventures of Tom Sawyer,
but that ain't no matter.”
19. The Stand (Stephen King)
1
11
18
9
16
14
20
12
School Library Media Month – April 2013
7. Moby-Dick (Herman Melville)
8. Native Son (Richard Wright)
9. The Pigman (Paul Zindel)
10. Pride and Prejudice (Jane
Austen)
11. Romeo and Juliet
(William Shakespeare)
12. The Adventures of Huckleberry
Finn (Mark Twain)
13. The Giver (Lois Lowry)
14. The Great Gatsby
(F. Scott Fitzgerald)
20. To Kill a Mockingbird (Harper
Lee)
Senior High School Titles