Guided Reading

Most books have a blurb on the pack cover - design a new blurb for the back cover of your book. You can use colours and pictures as well as writing.

What makes a good blurb?

• They are short in length.
• They use attention-grabbing words and phrases.
• They tend to use question and exclamation marks.
• They often use three full stops at their ends (an ellipsis) to leave the reader asking questions...

Read out this suggestion for a blurb for Artemis Fowl by Eoin Colfer:

"There's a new master criminal on the scene, 12-year-old Artemis Fowl. Kidnapping a fairy starts out easy for Artemis, but he soon discovers he's taken captive Captain Holly Short. She's part of an armed and extremely dangerous LEPrecon Unit. Artemis should be able to handle things as long as they play by the rules..."

• Which bits appeal to children?
• Which bits appeal to adults?
• Which bits appeal to both?

 

Let's see how good you are at blurb writing!