Review by Evelyn Hussey
Orca Book Publishers, April 11th, 2023
128 pages, paperback, $10.95 CAD, 9781459834071
Middle Grade, ages 9-12, grades 4-7
Fiction
I liked having the right word at the right time. Except I couldn’t come up with the right word for what Digby said next. In fact, I couldn’t come up with any words at all.
He leaned down and whispered to me, “I have it”.
Now I was the one with the crinkled forehead . I looked at him. “You have what, Digby? A fever?” I stepped back.
He shook his head. “The ticket”.
“What ticket?”
“The ticket that everyone is talking about.”
A million dollars is a lot of money. It can buy ludicrous vacations, endless designer clothes, the newest technological gadgets, and even mansions in faraway places. However, along with the incredible opportunities money creates, it also has the potential to feed greed and jealousy. And this greed can have massive consequences.
What would you do with a million dollars? Would you go on a crazy vacation with all your friends? Would you buy a fancy car? Or would you buy your old life back? These are questions fourteen-year-old Skye Richardson finds herself pondering when her friend Digby shows her his winning lottery ticket worth a million dollars. Skye is miserable in her new town as her mother has just uprooted their entire life and moved her away from her friends, family, and community. At Skye’s new job, she meets Digby Jones, a young man who has a positive outlook on life and is very particular about how he does things. Skye and Digby become fast friends and Digby confides in Skye that he has the winning lottery ticket the whole town is buzzing about. Skye is excited for her new friend and eagerly helps him plan what to spend the money on. Soon, however, Skye’s joy for her friend is overshadowed by worry—worry that people will take advantage of Digby’s kindness and new wealth.
Taekema has done a lovely job at creating a character that I wish I could be friends with – Digby Jones. Digby is a positive ray of sunshine and his outlook on life inspires joy and hope in the world. Digby is defined by his good nature and endless care for other people, rather than his intellectual disability. I really enjoyed watching Skye’s friendship with Digby develop alongside her realization that her life wasn’t ruined by moving to a new city. Even so, I wish Skye’s character had more depth, thus making her change of worldview more profound and satisfying. I found myself focusing more on Digby’s character than Skye’s, even though the story is told from Skye’s first-person point of view. I would have enjoyed seeing more expression of emotion from Skye as at times her voice felt flat and disconnected from the plot. The story focused a lot on Digby’s actions, and I think things would have been more compelling had there been an equal focus on the ways Skye was adapting to her new life. While I wish Skye’s character had been more developed, Digby’s charm provided enough enjoyment to carry the plot to its surprising finish.
Big Winner is a charming story that reluctant readers will enjoy. I often found myself smiling at Digby’s kindness and wondering what I would do with a million dollars. This book is meant for lower-level readers, and I think the content and style of writing fits this criteria perfectly. The audience will not be confused by big words or unnecessary details and the story remains neatly encapsulated, fitting together as a lovely, cohesive whole. Big Winner is a great novel for those who want a quick read that will leave them feeling happy and warm.
Evelyn Hussey is a BA Psychology student minoring in Creative Writing at UBC. She loves reading memoirs/creative nonfiction as well as realistic fiction. When she is not reading or writing she spends her time rock climbing, binging true crime content, or with her beloved dog, Dipsea.
YOUNG ADULTING 