Billy begins to worry that his mom's concerns will become reality and that he is not smart enough for second grade.

He also starts to appreciate his hard working mother and father and his sister, whom he learns to treat with more respect.

In The Horn Book Magazine, Thom Barthelmess states, "The Year of Billy Miller is nuanced and human, this quiet novel takes aim squarely at the everyday difficulties of a specific segment of growing up and finds its mark with tender precision.

"[2] Ilene Cooper states in the Book List Publications "Since this is so age specific, older readers might pass it by.

"[4] Kevin Illus states in Kirkus Reviews, "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.