“Billy Miller’s second-grade year is quietly spectacular in a wonderfully ordinary way. . . . Henkes offers . . . a sense that experiences don’t have to be extraordinary to be important and dramatic. . . . Sweetly low-key and totally accessible.” — Kirkus Reviews (starred review)
“Henkes’s delightful story is restrained and vivid in in just this way: forgoing the overdramatic or zany, it shows the substance, warmth and adaptability of beautifully common family love.” — New York Times
“A vivid yet secure portrait of a boy coming into his confidence . . . [with] a comfortable rhythm perfectly suited to young readers. . . . Nuanced and human.” — Horn Book (starred review)
“Funny and often poignant . . . Billy himself might have been daunted by a book with more than 200 pages, but eager young readers will find this a great first chapter book to share or read solo.” — School Library Journal (starred review)
“A story with a lot of heart.” — Booklist
“Smartly attuned to emerging readers, and its warmth, relatable situations, and sympathetic hero give it broad appeal.” — Publishers Weekly
“Thoughtful kids able to tackle a book of this length will enjoy reading this on their own, but it would also make a fine choice for reading aloud in the classroom or home.” — Bulletin of the Center for Children’s Books