Billionaire Boy by David Walliams: Book Review
Book: Billionaire Boy
Author: David Walliams
Genre: Novel, Humor, Fiction
Editor’s Note:
This delightful review of Billionaire Boy by David Walliams comes from a young reader who brings both heart and insight to the story. It’s always refreshing to see how young minds absorb the deeper messages behind Walliams’ trademark humour and outrageous characters. Her thoughtful take on friendship, family, and what truly matters reminds us why children’s literature holds such power—for readers of all ages.
David Walliams strikes gold yet again with Billionaire Boy—a story packed with humour, heart, and just the right amount of outrageousness. This book isn’t just a laugh-out-loud read, it’s also a gentle reminder that money can buy many things… but not the ones that truly matter.
The story follows Joe Spud, a 12-year-old billionaire who has everything from a Formula 1 car to a private IMAX theatre, but what he really longs for is something no amount of money can buy: a real friend. His fortune comes from his father’s invention, a wildly successful brand of toilet paper called Bumfresh. But while their bank account explodes, their family life quietly crumbles—Joe’s mum leaves, Joe is bullied at school (cruelly nicknamed “Bum Boy”), and his father begins to lose sight of what truly matters.
In a bid to find friendship, Joe convinces his father to let him transfer to a local school, where he meets Bob, another chubby boy who is the complete opposite of Joe in every way—poor, grounded, and kind. Their friendship is tested through secrets, misunderstandings, and moments of great vulnerability, but ultimately blossoms into something real and lasting.
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The characters are larger than life—from Raj the hilarious newsagent, to Sapphire, the 19-year-old gold-digger with a “GCSE in makeup,” to Joe’s fake girlfriend from a Hot Pot advertisement! Walliams does a brilliant job mixing outrageous comedy with tender emotional moments.
But the story takes a sharp turn when the Bumfresh empire crumbles and Joe’s family loses everything. What remains, however, is love—and the beautiful bond between father and son. Joe doesn’t choose the gold sunglasses or expensive watches when they have to give everything away. He picks a simple toilet-roll rocket his dad made him years ago. That quiet, powerful moment shows what this book is really about: love, family, friendship, and staying true to who you are.
My Verdict:
This book is an absolute gem. Full of clever twists, touching moments, and laugh-out-loud comedy, Billionaire Boy teaches readers that friends and family are life’s real treasures. A must-read for kids—and parents too!
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ 5 stars from me!
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I’m Sangeeta Relan—an educator, writer, podcaster, researcher, and the founder of AboutHer. With over 30 years of experience teaching at the university level, I’ve also journeyed through life as a corporate wife, a mother, and now, a storyteller.
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Wonderful , I wish I could read like her . May you outshine more and more Sharika
I am very proud grand mother.❤️
I CANNOT STOP READING THIS
What a refreshing review! I truly look forward to more write-ups from Sharika. I find myself returning to this website just to read such authentic gems from young voices. Big fan!