Oh, Sal

“Delightfully superb.”—Kirkus Reviews (starred review)

“Henkes is a master.”—The Horn Book (starred review)

“Captivating. ”—Booklist (starred review)

A stand-alone companion to two-time Newbery Honor author Kevin Henkes’s award-winning, bestselling, and acclaimed The Year of Billy Miller and Billy Miller Makes a Wish. This short, humorous, and accessible novel for newly independent readers stars Billy’s younger sister, Sal, and chronicles an eventful holiday season at the Miller house.

Oh, Sal is illustrated in black-and-white throughout by the author, and is perfect for fans of Ramona, Ivy + Bean, and Dory Fantasmagory.

The Miller family is celebrating its first holiday with the new baby. Billy is excited that Uncle Jake is visiting, but nothing about this holiday season is making Billy’s little sister Sal happy. The baby is a noisy nuisance and hogging all of Mama’s attention. Plus, the baby doesn’t even have a name yet. To make matters worse, Sal lost the very best gift that Santa gave her!

Will Sal find her present? Will the Millers find a name for the baby? Will Billy always be an annoying big brother?

The holiday season (and life with the Millers) is full of surprises—and warmth, kindness, family, celebration, and love—in the hands of award-winning author Kevin Henkes. Illustrated throughout with black-and-white art by the author, Oh, Sal is an excellent choice for early elementary grades, as well as a terrific family and classroom read-aloud for any time of the year.

A stand-alone companion to The Year of Billy Miller (a Newbery Honor Book) and Billy Miller Makes a Wish. 

• Sibling Dynamics: Experience the world through four-year-old Sal’s eyes as she navigates big feelings about her annoying older brother, Billy, and a new baby sister who doesn’t even have a name yet.
• Heartwarming Holiday Story: Join the Miller family for a cozy holiday season filled with surprises, a frantic search for a lost present, and the funny, everyday chaos of life with little kids.
• Relatable Childhood Moments: From the frustration of losing a favorite gift to the feeling of being left out, this gentle story captures the real-life ups and downs of being a little kid with honesty and humor.
• Charming Illustrations: Filled with expressive black-and-white art by Kevin Henkes that brings Sal and her memorable family to life on every page.