I did not read the first Billy Miller book (yet), but this one stands alone, and seems to have much in common with its predecessor in terms of tone (see excerpt of Kirkus review below). Billy Miller's wish, on his eighth birthday, is for something exciting to happen - and something does, but it's not good-exciting, and Billy is worried it's his fault. His Papa is going away to "art camp," and Mama seems more tired than usual, tasking Billy with taking care of his three-year-old sister Sal (there's a mild Beezus-and-Ramona vibe). Billy does his best with the excitement life throws his way, and when Papa returns toward the end of the book, his parents reveal another surprise - this time a good one.

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From the Kirkus review of The Year of Billy Miller (2013): "Henkes offers what he so often does in these longer works for children: a sense that experiences don't have to be extraordinary to be important and dramatic. Billy's slightly dreamy interior life isn't filled with either angst or boisterous silliness--rather, the moments that appear in these stories are clarifying bits of the universal larger puzzle of growing up, changing and understanding the world. Small, precise black-and-white drawings punctuate and decorate the pages. Sweetly low-key and totally accessible."

Quotes

It wasn't unusual for Sal to interrupt Billy when he was having a perfectly satisfactory private moment. (50)

"Sometimes I wish I could see the world through your eyes, Billy Miller." (Mama, 53)

He didn't like it when adults got thoughtful and mushy about growing up the way they often did. He didn't think he would ever do that. He wanted to be grown up....To do whatever he wanted to do all day long. (78)

...it wasn't scary any longer because he understood it....One by one, Papa had addressed Billy's worries until they'd fizzled. Until they were gone. (Billy, after Papa explains the basement sounds to him, 90-91) ( )

Things happen, but still not as exciting as some books I remember reading when I was younger. ( )