Millions

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Frank's first book, Millions, won the CILIP Carnegie Medal in 2004 and has been shortlisted for a number of awards, including the Guardian Children's Fiction Award 2004. Millions has also been made into a movie directed by Danny Boyle. Frank's second novel, Framed, was published in September 2005 and shortlisted for the Carnegie Medal, the Whitbread Award and the Guardian Prize. It was made into a BBC feature-length film in 2009. Frank's third novel, Cosmic, was published in June 2008. It was shortlisted for the Guardian Children's Fiction Prize 2008 and the inaugural Roald Dahl Funny Prize. I was looking for a new Christmas set novel to read and Robison Wells recommended this. I've seen the movie, but didn't know that it was a book. Apparently they were written at the same time, as Frank Boyce was originally a screenwriter. The boys are dishonest with their father. They use the death of their mother to gain sympathy and get out of trouble. Funny, thought-provoking and thoroughly entertaining, this outstanding novel was a deserving winner of the 2004 CILIP Carnegie Medal. A wonderful, sweet story told by a 5th-grade boy who just happens to see long-dead saints everywhere he looks.

He adapted the novel into a screenplay for a 2009 BBC television film. His 2009 novel Cosmic has also been shortlisted for the Carnegie Medal. This is one of those children's books that seems to be operating on two levels. Although I do think it would appeal to the more intelligent readers in the 10-13 age group, a lot of the humour and commentary is probably aimed more at an adult level of understanding. (The real estate and financial commentary of the protagonist's older brother, Anthony, is one example that comes to mind.) The conflict in the book is for Damian and Anthony to find a way to get rid of the money in seventeen days because it is in the old form of money and the money system is changing to a new one( Euros). They solve the conflict by Damian saying “what if we find some saints and give some money to them then let’s donate some to the poor”. The next day they try and find where the saints and the poor live, but before they can get to the house where the saints live they see a saint walking past them so they gave him some money from the bag. At the end of the story they were able to change the leftover money at the bank for Euros.

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Damian and his brother, Anthony, have recently lost their mother, and their father is doing all that he can to raise them well. Damian’s coping mechanism for his mother’s death is to read everything he can about the lives of various saints. Anthony, however, becomes a bit of a financial guru. When a huge bag stuffed with more than 200,000 quid comes flying out of the sky and into Damian’s cardboard “hermitage” (i.e., hideout), the story begins. The characters are so sweet and I loved Damian and his obsession with saints and their lives. And the saints that appear to him periodically - that killed me. Only bad thing was their Mom is dead and the boys are obviously sad about that. Normally I won't touch a book with a dead parent and sad kids with a 10 foot pole, but this book was worth it. An interesting read. I enjoyed the innocent, younger tone of the narrator paired with the more, sophisticated topic. The structure of the novel is neat and clear, simplistic vocabulary is used and the variety of characters is pleasing. However, I personally found the sequencing of the invents a little confusing, with more and more problems rising in the plot where least expected. In addition to original scripts, Cottrell Boyce has also adapted novels for the screen and written children's fiction, winning the 2004 Carnegie Medal for his debut, Millions, based on his own screenplay for the film of the same name. I don't read children's fiction very often, but this one was recommended to me so I thought I'd give it a whirl.

Long-legged Liam makes a giant leap for boy-kind by competing with a group of adults for the chance to go into space. Is Liam the best boy for the job?It's a story about 2 brothers who are each dealing with the loss of their mother in different ways, and a father who reminds them to be excellent. The younger brother (and narrator) Damian tries his best to be excellent and to do good work every day. His heart is in the right place, but sadly the execution doesn't come off like he thinks it will. His older brother, Anthony, focuses on the almighty Pound/Euro, and is an excellent liar. Dad is just trying his best to keep a roof over their heads and teach the boys to be excellent. This book has the word: bastard, in it twice - why do publishers think that's ok? More dumbing down! He is a good writer but surely publishers need to be brave enough to say no.

As the boys spend the money, lots of products are mentioned approvingly, though they don't bring much satisfaction. Damien is a fourth grade student in England on the brink of the (imaginary) Pound/Euro currency changeover. Obsessed with the lives and demises of saints since the death of his mother, Damien attracts a great deal of negative attention and warranted concern around his community. Millions focuses on what Damien and and his brother choose to do with a great deal of money that suddenly falls in their laps.I really didn’t rate this book. I read it with my 10 year old son and thought it was peculiar and contained inappropriate swearing. Not sure why anyone would give this 5 stars? It was recommended to us - I am wondering why?! Anthony's character is easier to appreciate, and the humor comes through loud and clear to all, too. Cottrell Boyce won the annual Carnegie Medal from the British librarians, recognising the year's best children's book published in the UK. [2] [3] Millions was an integral part of the annual Liverpool Reads campaign in his home city. [4] Awards and nominations [ edit ]