Free teaching resource for Billionaire Boy by David Walliams. Suitable for KS2. Printable using Ctrl+P.
Pupils brainstorm a list of things that money cannot buy. They then identify which of these Joe is missing in the novel. Finally, they rank the list in order of importance and explain their ranking in a short paragraph.
Joe's birthday party is a disaster despite costing a fortune. Pupils write a letter from Joe to his father after the party, explaining what he wished had happened differently — and why money wasn't the answer.
Is it better to be rich and unhappy or poor and happy? Pupils debate in pairs, then as a class. After the debate, ask: has your view changed?