The One-In-A-Million Boy

The One-in-a-Million Boy is a realistic fiction novel written by Monica Wood that was originally published in 2016. The novel traces the life of 104-year-old Ona, who befriends a young boy with a unique personality, creating a story about The Life-Changing Power of Unlikely Friendships. The story also tells of Ona’s sense of renewed hope and purpose, showcasing The Balance Between Honoring the Past and Embracing the Future. Through a series of interviews, Ona shares her life stories with the boy, and when he unexpectedly dies, Ona and his parents bond over The Lasting Influence of Grief.

Wood has also written How to Read a Book, along with other fiction titles and a personal memoir titled When We Were the Kennedys. A lifelong resident of Maine, she finds inspiration for her writing in her home state. The One-in-a-Million Boy received the Nautilus Award in 2017, as well as the New England Society in the City of New York Fiction Prize in 2017. It was also named a Bookreporter Favorite of the Year.

This guide refers to the 2016 First Mariner Books edition.

Content Warning: The source material and guide feature depictions of illness, death, child death, and mental illness.

Plot Summary

A 104-year-old woman named Ona Vitkus recounts her life to a young boy who is interviewing her for a school project. She tells him that she was born in 1900 in Lithuania and immigrated to the United States with her parents when she was a child. During a series of interviews, Ona shares stories from her youth, such as her talent for magic tricks and the fact that when she was 14, she secretly gave birth to a son and put him up for adoption.

The boy is fascinated by Guinness World Records and inspires Ona to pursue the title of oldest living person. He also encourages her to study for a driving test so that she can pursue a second world record. Once the 10th interview is complete, the boy does not return.

After the boy’s sudden death from heart failure, his father, Quinn, arrives at Ona’s home to continue the boy’s obligation to help her once a week. Quinn works as a musician and has been largely absent from the boy’s life. He does not have the heart to tell Ona that his son has died, so when Ona eventually learns of the boy’s death, she confronts Quinn. The two share a moment of mutual grief as Ona reveals that her son Frankie also died.

One day, while heading to Ona’s, Quinn receives a call from a young Christian rock band inviting him on a week-long tour. He agrees, partly for the money and partly for a chance to achieve his life-long dreams of gaining fame as a musician.

Quinn attempts to make amends for his past mistakes with his ex-wife, Belle. At Belle’s house, Quinn encounters her sister, Amy, who reveals that she and Belle are planning to sue the doctor who prescribed the boy antipsychotics. Quinn is shocked to learn about the medications and finds himself bonding with Amy over their shared guilt. Later, Belle also expresses her own guilt over her son’s death, and she and Quinn reaffirm their love and sorrow for their “one-in-a-million” boy.

The boy’s interview recordings reveal Ona’s stories about Frankie, who died in World War I, and her husband, Howard, who owned a music shop.

Quinn hopes for an opportunity to join the Christian band, but they do not want him as a permanent member. During his final obligatory visit to Ona, she asks him to drive her to Vermont to visit her first son, Laurentas, whom she had when she was 14.

In one of Ona’s interviews with the boy, she describes reuniting with Laurentas in 1963 on the same day that John F. Kennedy was shot. Their meeting was brief, awkward, and filled with pain, as Laurentas had only recently learned of Ona’s existence and his own origins. When Laurentas left that day, Ona knew that he wouldn’t return to her.

In the present, Quinn and Belle take Ona to Vermont to see Laurentas and obtain her birth certificate so that she can pursue the title of oldest living person. When she discovers that Laurentas has had a stroke and now lives in a care home, she is disappointed. She also panics at the news that her birth certificate, along with his home, burned in a fire when he was young. Later, when Quinn asks Ona why she is so keen to gain a place in the Guiness World Records, she explains that she wants to leave something behind when she dies.

At the motel, Ona accidentally soils herself and breaks down crying. Belle helps her with a bath and some clean clothes. That night, they talk about their children and their ex-husbands. Ona reveals that Frankie was her favorite son. Belle offers to help Ona locate census records at the state archives so that she can confirm her date of birth.

The narrative recounts a different interview with the boy in which Ona talks about Louise, a former colleague and friend who stood up for women in a male-dominated world.

At breakfast the next morning, Belle and her boyfriend, Ted, announce their sudden plans to get married right away. Although Quinn is hurt, he agrees to be their witness and even offers to pay for the ceremony. He reflects on his failed marriage and recognizes the need to move on.

In another interview with the boy, Ona recounts Louise’s influence on her life and education. Louise invited Ona to sit in on her literature classes, and she also taught Ona to dance. Ona developed unspoken romantic feelings for Louise during this time.

In the present, after Belle and Ted’s wedding, Quinn reflects on his failed attempts to bond with his son through music. Back at Ona’s house, Quinn notices things in need of repair and feels obligated to help. That night, Ona’s house is invaded by a group of young men. Though nothing is taken, Ona feels deeply violated.

As time goes on, Quinn completes home-improvement tasks for Ona, and their friendship deepens. Belle later gives Quinn a box of clippings that makes him realize that his son collected everything he could find about his father’s career as a struggling musician. Quinn realizes that, despite his many failures, he had his son’s admiration.

When Quinn learns that Belle has been using his child-support payments to help his son’s former Boy Scout troop, he agrees to continue sending payments.

In another interview with the boy, Ona recounts that Louise was fired due to false accusations. When Ona was too fearful to defend her, Louise ended both her job and her friendship with Ona. This development made Ona realize that she had lost the woman she loved, even though Louise did not love her the same way.

In the present, Belle visits and brings Ona’s records, and Ona recounts stories of a brother who died during her family’s immigration to the United States. This story unlocks her lost ability to speak Lithuanian.

In the final part of Ona’s interviews with the boy, she says that Louise returned later in life and reconnected with her. She and Louise traveled together, and later, when Louise was dying of bone cancer, she eventually moved in with Ona. When Louise died, Ona felt that her life had come to an end.

Now, Quinn visits the Christian band and is offered a role as co-manager instead of a guitarist. Though it is not his dream job, he accepts and feels honored. Quinn later visits Ona, where he and Belle say a painful goodbye. Quinn accepts that she will move on.

The narrative shifts into the recent past, when the boy set out before dawn in the final moments of his life, intending to record the morning bird chorus for Ona. As the boy listened to the birds, he felt overwhelmed by the world’s beauty. At that very moment, his heart failed, and he died. He had hoped that he, Quinn, and Ona would all be friends together.

In the end, Ona receives four records from Guiness: the oldest matron of honor, the oldest license holder, the oldest return visit to Lithuania, and the oldest multiple record holder.