To help you write a blurb for your book, I have collected some of the best blurbs from children's books and made some notes about why they work:
Harry Potter and the Philosopher's Stone Blurb (taken from Amazon)
Harry Potter thinks he is an ordinary boy. He lives with his Uncle Vernon, Aunt Petunia and cousin Dudley, who make him sleep in a cupboard under the stairs. Then Harry starts receiving mysterious letters and his life is changed for ever. He is whisked away by a beetle-eyed giant of a man and enrolled in Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry. The reason: Harry Potter is a wizard!
Why it's great:
- It makes you ask yourself questions (as soon as you read 'thinks he's an ordinary boy', you start to ask yourself 'In what ways is he not ordinary?').
- It creates sympathy (sleeping in a cupboard under the stairs makes you instantly feel for Harry).
- It tell you that the book will be about a school for wizards.
- It doesn't give too much away.
What could be better:
- It's a bit short.
The BFG Blurb (taken from the Puffin website)
Every night, when the world is sleeping, big gruesome giants guzzle up whoppsy-whiffling human beans. And there's only one giant who can stop them - the BFG. He's the kindest giant there is and, with his friend Sophie in his top pocket, he sets out to rid the world of the Bloodbottler, the Fleshlumpeater and all their rotsome friends forever...
Why it's great:
- A blurb full of made-up words and funny language suggests a book full of just that.
- You might find yourself wondering why is says 'human beans' not 'human beings'.
- It tells you the book is going to be about ridding the world of giants.
What could be better:
- It's a bit short.
You're a Bad Man, Mr. Gum! Blurb (taken from Amazon)
Shabba me whiskers! It’s one of those Mr Gum books by Andy Stanton. They’re only the craziest, funnest most amazing books for children in the world.
Good evening. Mr Gum is a complete horror who hates children, animals, fun and corn on the cob. This book’s all about him. And an angry fairy who lives in his bathtub. And Jake the dog, and a little girl called Polly and an evil, stinky butcher all covered in guts. And there’s heroes and sweets and adventures and EVERYTHING.
Why it's great:
- It launches straight in with a colourful phrase (i.e. 'Shabba me whiskers!').
- It's quirky (e.g. he hates three general things and corn on the cob).
- It's funny (e.g. an angry fairy who lives in a bathtub is incongruous with what we've come to expect from fairies)
- It's lively. It breaks the rules and starts sentences with 'And' to keep the blurb racing forwards.
What could be better:
- Again, slightly too short.
- The blurb deliberately breaks spelling and grammar rules. Some people think this is brave and modern. Other people think it's stupid. What do you think?
Harry Potter and the Philosopher's Stone Blurb (taken from Amazon)
Harry Potter thinks he is an ordinary boy. He lives with his Uncle Vernon, Aunt Petunia and cousin Dudley, who make him sleep in a cupboard under the stairs. Then Harry starts receiving mysterious letters and his life is changed for ever. He is whisked away by a beetle-eyed giant of a man and enrolled in Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry. The reason: Harry Potter is a wizard!
Why it's great:
- It makes you ask yourself questions (as soon as you read 'thinks he's an ordinary boy', you start to ask yourself 'In what ways is he not ordinary?').
- It creates sympathy (sleeping in a cupboard under the stairs makes you instantly feel for Harry).
- It tell you that the book will be about a school for wizards.
- It doesn't give too much away.
What could be better:
- It's a bit short.
The BFG Blurb (taken from the Puffin website)
Every night, when the world is sleeping, big gruesome giants guzzle up whoppsy-whiffling human beans. And there's only one giant who can stop them - the BFG. He's the kindest giant there is and, with his friend Sophie in his top pocket, he sets out to rid the world of the Bloodbottler, the Fleshlumpeater and all their rotsome friends forever...
Why it's great:
- A blurb full of made-up words and funny language suggests a book full of just that.
- You might find yourself wondering why is says 'human beans' not 'human beings'.
- It tells you the book is going to be about ridding the world of giants.
What could be better:
- It's a bit short.
You're a Bad Man, Mr. Gum! Blurb (taken from Amazon)
Shabba me whiskers! It’s one of those Mr Gum books by Andy Stanton. They’re only the craziest, funnest most amazing books for children in the world.
Good evening. Mr Gum is a complete horror who hates children, animals, fun and corn on the cob. This book’s all about him. And an angry fairy who lives in his bathtub. And Jake the dog, and a little girl called Polly and an evil, stinky butcher all covered in guts. And there’s heroes and sweets and adventures and EVERYTHING.
Why it's great:
- It launches straight in with a colourful phrase (i.e. 'Shabba me whiskers!').
- It's quirky (e.g. he hates three general things and corn on the cob).
- It's funny (e.g. an angry fairy who lives in a bathtub is incongruous with what we've come to expect from fairies)
- It's lively. It breaks the rules and starts sentences with 'And' to keep the blurb racing forwards.
What could be better:
- Again, slightly too short.
- The blurb deliberately breaks spelling and grammar rules. Some people think this is brave and modern. Other people think it's stupid. What do you think?
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