From Publishers Weekly
Returning with his pals from How to Eat Fried Worms , Billy wins the lottery and must contend with the pitfalls of wealth. Ages 9-12.
Copyright 1991 Reed Business Information, Inc.
From School Library Journal
When Billy wins the lottery, his life and friendships with the gang from Rockwell's How to Eat Fried Worms (Watts, 1973) fall apart. Disappointingly, the book never quite pulls together. After the big win, the kids squabble about who is entitled to the money from Billy's winning ticket, and their respective adults immediately become litigacious. The plot builds to a bitter, cynical climax, and is resolved, suddenly, by lawyers. The boys are adolescents now, and have similar preoccupations. Their concerns make terrific material for a writer with Rockwell's eye for the vignette. One scene, in which Billy abandons his wariness of girls to catch beetles with Amy Miller, is almost a metaphor for adolescence. Unfortunately, there are major flaws in the construction of the novel. Rockwell experiments with stream-of-consciousness writing, which makes it difficult at times to identify the character in focus. It's not clear why Billy feels that winning the lottery will save his parents' faltering marriage. Loose ends dangle all over the pages. Readers never know if Billy's parents reconcile; after the settlement, the kids resume their relationships, seemingly untouched by the battle. With characterizations and ethical issues unresolved, Fabulously Rich fails to satisfy. --Carolyn Noah, Worcester Public Library, MA
Copyright 1990 Reed Business Information, Inc.
--This text refers to the
Library Binding
edition.
