Billy begins the school year with a bit of trepidation, since a recent fall during vacation introduced him to concern about his brain being hurt. But once his teacher helps him regain his confidence, all is right again. Billy also must struggle with his little sister’s annoyance, as well as his relationship to his mother (who works full time) and his father (a struggling artist turned stay-at-home dad). I loved how none of the events of his year (except maybe his fall during the previous summer) could be labeled as a huge, life-changing moment. Yet, put together, Billy is a lovable kid having a typical life as he grows up.
Beyond the basic plot events, I also appreciated that Billy was a polite and mannered boy. So many times in fiction I feel like the boys are the rambunctious crazy ones. That’s not to say Billy did not have his moments (he did). But I feel that children’s literature needs more boys like Billy Miller to fit along side the antics of the Ramonas, Ivy & Bean, and Clemintines of the fictional universe. I loved the sincerity of the boy in this book!
This book was well deserving of the Newbery Honor last year.
