Once upon a time – 1812 to be precise – the Brothers Grimm published 86 folktales as the first edition of their Children’s and Household Tales, creating what is widely acknowledged as one of the founding texts of Western culture. According to the Writers’ and Artists’ Yearbook, an estimated 10,000 children’s books are published each year in the UK alone, and yet there are titles written over 150 years ago whose pull has lasted through one generation after another. Whether venturing through fantastical worlds, coming of age, or simply living a life more extraordinary than most, some characters seem to have an enduring appeal or a story that can’t be forgotten. To remind us of how we got hooked on them – and to indulge in a little nostalgia – here are the opening lines from ten tales that appear time and again on ‘greatest’ lists.
The Adventures of Alice in Wonderland by Lewis Carroll (1865)
‘Alice was beginning to get very tired of sitting by her sister on the bank, and of having nothing to do: once or twice she had peeped into the book her sister was reading, but it had not pictures or conversations in it, “and what is the use of a book,” thought Alice, “without pictures or conversations?”’
Little Women by Louisa M Alcott (1868)
‘“Christmas won’t be Christmas without any presents,” grumbled Jo, lying on the rug.’
Black Beauty by Anna Sewell (1877)
‘The first place that I can well remember was a large pleasant meadow with a pond of clear water in it.’
The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn by Mark Twain (1884)
‘You don’t know about me without you have a read a book by the name of The Adventures of Tom Sawyer; but that ain’t no matter.’
The Wind in the Willows by Kenneth Grahame (1908)
The Mole had been working very hard all the morning, spring-cleaning his little home.’
The Velveteen Rabbit by Margery Williams (1922)
‘There was once a velveteen rabbit, and in the beginning he was really splendid.’
Winnie-the-Pooh by AA Milne (1926)
‘Here is Edward Bear, coming downstairs now, bump bump bump, on the back of his head, behind Christopher Robin.’
Swallows and Amazons by Arthur Ransome (1930)
‘Roger, aged seven, and no longer the youngest of the family, ran in wide zigzags, to and fro, across the steep field that sloped up from the lake to Holly Howe, the farm where they were staying for part of the summer holidays.’
The Hobbit by JRR Tolkien (1937)
‘In a hole in the ground there lived a hobbit.’
The Diary of a Young Girl by Anne Frank (1947)
‘June 12, 1942: I hope I will be able to confide everything to you, as I have never been able to confide in anyone, and I hope you will be a great source of comfort and support.’
I Capture the Castle by Dodie Smith (1948)
‘I write this sitting in the kitchen sink.’
A Wizard of Earthsea by Ursula K Le Guin (1968)
‘The island of Gont, a single mountain that lifts its peak a mile above the storm-racked Northeast Sea, is a land famous for wizards.’
Carrie’s War by Nina Bawden (1973)
‘Carrie had often dreamed about coming back.’
Northern Lights by Philip Pullman (1995)
‘Lyra and her dæmon moved through the darkening Hall, taking care to keep to one side, out of sight of the kitchen.’
