I don’t believe in ghosts, but I do understand being afraid. When I was younger, I happily scared myself silly pretending there were monsters, goblins, and ghosts in my bedroom. But after I became a teenager and stopped thinking about spooky creatures until this one terrifying fishing trip… My name is Timmy, I had been working on fishing boats since I was small. My friends Captain Rick, Mike, Kurt, and I were going to spend a few days on the ocean catching rockfish to sell. Little did we know, we were heading for the strangest encounter of our lives!
Timmy Fishes is an endearingly quirky seafaring adventure
"Timmy Fishes: Adventures at the Sea" presents a somewhat engaging story, but it leans heavily on its illustrations. Unfortunately, some of these visuals appear to be hastily created, occasionally distracting, and lacking in the finesse of post-production editing. However, the peculiar charm of these less-than-perfect illustrations can paradoxically become a strength, especially for young readers. In their sheer quirkiness, they hold a unique appeal, particularly for children who may find them oddly endearing.
One compelling aspect is that the book draws inspiration from a true story, one that carries a slightly spooky, yet captivating, quality that is likely to resonate well with young readers. Overall, I believe that this book has the potential to capture the hearts of little children.
This is a picture book, and those are normally professionally illustrated and intended for young kids.
I think this fails as a children’s book on two counts: 1) it’s not really a story about kids or for kids. It’s simply a tale from the author’s adult life that he tried to turn into a children’s book without understand what children’s books are. 2) Many of the illustrations appear to be composites of photographs slapped together. Some pages are well done, but in some cases the scale and tone is really off between the elements.
So, kudos for writing and illustrating a book. But I think you missed the target audience.
“Ghost Ship (Timmy Fishes: Adventures at Sea)” is an original children’s book about an encounter with a ghost ship based on a true story. The illustrations are so strange that I first thought it was ai generated. The story is quite exciting, though the ending is a bit of a disappointment. I don’t want to spoil it. It was very realistic, though, being based on a true story. I missed more mystery around the ending. The build-up is just a bit excessive compared to how the end is solved. But the realistic illustrations and text teach something about being a fisherman at the sea, which is exciting. It succeeded in telling a true story!
I really enjoyed reviewing this book before letting my children read it. I don’t let them read anything that might provoke or cause fear. The story is well written, and I know my kids are gonna love it. I also enjoyed seeing the artwork and how they incorporated old photos into the pictures. Now I’m gonna go get the other books that are available.
This is the second book I have read by this author and I have liked them both. I love that this is based on a true story. The pictures of the characters in real life at the end are great. My children enjoyed it too. The illustrations are a bit off, especially any with humans, but if you can look past that a bit, the story will likely win you over.
Early readers who enjoy boats, fishing, and the sea should enjoy this lighthearted tale. Three fisherman board a mysterious boat. Is it haunted? Probably not.
My one wish: That this book was longer and read better on a phone or kindle. The illustrations were mostly great, and the storyline was interesting for the intended audience.