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Billy Wants It All
Money is essential because it is the means by which we obtain those things we both need and want, and without money our society would not function. In the story Billy wants a skateboard. He doesn't understand why he just can’t have it bought for him. He doesn't have to pay anything towards any other costs in the household so why does he have to participate in the cost of a toy? This age is the ideal time for a lesson in money management. However, it’s not an easy lesson to learn, and a slightly painful one for a child. But an understanding the value of money, and how important it is to participate in acquiring it, is a lesson that will stand any child in good stead for the rest of their life. It is important that children learn both the purpose and value of money, and how it fits into the way they live when they become adults. Parents take care of their children’s financial needs until they leave education, but from then on a child needs to be able to be independent financially. It is sometimes a painful lesson because whilst they don’t have to worry about money, they can be easily misled into a false sense of security. That is, food always appears on the table when they’re hungry and clothes in their cupboard or gifts on birthdays and at Christmas. However, the most important lesson a child has to learn is that these things don’t appear from nowhere. Someone has to exchange their services—work at a job—in order to earn the money to purchase the goods.
152 pages, Paperback
Published May 4, 2016
About the author
James Minter
23 books180 followersJames is a dad to two grown-up children, and a step father to three more. His fiction writing career started some nine years ago with books designed to appeal to the inner child in all of us - very English humour. Later his daughter Louise, reminded him of the bedtime stories he told her, and suggested he might like to commit them to paper for others to enjoy. He hasn't yet, but instead embarked on writing the eight-book Billy Books series for 7 to 9-year-old girls and boys. These are traditional stories, featuring negative behaviours but with positive outcomes.
Although the main character Billy and his friends are fictitious, Billy's dog, Jacko, is based on his family's much-loved pet, which, with their second dog Malibu, caused havoc and mayhem to the delight of his children and consternation of himself.
Before he started writing, James spent his working life as a college lecturer, and later in the computer industry. It was at a time before the invention of smartphones and tablets, when computers were powered by steam, and stood as high as a bus.
The Hole Opportunity was the first product of his imagination for the inner-child. The Unexpected Consequences of Iron Overload followed a year later. A paranormal, romantic spoof thriller, written to raise awareness of a genetic medical condition called Haemochromatosis. Book II of the Hole Trilogy - A Tunnel is Only a Hole on its Side - came next.
Currently, in addition to the Billy Books series of books and campaigning for children's values, James is writing book III of the Hole Trilogy - Marmite Makes a Sandwich, Dynamite Makes a Hole.
Websites:
www.thebillybooks.co.uk
www.jamesminter.com
E-mail:
[email protected]
Twitter:
@james_minter
Facebook:
facebook.com/billygrowingup/
facebook.com/author.james.minter
Although the main character Billy and his friends are fictitious, Billy's dog, Jacko, is based on his family's much-loved pet, which, with their second dog Malibu, caused havoc and mayhem to the delight of his children and consternation of himself.
Before he started writing, James spent his working life as a college lecturer, and later in the computer industry. It was at a time before the invention of smartphones and tablets, when computers were powered by steam, and stood as high as a bus.
The Hole Opportunity was the first product of his imagination for the inner-child. The Unexpected Consequences of Iron Overload followed a year later. A paranormal, romantic spoof thriller, written to raise awareness of a genetic medical condition called Haemochromatosis. Book II of the Hole Trilogy - A Tunnel is Only a Hole on its Side - came next.
Currently, in addition to the Billy Books series of books and campaigning for children's values, James is writing book III of the Hole Trilogy - Marmite Makes a Sandwich, Dynamite Makes a Hole.
Websites:
www.thebillybooks.co.uk
www.jamesminter.com
E-mail:
[email protected]
Twitter:
@james_minter
Facebook:
facebook.com/billygrowingup/
facebook.com/author.james.minter
Ratings & Reviews
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Community Reviews
Displaying 1 - 4 of 4 reviews
April 21, 2018
This book was entered in The Wishing Shelf Book Awards. This is what our readers thought:
Title: Billy Wants It All
Author: James Minter
Star Rating: 5 Stars
Number of Readers: 19
Stats
Editing: 9/10
Writing Style: 9/10
Content: 10/10
Cover: 10/10
Of the 19 readers:
19 would read another book by this author.
18 thought the cover was good or excellent.
17 felt it was easy to follow.
19 would recommend this story to another reader to try.
8 felt the author’s strongest skill was ‘plotting a story’.
11 felt the author’s strongest skill was ‘developing the characters’.
18 felt the pacing was good or excellent.
19 thought the author understood the readership and what they wanted.
Readers’ Comments
‘I thought this was very interesting. I liked that Billy had to find a way of making money to help pay for the toy. But I id think a bit of humor might make it more fun to read.’ Boy, aged 8
‘It was a little difficult to read it. It was a long book for me. I liked the lesson in the story, that mums and dads can’t pay for everything a kid wants.’ Girl, aged 8
‘The children in my class of 22 eight year olds enjoyed this book very much. We used it to discuss greed and how we must try to understand that there’s no money tree that parents can simply shake. The text needs spicing up a bit; and the characters don’t jump off the page. But, as a resource in a school library, this is perfect.’ Primary Teacher, aged 34
‘I read this with my class. It was a good story with lots happening. Billy’s pretty cool.’ Boy, aged 8
To Sum It Up:
‘An interesting story underpinned by a strong lesson all children should learn. A FINALIST and highly recommended.’ The Wishing Shelf Book Awards
Title: Billy Wants It All
Author: James Minter
Star Rating: 5 Stars
Number of Readers: 19
Stats
Editing: 9/10
Writing Style: 9/10
Content: 10/10
Cover: 10/10
Of the 19 readers:
19 would read another book by this author.
18 thought the cover was good or excellent.
17 felt it was easy to follow.
19 would recommend this story to another reader to try.
8 felt the author’s strongest skill was ‘plotting a story’.
11 felt the author’s strongest skill was ‘developing the characters’.
18 felt the pacing was good or excellent.
19 thought the author understood the readership and what they wanted.
Readers’ Comments
‘I thought this was very interesting. I liked that Billy had to find a way of making money to help pay for the toy. But I id think a bit of humor might make it more fun to read.’ Boy, aged 8
‘It was a little difficult to read it. It was a long book for me. I liked the lesson in the story, that mums and dads can’t pay for everything a kid wants.’ Girl, aged 8
‘The children in my class of 22 eight year olds enjoyed this book very much. We used it to discuss greed and how we must try to understand that there’s no money tree that parents can simply shake. The text needs spicing up a bit; and the characters don’t jump off the page. But, as a resource in a school library, this is perfect.’ Primary Teacher, aged 34
‘I read this with my class. It was a good story with lots happening. Billy’s pretty cool.’ Boy, aged 8
To Sum It Up:
‘An interesting story underpinned by a strong lesson all children should learn. A FINALIST and highly recommended.’ The Wishing Shelf Book Awards
November 8, 2020
So this one is definitely for an older tranch age than the normal one I read in this list. This book is about Billy - who want lots of things and he learnt and found the way to earn the money to make his want came true. This book didn't draw a whole vision that is unrealistic after all, this one gave a whole realistic story about how young children learn to earn money and their family and people around also encourage them.
April 26, 2021
I received this book in exchange for an honest review. Well. I thought this book very well written for younger readers. Teaching the value of money and general responsibility.
March 5, 2017
3.5 stars, rounded up
I was asked to test this out with my son, but I soon determined that he, at just 6, is too young for this series. It is quite wordy to read aloud, and the subject is covered in a method much more suited to a slightly older listener/reader.
I've read one before, about bullying. In this episode, Billy wants a new skateboard / games controller / toy for his dog. His mum tries to explain why he can't have everything he is after, and after a few family accidents, also explains how money works. Billy is encouraged to think of ways to make his own money and comes to see how hard his parents work for money and that it isn't unlimited.
A good lesson to learn, and at the right age, it's a good book that covers investing, insurance, mortgages, bills.
The style feels a little dry and wordy in this series, it is easier to read on paper than out loud, I don't find the language of Billy and the other children particularly realistic, and children younger than around 9 will probably find it a little much.
I also found a few errors to let the author know about, which does sometimes happen in self-publishing:
(p91) "tele" as shortened form of television (took me a minute to work out what this should mean)
(p93) "25 followed by 5 noughts" (cost of a house) is £2,500,000 and not £250,000 as Billy's mum explains!!
(p100) "new game's controller" (no apostrophe needed)
(p102) "it was decide" (and again on page 107) (decided)
(p105) "all four wheels where in the air" (were)
Billy learns his important life lesson, it is well explained, I enjoyed seeing both parents and grandparents involved in helping him learn about money and saving, and the afterword about money was also a useful few pages to be shared by parents/teachers with readers in discussions.
With thanks to the author, who provided a sample reading copy.
I was asked to test this out with my son, but I soon determined that he, at just 6, is too young for this series. It is quite wordy to read aloud, and the subject is covered in a method much more suited to a slightly older listener/reader.
I've read one before, about bullying. In this episode, Billy wants a new skateboard / games controller / toy for his dog. His mum tries to explain why he can't have everything he is after, and after a few family accidents, also explains how money works. Billy is encouraged to think of ways to make his own money and comes to see how hard his parents work for money and that it isn't unlimited.
A good lesson to learn, and at the right age, it's a good book that covers investing, insurance, mortgages, bills.
The style feels a little dry and wordy in this series, it is easier to read on paper than out loud, I don't find the language of Billy and the other children particularly realistic, and children younger than around 9 will probably find it a little much.
I also found a few errors to let the author know about, which does sometimes happen in self-publishing:
(p91) "tele" as shortened form of television (took me a minute to work out what this should mean)
(p93) "25 followed by 5 noughts" (cost of a house) is £2,500,000 and not £250,000 as Billy's mum explains!!
(p100) "new game's controller" (no apostrophe needed)
(p102) "it was decide" (and again on page 107) (decided)
(p105) "all four wheels where in the air" (were)
Billy learns his important life lesson, it is well explained, I enjoyed seeing both parents and grandparents involved in helping him learn about money and saving, and the afterword about money was also a useful few pages to be shared by parents/teachers with readers in discussions.
With thanks to the author, who provided a sample reading copy.
Displaying 1 - 4 of 4 reviews