The Boy Who Got Accidentally Famous

Just want to say why I gave The Boy Who Got Accidentally Famous 4 stars. This is because this book has a common plot. Beware of spoiler: Billy, an ordinary boy, becomes famous because he is relatable and now is famous, but fame comes at a price, and he has to ditch his friends and only cares about following in his role-model footsteps, which are different from what he thought and so in the end he is no longer famous.

Also this is an easy read with very little language that tests your ability so please only read this if you are in KS2 (8+) or if you don't understand that then I don't recommend reading this until the age of 12. As you must challenge yourself to get the best reading level you can.

Overall it's an alright book, it was very gripping but if it was not for the predictable plot it would have been better.

Suggested Reading Age 9+

Billy is an ordinary eleven year old school boy, who lives with his perfectly ordinary parents and his ten-month-old sister, Lisa, who is also ordinary. Everything about Billy was ordinary; at school he wasn't top of his class, or bottom. He wasn't good at sport, or bad either. He was neither popular nor unpopular. Nothing out of the ordinary ever happened to Billy, until one day when something extraordinary did happen; a TV crew came to Billy's school to film a documentary.

The children at Billy's school are all very excited about starring in a TV program and are willing to do almost anything to be included, and perhaps one of them might well become famous. However, Billy - and everyone else - knows it won't be him. Unsurprisingly, the appearance of the film crew during Billy's English lesson leads to one or two of his peers reading out some unbelievable tales of adventure. But when it comes to Billy's turn to read his work aloud, he realises that his mundane account of his ordinary family's trip to a theme park, followed by a trip to visit his Grandpa, is as 'everyday' as the show's producer could possibly want. Almost overnight, Billy becomes 'Relatabill', a social media sensation. Billy is famous and life for him and his family is about to change.

The Boy Who Got accidentally Famous is a fabulous read following the trials and tribulations of fame and its impact on Billy, his family and his friends. This is the first book I have read by David Baddiel and I feel sure that this laugh out loud tale will be a popular stocking filler this Christmas, while also providing some brilliant opportunities for whole class or group discussion about family and friendship. An ideal read for any newly independent, KS2 aged reader.

288 pages / Reviewed by Samantha Phillips, teacher

Suggested Reading Age 7+