The Year of Billy Miller: A Newbery Honor Award Winner

I don't readily compare books to Ramona (now THERE'S a sentence opener, ladies and gentlemen). To compare any children's book to Beverly Cleary's classic series just leaves one wide open to ridicule. The Ramona books are classics for a very particular reason; they place a sturdy, hard-as-nails finger directly on an age that is traditionally forgotten. Kids between the ages of six and ten are nebulous creatures. Too old to be cute little itty bitties and too young to enjoy the rights and privileges of their older kin, the 6-10 year old crowd straddles our traditional age ranges. Walk into any library or bookstore and you'll see titles for kids separated in a very particular fashion: picture books, easy readers (for when they're first learning to read), early chapter books (self-explanatory), and middle grade fiction. What's missing is what the Ramona books are. They're older than early chapter fiction but younger than middle grade. There is no term for this kind of book, and indeed it's one of the most difficult types of books to locate on a shelf. Now, at long last, The Year of Billy Miller comes to occupy that same space, but its similarities to Ramona don't stop there. Filled with heart, smarts, humor, and a boy-centric p.o.v. that is almost impossible to pin down, Henkes has finally done for the chapter book set what he's been doing for the picture book readers for years. He's created a character for the ages.

Billy Miller wasn't always worried that he wouldn't be smart enough for second grade. To be blunt, the idea never even entered his brain. Then he fell. It wasn't life-threatening or anything but that fall from a guardrail to the ground certainly gave him a bump on the noggin. When he heard his mom confess to his dad that she worried there might be some kind of permanent damage, that's when his own worries started. Fortunately his Papa sets him right telling his son, "... I know - and I know everything - that this is the Year of Billy Miller." Turns out, Papa's right. Between making up with his teacher, helping his Papa with his art, attempting to stay up all night with his little sister Sal, writing a poem about his mom and so much more, second grade is turning out to be a full year. And Billy Miller's going to be smart enough for all of it.

Boy books. Oh, they're all the rage these days, didn't you know? Seems you can't walk two steps out your door without being barraged by calls to come save the boys. They don't read enough... no wait, they read but they need their own books. No, think again, they need more nonfiction. Or is it sports stories? Or humor? However you choose to define them, boy readers are highly sought after. Getting their personalities down on paper, however, is remarkably difficult work. The lazy writers will just throw some gross details on a page and then call their work done. Sometimes there will be a reference to sports and the like, but so many miss the point. When you're writing the p.o.v. of a boy you need to know exactly what it is that makes that boy tick. Now take Billy Miller here. Early in the book his parents are talking about his recent bump on the head and his mom says, "But I worry that down the line something will show up. He'll start forgetting things." His father's dead-on reply is, "He already forgets things... He's a seven-year-old boy."

Evidence of Billy's boyness is everywhere. For example, when he's supposed to be writing a poem about his mother this is how the text explains his plight: "Billy had trouble getting started. He opened his poetry journal to the first page and wrote: My Mom. He couldn't think of anything else to write, so he drew a series of volcanoes in progressive stages of exploding." It would be difficult for me to explain to you how much I love that detail, but if pressed I would try. Then there's his nemesis Emster. Henkes never highlights this fact, but it's probably important to note that long before she's making Billy's life a misery, Billy cast the first shot across her bow. Which is to say, when she introduced herself in class as "Emster" he was the one who mistakenly (but buffonishly) misheard her as "Hamster". That's the kind of move guaranteed to make an instant enemy, and though Billy never remembers this moment again (and, if he did, it's difficult to say if he'd know why it was so important) it's clearly the catalyst for things that come.

Now consider the risk Henkes took with this book. His hero is seven. Yet Billy stars in a book that's 240 pages in length. There are some interstitial pictures, but nothing like what you'd find in the early chapter book section of your library. Even if you look up this title on something like Amazon.com you'll see that the suggested age for this book is "8 and up". Now does that make any sense at all to you? How many kids do you know that get a kick out of reading books about children younger than themselves? What we have here is a readaloud book. The kind of book meant for bedtimes and for those teachers who tackle a chapter a day in class. Henkes could have bowed out and upped his hero's age to nine or ten or even eleven. He didn't. He made Billy a 2nd grader because that's what Billy is. His mind is that of a second grader. His actions are those of a second grader. To falsely age him would be to make a huge mistake. Granted, Henkes risks alienating potential readers, but remember Ramona again. Aren't there older kids who like to read about her adventures? And hasn't she managed to last all these years in spite of these very concerns? You betcha. It's all about the writing, baby.

To point out that the writing in this book is superb is akin to pointing out that air helps one to breathe. It's obvious. This is Kevin Henkes, after all. Still, I've never quite connected to his novels in the same way that I've connected to his picture books. It's probably just me (the shiny Newbery Honor sticker on Olive s Ocean is a clue) but his magnificent ability to hone a point down to its most essential details is very well suited to a 32-page format. I hadn't felt a similar ability until I read Billy Miller. First off, the lines themselves are just keen. Here are two of my favorites:

"Billy had known Grace since kindergarten. She was so shy she seemed almost invisible. Like vacuums, her wide eyes were sucking in everything."

"Billy sat alone, considering the choice he had to make. He sucked the web of skin between his thumb and pointer finger, his hand falling across his chin like a beard."

Beautiful. Then there are the characters themselves, it's nice when the wise all-knowing parents (in this case, primarily the dad) is flawed. This is nice. He gets testy when his work isn't going well, which makes for a nice character detail. The mom sort of sinks into the woodwork (though she does have a nice moment with Billy when he has to write about what she likes) and it's hard to remember much about her, but the dad uses terms like "Isn't she cute? Just looking at her shreds my heart." Sal, Billy's little sister, is an appropriate mix of cute and annoying. Billy is a typical older brother but you have to love it when he freaks himself out by thinking of scary things in bed and runs to her room for companionship and comfort. It shreds my heart, it does.

In the end, The Year of Billy Miller is a stand-alone title that really does leave you wanting more. You've gotten so close to Billy and his family that they stick in your brain long after you've closed the covers. You can't help but hope that there are more Billy Millers on the horizon. To create just one would be a cruel tease. At the very least this book is a boon to any librarian who has faced a parent at a reference desk saying, "My kid loves Ramona. What else do you have like that?" Ladies and gentlemen, we have our answer. Absolutely remarkable.

For ages 5-10.

I first read this book on the recommendation from my local children's librarian. I read it to my second grade class near the end of the year last year and we all loved it. This year, I began the year by reading this book to my students and we spent time thinking and writing about what it would mean for this to be the year of _____ and filling in each of my students' names. This book has also provided my students with talking points throughout the year. Even now, five months later, as my students are about to make their own presentations in front of an audience, we are all remembering and talking about Billy Miller's experience!

I highly recommend this book, especially to second grade teachers.

This is the story of, wait for it, Billy Miller. The book takes us from the start of 2nd grade to the end. This is a short book with fairly large print, but it's not just a "ready for chapter books" sort of book.

It features Billy's fears and worries and accomplishments. School stories are very popular, but tend to either feature bratty girls or older kids facing different concerns than a younger elementary school kid. I love that Billy's problems are totally age appropriate, and examine the feelings -- not just the events of trouble or misunderstandings.

If you don't think your kid would go for a more heartfelt story (there's humor, too!), do it as a read-aloud. Even better, because it might open the door to discuss his fears and worries.

I read this book with my 7 year old daughter. I figured it would be interesting as my daughter is in 2nd grade, and so is Billy Miller and thus she would be able to identify with him.

I would say the book was just alright. We read the whole book, but it was simply a not-so-memorable experience. Nothing is wrong or offensive with the book, it's just that it's not interesting or creative enough. It's simply about every day things that happen to a 2nd grade kid at school and at home. There are no big dilemmas, there are no mysteries, and no real crisis. You could probably write the book about any random kid at my daughter's school, or my daughter for that matter, and it would be about the same.

If your kid has certain anxieties about school or about family interactions (e.g., getting along with a sibling), then this book might be a good way to get him/her to open up or for your kid to at least understand that such anxieties are normal for that age. If, on the other hand, you are a parent that actively talks about those things with your kid, then reading this book won't really add much: you'll read it and you'll forget about it in a week (my daughter certainly did).

This is one of the best books ever! My son and I read this book together when he was in 5th grade, and he did his back-to-school book report on The Year of Billy Miller. It was the very first book report on which he spent so much energy! He made his own book cover for the book, representing the things about the story that made an impact on him, and he wrote a synopsis for his back cover. Let me tell you, if MY 5th-grade-son got this involved in a project about a book he read during the summer? It's an extremely good book. Reading for fun means a comic book for him. He was hesitant when I showed it to him, but after I volunteered to start reading first, and he had questions and comments and, yes, laughter - it was on and popping! I know I haven't told you anything about the book - you can read that in the information above! This is the most important part - my non-reader was enraptured!

This is one of the best books ever! My son and I read this book together when he was in 5th grade, and he did his back-to-school book report on The Year of Billy Miller. It was the very first book report on which he spent so much energy! He made his own book cover for the book, representing the things about the story that made an impact on him, and he wrote a synopsis for his back cover. Let me tell you, if MY 5th-grade-son got this involved in a project about a book he read during the summer? It's an extremely good book. Reading for fun means a comic book for him. He was hesitant when I showed it to him, but after I volunteered to start reading first, and he had questions and comments and, yes, laughter - it was on and popping! I know I haven't told you anything about the book - you can read that in the information above! This is the most important part - my non-reader was enraptured!

This was a Nerdy Book Club nomination and I thought it would be a good read aloud for my daughter who is a first grade teacher and my sister-in-law who is a second grade teacher. I have always loved Henkes' characters, especially Lily, and in this book, Billy Miller is beginning second grade and has some worries about "if he is smart enough" and if the bump on his head he got at Yellowstone will adversely affect his memory. He has a supportive set of parents and the annoying little sister, Sal. His best friend is Ned and he is very funny. What is so nice about this book is that it is divided into 4 parts and each could be read alouds. Students and teachers will enjoy Billy, his trials and tribulations, and his never ending irritation with a new girl, Emma Sparks. There is humor, wonder and many characters to fondly remember in this little gem of a book.

Wonderful read-aloud for the classroom! Billy Miller is such a lovable character! We need more characters like him! The book is divided into four great sections, as though a collection of short stories (Billy with his new teacher, his dad, his younger sister, and his mom). Each story has a level of excitement and stress that keeps the reader laughing and attentive! The Year of Billy Miller is a heartwarming book that will leave the reader or listeners very satisfied with Billy's second grade school year!

Writing, art, using one's imagination and creativity are featured in this book. A classroom teacher would find this a valuable kick-starter for a study of emotions, artwork, creative writing, speaking skills, and more!

Nice story, Kevin Henkes! Thank you!

I love this book! Billy Miller is starting second grade and he is scared about being smart enough to do his school work since he got the "lump on his head." This book is about family relationships, self-doubt and self-discovery. It's about learning to cope with difficult classmates and pushing yourself to stretch to be and do more than you thought you could. The story is written from the perspective of a second grader with an erratic little sister, a loving grounded mother, and an unusual artistic father. The heart of the story is the interactions between Billy and his family, friends, and teacher. This is a funny book with warm, loving characters, and of course the know-it-all character that every child always encounters at every grade in school. This book will both make you laugh and leave you with that warm fuzzy feeling that makes you remember the good times of growing up.

What a beloved story about a young boy who struggles to express his emotions and to find his place in his classroom among a highly confident 2nd grade girl and a teacher from whom he desperately seeks validation and approval!

I read this aloud with two 6-year-olds (a boy and a girl), and they both loved the story. While it has been many years since I was a 2nd grader, everything Billy feels and struggles with resonated with me. This is how I remember feeling and acting when I was in elementary school.

Full disclosure, we own all of Kevin Henkes' "mouse stories." This was just as engaging and heartfelt, but in a longer chapter format. My kids are still quoting the haiku to me:

Mom likes volcanoes.
They are hot. They can explode.
Please do not fall in.