The Year of Billy Miller Theme of Family

When it comes to the Millers, family is pretty much the best thing ever. Mama, Papa, Billy, and Sal are four super dedicated folks who seriously love each other. Sure, there are some rough patches, like when Sal bugs her big bro like whoa or when Billy can't stand his little sis's crying. But overall, this family is filled with laughter, fun, and even a cello with mannequin arms (true story), and they stick together from the first page of The Year of Billy Miller to the last. So that leaves one big question: What's the secret ingredient that makes this family so strong?

Questions About Family

  1. What types of families are portrayed in The Year of Billy Miller? Do all of the families look alike? How are they different?
  2. Does family ever hold a character back? How so? And is this a good thing or a bad thing?
  3. How are sibling relationships different from parent relationships in this book? And how are they similar?

Chew on This

Try on an opinion or two, start a debate, or play the devil’s advocate.

Family makes life easy. When it comes to the Millers, they are a smooth-sailing ship and even the rough patches can't mess things up.

Family makes life harder. When the Millers hit some tough spots, they have seriously negative effects on the family bond.