Book Review

“Billy Miller Makes a Wish” is the delightful follow-up to “The Year of Billy Miller”. Don’t worry if you haven’t read the first book, which came out in 2013—this one works perfectly as a standalone story.

Kevin Henkes takes readers on a journey through the thoughts, imagination, and adventures of a small boy, evoking memories of childhood along the way.

In this story, Billy Miller is an eight-year-old living in a warm, loving family with his mom, dad, and energetic little sister. On his birthday, Billy blows out the eight candles on his cake and makes a wish—for something exciting to happen. What follows is a summer that’s perhaps a bit too thrilling for him!

Billy’s wish leads to a series of unexpected adventures: a death in the neighborhood, an eerie encounter with a “bat” in the basement, and the discovery of mysterious “love letters.” In a hilarious twist, his sister Sal delivers the letters to neighbors, playing the role of a cheerful postwoman.

As events unfold, Billy starts to believe that everything is happening because of his wish—and begins to worry he might have made a mistake. The story builds to a surprising and satisfying ending, showing Billy how his birthday wish truly comes to life.