I don't normally read around this age range, and this book was a very simple read so it is fine for grades 1+, but I thought it was kind of boring. The main character goes through his second year of school in this book, and the length of the book might be intimidating to readers under second grade, but the writing style is definitely simple enough for 1st graders. So it has that going against it. Also, as I mentioned, it was boring. This book looks pretty long and intimidating, but most of that could have been cut back and shortened. Here's what happens to Billy in a year: He knocks himself out and gets a bump, he's afraid he's not smart enough for second grade, his desk partner is a little prat, his teacher may hate him, his father needs inspiration for his art, Billy wants to stay up all night, he writes a poem about his mother. All these "plot points" are resolved within a couple pages and completely forgotten, but somehow takes up 240 pages. It's as if each chapter was meant to be a separate, beginning chapter book, but Henkes decided to throw them all together to make a whole book.

Anyway, I read this for our Mock Newbery, and it is certainly not getting a vote from me.