Most good stories start with a fundamental list of ingredients: the initial situation, conflict, complication, climax, suspense, denouement, and conclusion. Great writers sometimes shake up the recipe and add some spice.
Exposition
It's a Lumpy Dumpy Day
Poor Billy Miller's got a lump on his head. Yep, this kid fell during summer vacation and now he's got to start second grade with a special extra bump. But he doesn't feel extra special. Nope, instead Billy Miller is nervous to start school, and extra nervous that the bump on his head means he won't be smart enough to hack it in Ms. Silver's class.
Rising Action
Bullies, Glitter, and Bats, Oh My!
As school gets underway, Billy starts to get his footing. Sure, there are some bumps in the road (better than his head though, right?), like when he gets into it with the class know-it-all or when his sister almost ruins his school art project. With each twist and turn that Billy dodges, we can see his path getting more and complicated. And that's how we know that there's now more conflict afoot in this tale.
Climax
Poems and Pearls for the Win
If you're in search for a single climax, it might be tough to find. Billy has a handful of important moments that help him grow into a seriously strong second grader. And there are two that stand out to us: (1) when he decides to give his sister his pearl and write her his special dragon-stamped letter, and (2) when he finally jots down his poem for his mom. Each time, we see Billy turn a corner and those big changes indicate some important turning points for our protagonist.
Falling Action
Practice Makes (Almost) Perfect
After Billy has written his poem, he's got one job: practice, practice, and practice some more. But even as he practices, Billy isn't as worried as he was when the story opened. In fact, things have kind of evened out for him. So as the school year winds down, so does this tale, and that means the ending is coming soon.
Resolution
Take a Bow, Billy Boy
At the end of the school year, Billy has his poetry show and he does pretty well. Yeah, he doesn't recite the poem by memory in front of everyone, but he does later, and it's only for his mom to see, which makes it extra special. In fact, it's so special that the ending of this book also feels like another climax. It's almost as if one of the biggest moments for Billy happens at the very tail end of the book.