Millions
Written by Frank Cottrell Boyce
Narrated by Simon Jones
4/5
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About this audiobook
It was a one-in-a-million chance. A bag crammed with cash comes tumbling out of the air and lands right at Damian's feet. Suddenly the Cunningham brothers are rich. Very rich. They can buy anything they want. There's just one problem -- they have only seventeen days to spend all the money before it becomes worthless. And the crooks who stole the cash in the first place are closing in -- fast.
A funny, brilliantly clever and utterly thrilling debut novel that is, quite simply, unforgettable.
Performed by Simon Jones
Frank Cottrell Boyce
rank Cottrell-Boyce is a multi award-winning children’s book author and screenwriter. Millions, his debut children's novel, won the prestigious CILIP Carnegie Medal. His other books include Cosmic, Framed, The Astounding Broccoli Boy, Sputnik’s Guide to Life on Earth, Runaway Robot, Noah’s Gold and The Wonder Brothers. He has enjoyed a long-standing collaboration with award-winning illustrator Steven Lenton. His books have been shortlisted for a multitude of prizes, including the Guardian Children’s Fiction Prize, the Whitbread Children’s Fiction Award, The Roald Dahl Funny Prize and the Blue Peter Book Award. Frank is also a highly successful screenwriter. He has written for the hit TV series Dr Who and his script for Michael Morpurgo’s Kensuke’s Kingdom won a British Animation Award. Along with Danny Boyle, he devised the Opening Ceremony for the London 2012 Olympics. Frank has been the judge for the 500 Words competition and the BBC's One Show As You Write It competition. Frank is a lifelong champion of children’s books. In 2023 he launched a successful podcast with Nadia Shireen, The Island of Brilliant!, celebrating writing and illustration for children of all ages. He lives in Merseyside with his family.
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Reviews for Millions
175 ratings14 reviews
- Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5All the blurbs about this book focus on these two brothers who happen upon a boatload of cash (a bit under 300,000 pounds, actually - not the millions the title would lead you to think), and how they have to spend it all in 17 days, but ignore what I thought was the most fun part: the main boy's obsession with saints and saintly acts. That and his brother's weirdly extensive knowledge of the financial world make for a unique story that could otherwise have descended into a cliched "what if you had a million bucks" daydream. I was disappointed to learn that "totallysaints.com" doesn't actually exist (anymore, at any rate), but all in all this was a very fun - and funny - book.
- Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5wonderful tale of a 5th grader who can see long dead saints. Very close to the movie. My only regret is it was too short and ended too soon. MOre....
- Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5This book had me actually laughing out loud. Damian is hilarious, albeit not consciously. He's so utterly sincere, and takes everything so seriously, so literally. And the book never seemed to patronise him. He's not an object of pity. In fact, he's fascinating and impressive. Damian's brother Anthony is a bit more complex really, and most authors would have made the book about him. I wonder why Boyce decided to give us the story from Damian's point of view? Perhaps it would have been too painful (not to mention no where near as funny) from Anthony's. Damian's actually quite simple. Anthony is tragic, and it's starting to make him nasty.So, this is a book about money, bereavement, and saints. The way Boyce, through Damian, weaves those three themes together is truly wonderful. I felt that the book started to lose momentum towards the end, which is why I didn't give it the full 5 stars, but the first half is some of the best writing I've read for a good while.
- Rating: 3 out of 5 stars3/5Cute story about 2 brothers who find a bag filled with British pound notes. The only problem is that England is about to adopt the Euro and the pound notes will become obsolete in just a few weeks. So much money, so little time...
- Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5Middle-grade novel about a boy Damian who finds a bag full of cash--the catch is that it will only be worth anything for a few more days because England is switching to the Euro. The ways he and his older brother Anthony spend the money is quite funny, but the book also has suspense and sadness. My only criticism is that at times Damian seems a bit too dumb/naive, but really this is a great book. I'm passing it right on to my daughter.
- Rating: 5 out of 5 stars5/5Very good book loved the ending
- Rating: 5 out of 5 stars5/5I had seen this book with its striking gold cover in the shops. When it was reviewed by Kate di Goldi I knew I had to read it.Two Irish brothers who have recently lost their mother come into the possession of a bag of cash destined for destruction on the eve of Ireland switching to the Euro. The money causes more problems than it solves e.g. inflation at school, the younger brother trying to do good deeds with the money etc. The secondary story of the brothers, particularly younger Damian, coping with the loss of their mother is handled gently. Damian has become obsessed with saints, and often sees visions of them, usually in the most humorous of circumstances. Eventually the father finds out about the cash and plans to give it back – but following a burglary by the robbers who stole the cash in the first place, he decides to keep it. Unfortunately nothing in life is that simple, and another series of unfortunate events arises. At the end, the money is gone (apart from a small amount, and even that is given to charity). This is a hugely funny, tender and rollicking story about what happens when money comes suddenly. It is a morality tale too. Add in a bit of magic realism, and you have a cracker of a story just busting to be made into a Christmas special by the BBC. [Update: actually it was made into a feature film, which was very enjoyable.]
- Rating: 5 out of 5 stars5/5Gorgeous book that teaches youngsters that some things in life cannot be purchased with money and that money does not solve all problems.
- Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5This delightful book was both the first kids' story I've read that successfully and naturally integrated "our modern world" - internet and Harry Potter ringtones and that - without it seeming gimmicky, and, more impressive and significant, the first that integrated a Christian element without it being detrimental or preachy. All those Victorians could learn something. I also love the way the kid talks, even if he does say "unenlightening" a few too many times by the twisty end.
- Rating: 3 out of 5 stars3/5I thought it was good, but what age is the intended audience? If it's for kids about 4th-6th grade, like the boys in the book, then I don't think they're going to understand about the British pound and the euro. Only some kids are going to understand or warm up to the idea of the main character, 4th-grader Damian, knowing all about the saints, and having conversations with visions of saints. I'd say it's a good story, but a bit too British and maybe even religious for most American kids.
- Rating: 5 out of 5 stars5/5Fourth grader Damian might not be the smartest boy in school, but there are two things he knows for sure. Firstly, he knows everything about saints. Secondly, he knows that if he ever wants something, all he has to do is remind people that his mum is dead and he will be given something. When a bag full of money falls out of the sky three weeks before England's switchover to the Euro, Damian thinks the money must have come from God. He tries to think of a saintly way to spend it, however big brother Antony has other ideas. What follows is a rip-roaring spending spree interspersed with hilarious and touching moments. The audio recording of this book was fantastic and I would highly recommend it for family listening. Although we have it in the teen section at my library, I see no reason it would be inappropriate for younger readers (although the concept of British pounds and switching over to the Euro might require some explaining).
- Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5This is a great book about a young english boy whose mother passed away. He is obsessed with the Catholic saints and spends most of his free time trying to "be excellent". He finds a huge bag of money and thinks that it was a gift from God. He and his brother proceed to spend the money and hilarity ensues as they find that it's not as much of a gift as they once thought.
- Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5This was a pretty weird book, beacause the little boy was, like, obsessed with saints, and he trusted strange people that he had never met before.
- Rating: 3 out of 5 stars3/5A lovely book worth reading just for the scenes in which the saints appear. Funny and a little sad.