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This week's top 5 is written by Cara Waudby-Tolley, who spent last week with us completing work experience! 

Beginning a good book is like taking a bite from something delicious, you just know that you’ll have to control yourself from gobbling it all down quickly and savour the greatness. For me, the first line of a book encapsulates the essence of what is yet to come, a thrilling and exciting journey. Here are five of my faves.

1. Harry Potter and the Philosopher’s Stone by J.K. Rowling

‘Mr and Mrs Dursley, of number four, Privet Drive, were proud to say that they were perfectly normal, thank you very much.’

Of course this iconic line had to be included on the list. A line which began seven books, eight films and plenty of tears – and draws you into the wonderful world of Harry Potter. Ah, I wish I wasn’t a muggle …

2. Holes by Louis Sachar

‘There is no lake at Camp Green Lake.’

What a line. Immediately capturing the harrowing and seemingly hopeless world of Camp Green Lake, it also manages to prepare you for the peculiar and brilliant portrayal of love, guilt, punishment and all of that fun stuff.

3. The Voyage of the Dawn Treader by C.S. Lewis

‘There was a boy called Eustace Clarence Scrubb, and he almost deserved it.’

Who doesn’t love a bit of C.S. Lewis? Especially when he begins his books with things that we will inevitably think about in three chapters. I love this first line. I like to imagine C.S. Lewis writing away with a little chuckle to himself about the awful name (and character) that he created.

4. The Maze Runner by James Dashner

‘He began his new life standing up, surrounded by cold darkness and stale dusty air.’

This great line immediately throws you into the mystery and action of the Glade, making you both want to know what is exactly going on and also WHAT EXACTLY IS GOING ON??

5. The Knife of Never Letting Go by Patrick Ness

‘The first thing you find out when yer dog learns to talk is that dogs don’t got nothing much to say.’

From the first line you can already tell that this isn’t going to be your bog-standard book – but even this amazing sentence can’t encapsulate just how great and ground-breaking this novel is.