about the book
Just before his second-grade year starts, an unfortunate event at the statue of the Jolly Green Giant leaves Billy Miller with quite the lump on his head. How can he start second grade with a lump on his head? What if it causes brain damage? What if he starts forgetting things?
A lot more can happen in second grade than just Billy’s head lump. For example, he could mime devil horns on the back of the most annoying girl in class, Emma, and then the teacher could think that he was making fun of her, not Emma, and the chopsticks holding her hair together. Or that his struggling-artist father’s feelings would be hurt when Billy decides to write his assigned poem on his mom instead of him. Or, that his three-year-old sister, Sal, would continue to annoy him with her five stuffed whales, the Drop Sisters: Dewdrop, snowdrop, Lemondrop, Gumdrop, and soon, in all likelihood, Coughdrop.
As the year goes by, though, Billy learns that all these little life events are manageable, and that they can actually teach him how to better be himself.
about the author
When Kevin Henkes was young, he loved to draw. Since both his parents and teachers told him he was good at it, he loved it even more and wanted to do it all the time. Kevin studied books and greatly respected them—which meant that he carried them around with him everywhere; they often smelled of peanut butter and were covered with fingerprints.
At 19, he left his home in Racine, Wisconsin, for New York City, hoping to find a publisher. Luckily, he did and has been writing and illustrating for nearly thirty years.
Kevin, his wife Laura Dronzek (an artist), and their two children live in Madison, Wisconsin. He works in a roomy renovated attic with lots of windows looking out into the tree tops.
Originally Kevin drew people, but he changed to animals because he found them more humorous. After he designs the characters, he writes the story out in longhand on lined paper. Sometimes he has to change the text because the pictures say the same thing but only MUCH better!
Sources:
Author website
Author interview: Book Page
Author spotlight: Isthmus
Also by Kevin Henkes:
Penny and Her Marble. Greenwillow. 2013.
Penny and Her Song. Greenwillow. 2012.
read more!
Captain Awesome to the Rescue! (Captain Awesome, Book 1) by Stan Kirby
Eugene McGillicudy loves comic books and superheroes. He also has a secret—he has a superhero alter ego named Captain Awesome! Moving to Sunnyview, Captain Awesome vows to protect his new home—along with the whole universe—even if it means defending his toys from his two-year-old sister, Molly!
Charlie Bumpers Vs. the Teacher of the Year (Charlie Bumpers, Book 1) by Bill Harley
There is no way Charlie can get along with his new teacher, Mrs. Burke, after he accidentally hit her in the head with his shoe! Mrs. Burke is strict about order and Charlie is disorganized. He wants to meet her standards, but when he tries too hard, he ends up doing the worst! How can Charlie make it through the year with the meanest teacher in the entire school?
EllRay Jakes Is Not a Chicken! (EllRay Jakes, Book 1) by Sally Warner
Tired of being bullied by his classmate Jared, EllRay decides to defend himself—and of course he is the one who gets in trouble! It’s not fair! But his dad offers him a deal that will make everything better. If EllRay can stay out of trouble for a week, then they will all go to Disneyland!