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Timmy Failure #1
Mistakes Were Made Timmy Failure
Meet "detective" Timmy Failure, star of the kids’ comedy of the year. Created by New York Times best-selling cartoonist Stephan Pastis.Take eleven-year-old Timmy Failure — the clueless, comically self-confident CEO of the best detective agency in town, perhaps even the nation. Add his impressively lazy business partner, a very large polar bear named Total. Throw in the Failuremobile — Timmy’s mom’s Segway — and what you have is Total Failure, Inc., a global enterprise destined to make Timmy so rich his mother won’t have to stress out about the bills anymore. Of course, Timmy’s plan does not include the four-foot-tall female whose name shall not be uttered. And it doesn’t include Rollo Tookus, who is so obsessed with getting into "Stanfurd" that he can’t carry out a no-brainer spy mission. From the offbeat creator of Pearls Before Swine comes an endearingly bumbling hero in a caper whose peerless hilarity is accompanied by a whodunit twist. With perfectly paced visual humor, Stephan Pastis gets you snorting with laughter, then slyly carries the joke a beat further — or sweetens it with an unexpected poignant moment — making this a comics-inspired story (the first in a new series) that truly stands apart from the pack.
Paperback
First published March 1, 2013
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About the author
Stephan Pastis
90 books444 followersStephan Pastis was born in 1968 and raised in San Marino, California, a suburb of Los Angeles. He graduated from the University of California at Berkeley in 1989 with a degree in political science. Although he had always wanted to be a syndicated cartoonist, Pastis realized that the odds of syndication were slim, so he entered UCLA Law School in 1990 and became an attorney instead. He practiced law in the San Francisco Bay area from 1993 to 2002. While an attorney, he began submitting various comic strip concepts to all of the syndicates, and, like virtually all beginning cartoonists, got his fair share of rejection slips. Then, in 1997, he began drawing Pearls Before Swine, which he submitted to the syndicates in mid-1999. In December, 1999, he signed a contract with United.
Pearls Before Swine debuted in newspapers in January, 2002, and Pastis left his law practice in August of that year. Pearls Before Swine was nominated in 2003, 2004 and 2007 as "Best Newspaper Comic Strip" by the National Cartoonists Society (NCS) and won the award in 2004 and 2007. Pastis lives with his family in Northern California.
Pearls Before Swine debuted in newspapers in January, 2002, and Pastis left his law practice in August of that year. Pearls Before Swine was nominated in 2003, 2004 and 2007 as "Best Newspaper Comic Strip" by the National Cartoonists Society (NCS) and won the award in 2004 and 2007. Pastis lives with his family in Northern California.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 1,137 reviews
December 30, 2016
My little brother made me read this book a few months back, and I honestly really enjoyed it. Now, if you excuse me, I'm going to go buy a polar bear side-kick for myself.
November 17, 2015
My friend, who is a librarian in the children's library, wanted me to read his favorite children's book.
He said it has a smart humour and then he told me he actually doesn't know in which age rang this book belongs.
Do you know what I think? In every age rang!
Because, I think the adults will appreciate this story written in the child's perspective and children will have a great time reading it, no matter what their age is.
Let me show you who we're dealing with here:
This is Timmy:
He has a detective agency called Total Failure, Inc. that solves mystery problems his mates from school have.
This is his buissness partner:
Total is a polar bear that moved in with Timmy and his mother. You could say he is a domestic polar bear.
Maybe they are not the quickest when it comes to solving problems, but they are definitely the most interesting, and will make you laugh hardly.
He said it has a smart humour and then he told me he actually doesn't know in which age rang this book belongs.
Do you know what I think? In every age rang!
Because, I think the adults will appreciate this story written in the child's perspective and children will have a great time reading it, no matter what their age is.
Let me show you who we're dealing with here:
This is Timmy:
He has a detective agency called Total Failure, Inc. that solves mystery problems his mates from school have.
This is his buissness partner:
Total is a polar bear that moved in with Timmy and his mother. You could say he is a domestic polar bear.
Maybe they are not the quickest when it comes to solving problems, but they are definitely the most interesting, and will make you laugh hardly.
June 17, 2014
In English classes, teachers often have lessons where students examine the reliability of a character's voice. Some tell the truth and some don't. Huckleberry Finn is an "unreliable narrator" who even says outright that sometimes he tells the truth, sometimes he lies, and sometimes he stretches the truth. Take a look at Holden Caulfield in "Catcher and the Rye," another top-notch unreliable narrator spewing contradictory statements and hyperboles in most of his dialogue. Some unreliable narrators in children's literature are: "The False Prince" by Jennifer Nielsen, "Liar & Spy" by Rebecca Stead, and "Monster" by Walter Dean Myers. Add to that list, "Timmy Failure: Mistakes Were Made," except stamp some great comic book pictures along with text and a protagonist like Elmer Fudd and you have a comedic unreliable narrator that makes me think of the Looney Tunes cartoon characters I grew up with in the 60's and 70's. In some ways Timmy's character reminds me of Junie B. Jones who acts superior to others, calls people stupid, yells at adults, acts like a twit head, talks back, and is mean to most peers. As the students say, "she's so dumb she's funny!" Timmy is so patently dumb he's funny too.
Timmy is a cathartic release of emotions for people who are either weary of making mistakes (like me) or afraid of making mistakes. Timmy makes mistakes. He drives a Failuremobile. He has a detective agency with a 1500 pound polar bear as a partner who never speaks in the book. The first case mentioned in the plot involves a kid in Timmy's class who hires him to find his missing Halloween candy. Timmy sees the classmate's younger brother with wrappers and writes in his notebook that the kid "is not tidy." He's the world's worst detective and as a parade of characters continue so does the humor and evidence of Timmy's problems at home and school. One such character, Timmy's teacher, shows he shouldn't be teaching anymore. He lacks energy, enthusiasm, and calls Timmy, "Captain Thickhead." While the scene is funny, Pastis uses good comedic technique by observing or poking fun at the failures found in human nature. When the new creative teacher is hired, the contrast between the two is duly noted.
Timmy hasn't had an easy life and its his problems interspersed with the humor that make this book better than similar fare. His single mom has lost her job and is dating a loser boyfriend that puts Timmy down. His mom clearly loves Timmy, reading to him before bed, blowing in his ear trying to make him laugh, and disciplining him when necessary. He's a handful and she does the best she can but the two live in a one bedroom apartment and there is little space. His nemesis is a classmate, "Corrina, Corrina" who also has a detective agency, is smart, and has a more stable life. Timmy isn't even on her radar even though he thinks that all she thinks about is him. He's failing school and his friend is the playground lady and polar bear that is either real or a figment of his imagination.
Pastis sure defies stereotypes. Take Flo the librarian that is short not for "Florence. It's short for 'Misshelve my books and the blood will FLOw." Timmy thinks that Flo gives him favors because he knows that he's a detective with connections to spring him from jail, need be. "And I, in turn, know he's looking out for the Timmynator." Flo looks like he belongs on a motorcycle wearing a leather vest with no shirt underneath and a World War I spiked German Helmet. Detective Timmy usually comes up with the most ludicrous reasons for solving his crimes and observing others. He notes that Flo reads dangerous books such as "To Kill a Mockingbird" and Emily Dickinson poetry. Timmy's delusional behavior hides the desperate side of his reality. I just saw a movie trailer for "The Secret Life of Walter Mitty." Timmy seems like the juvenile version of Walter Mitty.
One of my favorite parts is when Timmy has been grounded and forced to study because his mom got a letter from the principal saying he was failing grade level and would be held back. "I'm sitting there reading something about something when I see the pattern of the wood grain in my desk. And before I know it, I'm watching tiny me running through the maze." A funny illustration of big-Timmy and mini-Timmy tooling on the wood grain with big Timmy cheering "Go, me, go" accompanies the text. Timmy's muses, "And away goes an hour. So I try to read again. But I hear a dog. Which makes me think of cars. Which rhymes with jars. Which hold mayonnaise. So now I'm eating a bologna sandwich. And two hours are gone. So I try to study again." I had a laugh-out-loud moment on the elliptical machine scaring the woman chugging away next to me.
Timmy is a bit of a kindred spirit. I sat down to write this book review and the sunshine slashed a bright path across the smooth tile floor. It radiated warmth. What goes with warm sunshine? A chocolate sundae. I looked in the freezer. No ice cream. Ah, but a handy-dandy ice cream shop is around the corner. I snuck there and smothered my chocolate ice cream with M & M's. And there goes an hour. Then I looked at the kitchen table. The Pringles chips looked good. Which rhymes with tingles. Which made me go eat them. Which reminded me to make a dentist appointment. Which reminded me to pack my tennis bag and prepare a lesson for coaching tomorrow. And now two hours are gone. I'm back at my laptop. The sun is gone. Ah well. I'll try again.
When I was in college we used to stick popcorn up our nose and sing into our curling irons like microphones. And no, I did this perfectly sober. Okay... maybe I'm being an unreliable narrator with an unreliable memory, but that's besides the point. One of the things I love working with kids is they remind me to lighten up and be silly like I did as a kid (or young adult). When Timmy sticks three pencils up his nose because Rollo is so serious about studying I guffawed pretty loud while reading that on the elliptical machine. It was the second time I startled a girl exercising next to me. The text reads, "Here's how I teach Rollo" and the photo has Timmy with one eye looking dead on and the other slightly askew. A pencil hangs from each nose and one is sticking out of his ear with the speech bubble, "How'd those get in there?" Juvenile, silliness abounds with some heartfelt issues that Timmy is dealing with that make this quite witty and more memorable than the influx of Diary-of-a-Wimpy-Kid-wanna-be's. Stephen Pastis was a lawyer before becoming a syndicated cartoonist and is most known for the comic strip, "Pearls Before Swine." His adult wit and childish humor should make this popular with the middle grade readers. Toss in some really funny illustrations and you have a winner. Move over Junie B. Jones. You've met your match.
Timmy is a cathartic release of emotions for people who are either weary of making mistakes (like me) or afraid of making mistakes. Timmy makes mistakes. He drives a Failuremobile. He has a detective agency with a 1500 pound polar bear as a partner who never speaks in the book. The first case mentioned in the plot involves a kid in Timmy's class who hires him to find his missing Halloween candy. Timmy sees the classmate's younger brother with wrappers and writes in his notebook that the kid "is not tidy." He's the world's worst detective and as a parade of characters continue so does the humor and evidence of Timmy's problems at home and school. One such character, Timmy's teacher, shows he shouldn't be teaching anymore. He lacks energy, enthusiasm, and calls Timmy, "Captain Thickhead." While the scene is funny, Pastis uses good comedic technique by observing or poking fun at the failures found in human nature. When the new creative teacher is hired, the contrast between the two is duly noted.
Timmy hasn't had an easy life and its his problems interspersed with the humor that make this book better than similar fare. His single mom has lost her job and is dating a loser boyfriend that puts Timmy down. His mom clearly loves Timmy, reading to him before bed, blowing in his ear trying to make him laugh, and disciplining him when necessary. He's a handful and she does the best she can but the two live in a one bedroom apartment and there is little space. His nemesis is a classmate, "Corrina, Corrina" who also has a detective agency, is smart, and has a more stable life. Timmy isn't even on her radar even though he thinks that all she thinks about is him. He's failing school and his friend is the playground lady and polar bear that is either real or a figment of his imagination.
Pastis sure defies stereotypes. Take Flo the librarian that is short not for "Florence. It's short for 'Misshelve my books and the blood will FLOw." Timmy thinks that Flo gives him favors because he knows that he's a detective with connections to spring him from jail, need be. "And I, in turn, know he's looking out for the Timmynator." Flo looks like he belongs on a motorcycle wearing a leather vest with no shirt underneath and a World War I spiked German Helmet. Detective Timmy usually comes up with the most ludicrous reasons for solving his crimes and observing others. He notes that Flo reads dangerous books such as "To Kill a Mockingbird" and Emily Dickinson poetry. Timmy's delusional behavior hides the desperate side of his reality. I just saw a movie trailer for "The Secret Life of Walter Mitty." Timmy seems like the juvenile version of Walter Mitty.
One of my favorite parts is when Timmy has been grounded and forced to study because his mom got a letter from the principal saying he was failing grade level and would be held back. "I'm sitting there reading something about something when I see the pattern of the wood grain in my desk. And before I know it, I'm watching tiny me running through the maze." A funny illustration of big-Timmy and mini-Timmy tooling on the wood grain with big Timmy cheering "Go, me, go" accompanies the text. Timmy's muses, "And away goes an hour. So I try to read again. But I hear a dog. Which makes me think of cars. Which rhymes with jars. Which hold mayonnaise. So now I'm eating a bologna sandwich. And two hours are gone. So I try to study again." I had a laugh-out-loud moment on the elliptical machine scaring the woman chugging away next to me.
Timmy is a bit of a kindred spirit. I sat down to write this book review and the sunshine slashed a bright path across the smooth tile floor. It radiated warmth. What goes with warm sunshine? A chocolate sundae. I looked in the freezer. No ice cream. Ah, but a handy-dandy ice cream shop is around the corner. I snuck there and smothered my chocolate ice cream with M & M's. And there goes an hour. Then I looked at the kitchen table. The Pringles chips looked good. Which rhymes with tingles. Which made me go eat them. Which reminded me to make a dentist appointment. Which reminded me to pack my tennis bag and prepare a lesson for coaching tomorrow. And now two hours are gone. I'm back at my laptop. The sun is gone. Ah well. I'll try again.
When I was in college we used to stick popcorn up our nose and sing into our curling irons like microphones. And no, I did this perfectly sober. Okay... maybe I'm being an unreliable narrator with an unreliable memory, but that's besides the point. One of the things I love working with kids is they remind me to lighten up and be silly like I did as a kid (or young adult). When Timmy sticks three pencils up his nose because Rollo is so serious about studying I guffawed pretty loud while reading that on the elliptical machine. It was the second time I startled a girl exercising next to me. The text reads, "Here's how I teach Rollo" and the photo has Timmy with one eye looking dead on and the other slightly askew. A pencil hangs from each nose and one is sticking out of his ear with the speech bubble, "How'd those get in there?" Juvenile, silliness abounds with some heartfelt issues that Timmy is dealing with that make this quite witty and more memorable than the influx of Diary-of-a-Wimpy-Kid-wanna-be's. Stephen Pastis was a lawyer before becoming a syndicated cartoonist and is most known for the comic strip, "Pearls Before Swine." His adult wit and childish humor should make this popular with the middle grade readers. Toss in some really funny illustrations and you have a winner. Move over Junie B. Jones. You've met your match.
August 17, 2013
Timmy Failure lost me. This looked like it should be funny, but I just didn't like it very much. The cartoony line art was appealing, and the idea of a clueless boy detective with a polar bear sidekick sounded like it had lots of potential.
The problem was, I just didn't like Timmy. Not only was he clueless and irresponsible, he was kind of a jerk to his classmates.
I did like his relationship with his mother and the new teacher, and there I could see a glimmer of appeal. Timmy is so utterly in his own world, seeing how the adults work with this precocious yet inane kid was interesting and fun.
Kids who like the Wimpy Kid series might like this book with its similar feel and goofy humor. It just wasn't my cup of tea.
The problem was, I just didn't like Timmy. Not only was he clueless and irresponsible, he was kind of a jerk to his classmates.
I did like his relationship with his mother and the new teacher, and there I could see a glimmer of appeal. Timmy is so utterly in his own world, seeing how the adults work with this precocious yet inane kid was interesting and fun.
Kids who like the Wimpy Kid series might like this book with its similar feel and goofy humor. It just wasn't my cup of tea.
April 19, 2017
4 STARS!!!
This was a freaking hilarious read and I did not expect to laugh so much during my read of this but I did and I loved it. I got a wisdom tooth taken out a few days ago and it made it so hard to not bust out laughing reading every page because it hurts haha I was wondering how this was going to play with the mystery side of the story considering it is mostly illustrations made by the main character himself and not his 1,500 pound side-kick polar bear named Total and it turns out that it worked really well. Now there are no dead bodies and such, which you all know I love my mysteries with bodies... yeah, I'm morbid but this was still such a fun and hilarious read. I can't wait to read the rest in the series.
I was sent the entire series by Candle Wick Press for an honest review. All opinions and feels are my own. :)
- Richard
This was a freaking hilarious read and I did not expect to laugh so much during my read of this but I did and I loved it. I got a wisdom tooth taken out a few days ago and it made it so hard to not bust out laughing reading every page because it hurts haha I was wondering how this was going to play with the mystery side of the story considering it is mostly illustrations made by the main character himself and not his 1,500 pound side-kick polar bear named Total and it turns out that it worked really well. Now there are no dead bodies and such, which you all know I love my mysteries with bodies... yeah, I'm morbid but this was still such a fun and hilarious read. I can't wait to read the rest in the series.
I was sent the entire series by Candle Wick Press for an honest review. All opinions and feels are my own. :)
- Richard
February 26, 2013
Ah, Timmy Failure. I'm a little confused about how I feel about this book. It's hysterical, well written, introduces some new vocabulary (to myself, in addition to the middle-grade readers this book is aimed at), and shows glimpses at more serious real-life issues (single motherhood, economical issues, struggles in school). At the same time though, there's some mean name calling, hatred towards a little girl with no real reason (a little girl we find out is dealing with some family issues of her own), the vocabulary can be challenging and also Timmy's delusional view on life might be problematic for some readers. I was stuck between feeling sorry for him for being so ridiculous and laughing at how it was even possible to be so silly. That being said, the book was entertaining and will definitely, as others have said, be a great choice for fans of Wimpy Kid and Big Nate.
I'm looking forward to another Timmy Failure book, and I will be plagued with the question as to whether or not Timmy's polar bear, Total, is real or imaginary. My heart says he's real, but logic says no way. Although I was hoping to find answers on here, I'm glad to see that at least other grown-ups are battling the same question.
I'm looking forward to another Timmy Failure book, and I will be plagued with the question as to whether or not Timmy's polar bear, Total, is real or imaginary. My heart says he's real, but logic says no way. Although I was hoping to find answers on here, I'm glad to see that at least other grown-ups are battling the same question.
July 26, 2013
So, what I liked:
Pastis describes boys to a tee. Page 7: Drawing of Mom wagging finger and saying "Never. Ever. Ever." To which Timmy says, "I thought that was vague. So I use it."
That had me rolling.
What I didn't like:
Timmy reminds me of Greg from DIARY OF A WIMPY KID. They're both jerks. They treat their friends rotten and they're completely selfish and unambitious. This is not an accurate, or even a likable, portrayal of boys.
Also, I kept waiting for the big reveal, that Timmy has Asperger's. Then, when Mom's boyfriend talks about Timmy's make-believe, just after a ten page fake-out of a car accident, I'm left wondering, what in the world? Is Timmy truly delusional?
And the polar bear? Was I supposed to buy that, too?
I really wish Pastis had made Timmy more likable and gotten rid of the polar bear.
Pastis describes boys to a tee. Page 7: Drawing of Mom wagging finger and saying "Never. Ever. Ever." To which Timmy says, "I thought that was vague. So I use it."
That had me rolling.
What I didn't like:
Timmy reminds me of Greg from DIARY OF A WIMPY KID. They're both jerks. They treat their friends rotten and they're completely selfish and unambitious. This is not an accurate, or even a likable, portrayal of boys.
Also, I kept waiting for the big reveal, that Timmy has Asperger's. Then, when Mom's boyfriend talks about Timmy's make-believe, just after a ten page fake-out of a car accident, I'm left wondering, what in the world? Is Timmy truly delusional?
And the polar bear? Was I supposed to buy that, too?
I really wish Pastis had made Timmy more likable and gotten rid of the polar bear.
January 31, 2013
Call it the attack of the syndicated cartoonists. For whatever reason, in the year 2013 we are seeing droves of escapees from the comic strip pages leaping from the burning remains of the newspaper industry into the slightly less volatile world of books for kids. How different could it be, right? As a result you’ve The Odd Squad by Michael Fry (Over the Hedge) and Zits Chillax by Jerry Scott (Zits). Even editorial cartoonists are getting in on the act with Pulitzer prize winner Matt Davies and his picture book Ben Rides On. In the old days it was usually animators, greeting card designers, and Magic the Gathering illustrators who joined the children’s book fray. But now with graphic novels getting better than ever and libraries willing to buy the bloody things, the world has been made safe for cartoonists too. Into this state of affairs comes Timmy Failure: Mistakes Were Made. It is, without a doubt, the best of the cartoonist fare (author Stephan Pastis is the man behind the strip Pearls Before Swine), completely and utterly understanding its genre, its pacing, and the importance of leveling humor with down-to-earth human problems. Funnier than it deserves to be, here’s the book to hand the kind who has been told to read something with an unreliable narrator. Trust me, you’ll be the kid’s best friend if you give them this.
Meet Detective Failure. No, not really. Instead, meet Timmy Failure, just a normal kid with dreams so big they make Walter Mitty’s fantasies look like idle fancies. Living with just his single mom and his sidekick Total (a 1,500 pound polar bear but that’s neither here nor there), Timmy spends his days solving crimes for the other kids in his class. He may not be very good at it but it’s a living. Timmy’s sure his talents will launch him into a future of fame an fortune. That is, if he can defeat his nemesis Corrina Corrina, get his mom to stop grounding him, deal with the loser she’s dating, and figure out how to keep Total out of a zoo. It’s a big job. Fortunately, Timmy has a more than hefty ego to handle it.
I am a grown woman with a child of my own. I am an adult. I pay bills and watch Masterpiece Theater. In other words, my grown-up cred is in place. That said, I can’t tell you how many debates I’ve already had with folks over whether or not Timmy’s darn polar bear is real or not. My husband claims that the bear is a manifestation of Timmy’s break with reality in the same way that Hobbes seemed to walk around in the comic strip Calvin and Hobbes. I like to point out that Hobbes had an actual physical form as a stuffed tiger and where precisely is the stuffed polar bear in all this? Maybe I have a hard time acknowledging the fact that Total isn’t real because if that’s true then Timmy’s life is even sadder than I initially thought.
Because, you see, that’s the real joy of Timmy Failure; the misery. On the one hand we are meant to yell and scream at our oblivious hero and to mock him for his inability to face reality. On the other hand, when you see how sad his life is, you cannot help but feel for him. That poignancy almost makes it funny again. His mom, for example, is single and holding down a low-income job as best she can. It’s not her fault her kiddo is as detached from the world around him as he is. And Timmy, truth be told, pretends to be a detective mostly because he wants to give his mom a better life. His bravado is hiding some pretty desperate hopes and dreams. You get glimpses past that bravado from time to time, and those are the moments that lift the book up and out of the world of pseudo-Diary of a Wimpy Kid notebook novel knock-offs that clog library and bookseller shelves. For example, there’s one moment when Timmy’s mom cuddles him then blows into his ear because he finds it funny. He objects in his usual staunch way then . . . “Do it again”. The book also dares to take potshots at folks who might actually deserve it. Timmy’s teacher has checked out of teaching long since. He’s the kind of guy who hasn’t cared about what he’s doing in years. Should’ve retired a decade or more ago. When you see that, can you help but love the hell Timmy drags him through?
I wonder to myself how far kids will go to believe Timmy. The book sets you up pretty early to understand how unreliable he is but there may be times when gullible readers believe what he says. They might actually think that Flo the librarian (a guy who looks like he’d be more comfortable pounding rocks on a chain gang than running a library) really does read books about crushing things with your fists. All the more reason Timmy is confused when he catches the man reading Emily Dickinson. “And if she can crush things with her fist, her photo is somewhat misleading.”
In the course of any of this have I actually mentioned that the book is guffaw-worthy? Laugh-out-loud funny? Look, any book where the main character reasons that since the name “Chang” is the most common in the world he should automatically fill it in on all his test papers because the odds would be with him has my interest. Add in the fact that you’ve titles of chapters with names like, “You may find yourself behind the wheel of a large automobile” (well played, Pastis) and visual moments where Timmy is holding a box of rice krispie treats above his head ala Say Anything. Clearly this is adult humor, but when he hits it on the kid level (which is all the time) the readers will be rolling.
The art is, of course, sublime. Look at Timmy himself if you don’t believe me. On the cover of the book he looks pretty okay but turn the pages and there’s definitely something a little bit off about him. Did you figure out what it was? Look at his eyes. With the greatest of care Pastis has places one pupil dead in the center of Timmy’s eye and the in the other eye the pupil is juuuuuuuuust barely off-center. It’s not the kind of thing you’d necessarily notice consciously. You’d just be left with the clear sense that there’s something off about this kid. Then there’s the fact that all the characters are often staring right at you. Right in the eye. It reminded me of Jon Klassen’s I Want My Hat Back. Same school play feel. Same wary characters.
It should be of little surprise that the guy behind the Pearls Before Swine comic strip should also produce some fan-tastic animals. My favorite is Senor Burrito, a cat who dunks her paw into Timmy’s tea whenever he turns his head. The image of her sitting there, one paw well past her elbow in a teacup, is so good I’d rip it out of the book and frame it if I could justify the act of defacement.
When Seinfeld first came out the unofficial slogan was “No hugging. No learning.” If there’s a motto to be ascribed to Timmy Failure I may have to be “No learning. No growing. Hugs allowed.” Basically this is Calvin and Hobbes if Calvin’s fantasies were based entirely on how great he is. A step above the usual notebook novel fare, it dares to have a little bit of heart embedded amidst the madcap craziness. Timmy won’t be everybody’s cup of tea, but for a certain segment of the population his adventures will prove to be precisely the kind of balm they need. Top notch stuff. A cut above the cartoons.
For ages 9-12.
Meet Detective Failure. No, not really. Instead, meet Timmy Failure, just a normal kid with dreams so big they make Walter Mitty’s fantasies look like idle fancies. Living with just his single mom and his sidekick Total (a 1,500 pound polar bear but that’s neither here nor there), Timmy spends his days solving crimes for the other kids in his class. He may not be very good at it but it’s a living. Timmy’s sure his talents will launch him into a future of fame an fortune. That is, if he can defeat his nemesis Corrina Corrina, get his mom to stop grounding him, deal with the loser she’s dating, and figure out how to keep Total out of a zoo. It’s a big job. Fortunately, Timmy has a more than hefty ego to handle it.
I am a grown woman with a child of my own. I am an adult. I pay bills and watch Masterpiece Theater. In other words, my grown-up cred is in place. That said, I can’t tell you how many debates I’ve already had with folks over whether or not Timmy’s darn polar bear is real or not. My husband claims that the bear is a manifestation of Timmy’s break with reality in the same way that Hobbes seemed to walk around in the comic strip Calvin and Hobbes. I like to point out that Hobbes had an actual physical form as a stuffed tiger and where precisely is the stuffed polar bear in all this? Maybe I have a hard time acknowledging the fact that Total isn’t real because if that’s true then Timmy’s life is even sadder than I initially thought.
Because, you see, that’s the real joy of Timmy Failure; the misery. On the one hand we are meant to yell and scream at our oblivious hero and to mock him for his inability to face reality. On the other hand, when you see how sad his life is, you cannot help but feel for him. That poignancy almost makes it funny again. His mom, for example, is single and holding down a low-income job as best she can. It’s not her fault her kiddo is as detached from the world around him as he is. And Timmy, truth be told, pretends to be a detective mostly because he wants to give his mom a better life. His bravado is hiding some pretty desperate hopes and dreams. You get glimpses past that bravado from time to time, and those are the moments that lift the book up and out of the world of pseudo-Diary of a Wimpy Kid notebook novel knock-offs that clog library and bookseller shelves. For example, there’s one moment when Timmy’s mom cuddles him then blows into his ear because he finds it funny. He objects in his usual staunch way then . . . “Do it again”. The book also dares to take potshots at folks who might actually deserve it. Timmy’s teacher has checked out of teaching long since. He’s the kind of guy who hasn’t cared about what he’s doing in years. Should’ve retired a decade or more ago. When you see that, can you help but love the hell Timmy drags him through?
I wonder to myself how far kids will go to believe Timmy. The book sets you up pretty early to understand how unreliable he is but there may be times when gullible readers believe what he says. They might actually think that Flo the librarian (a guy who looks like he’d be more comfortable pounding rocks on a chain gang than running a library) really does read books about crushing things with your fists. All the more reason Timmy is confused when he catches the man reading Emily Dickinson. “And if she can crush things with her fist, her photo is somewhat misleading.”
In the course of any of this have I actually mentioned that the book is guffaw-worthy? Laugh-out-loud funny? Look, any book where the main character reasons that since the name “Chang” is the most common in the world he should automatically fill it in on all his test papers because the odds would be with him has my interest. Add in the fact that you’ve titles of chapters with names like, “You may find yourself behind the wheel of a large automobile” (well played, Pastis) and visual moments where Timmy is holding a box of rice krispie treats above his head ala Say Anything. Clearly this is adult humor, but when he hits it on the kid level (which is all the time) the readers will be rolling.
The art is, of course, sublime. Look at Timmy himself if you don’t believe me. On the cover of the book he looks pretty okay but turn the pages and there’s definitely something a little bit off about him. Did you figure out what it was? Look at his eyes. With the greatest of care Pastis has places one pupil dead in the center of Timmy’s eye and the in the other eye the pupil is juuuuuuuuust barely off-center. It’s not the kind of thing you’d necessarily notice consciously. You’d just be left with the clear sense that there’s something off about this kid. Then there’s the fact that all the characters are often staring right at you. Right in the eye. It reminded me of Jon Klassen’s I Want My Hat Back. Same school play feel. Same wary characters.
It should be of little surprise that the guy behind the Pearls Before Swine comic strip should also produce some fan-tastic animals. My favorite is Senor Burrito, a cat who dunks her paw into Timmy’s tea whenever he turns his head. The image of her sitting there, one paw well past her elbow in a teacup, is so good I’d rip it out of the book and frame it if I could justify the act of defacement.
When Seinfeld first came out the unofficial slogan was “No hugging. No learning.” If there’s a motto to be ascribed to Timmy Failure I may have to be “No learning. No growing. Hugs allowed.” Basically this is Calvin and Hobbes if Calvin’s fantasies were based entirely on how great he is. A step above the usual notebook novel fare, it dares to have a little bit of heart embedded amidst the madcap craziness. Timmy won’t be everybody’s cup of tea, but for a certain segment of the population his adventures will prove to be precisely the kind of balm they need. Top notch stuff. A cut above the cartoons.
For ages 9-12.
September 3, 2020
Well, it was Fayleure
“But somebody changed it.”
Giggly and hilarious. The best kids’ books are written for everyone with new discoveries found each re-read, with each child that you can read it to, or with.
Like Winnie-the-Pooh:
“Hello, Rabbit,' he said, 'is that you?'
'Let's pretend it isn't,' said Rabbit, 'and see what happens.”
or
Owl … “could read quite comfortably when you weren't looking over his shoulder and saying "Well?" all the time, and he could --
"Well?" said Rabbit
"Yes," said Owl, looking Wise and Thoughtful. "I see what you mean. Undoubtedly."
"Well?"
"Exactly," said Owl. "Precisely." And he added, after a little thought,
"If you had not come to me, I should have come to you."
"Why?" asked Rabbit.
"For that very reason," said Owl, hoping that something helpful would happen soon.”
from Alice, so many -
The wisdom of the Mock Turtle:
“Reeling and Writhing, of course, to begin with, and then the different branches of arithmetic -- Ambition, Distraction, Uglification, and Derision.”
And from the Duchess, a quote that has always seemed so quintessentially British:
"Be what you would seem to be -- or, if you'd like it put more simply -- Never imagine yourself not to be otherwise than what it might appear to others that what you were or might have been was not otherwise than what you had been would have appeared to them to be otherwise.”
What is so new and fresh about Timmy Failure, detective extraordinaire -perhaps because he couldn’t solve a case to save his life, but he’s completely delightful while screwing up each step of the way - is that he mocks bits of the last half century in the USA, much well overdue for roasting.
Your average 8-12 year old (the suggested age group for this book) wouldn’t get the references of most of the chapter titles:
“I Get No Kick From Kickball”
“Dial M for Magellan”
(his answer to who first sailed around the globe was CHANG. Playing the odds - he knew that was the most common last name in the world…)
“Movin’ On Up”
“Happiness is Not a Dumb Blanket”
“You Can Always Go Downtown”
“It Ain’t Me Gabe”
I may be wrong - but the Jeffersons? Peanuts? Petula Clark? Many decades ago. Those are there for the Older Readers.
But i was reduced to jelly when our hero was filling out a standardized test form so that the dots made the shape of his name (last year he made mountains). The difference was that this year they were being graded in a group:
“I had to do it.
If Old Man Crocus was going to pair me with You-Know-Who, I had no choice but to throw myself upon the gears of the machinery and make the whole wretched process come to a halt.”
Somewhere, Mario Savio is smiling.
“But somebody changed it.”
Giggly and hilarious. The best kids’ books are written for everyone with new discoveries found each re-read, with each child that you can read it to, or with.
Like Winnie-the-Pooh:
“Hello, Rabbit,' he said, 'is that you?'
'Let's pretend it isn't,' said Rabbit, 'and see what happens.”
or
Owl … “could read quite comfortably when you weren't looking over his shoulder and saying "Well?" all the time, and he could --
"Well?" said Rabbit
"Yes," said Owl, looking Wise and Thoughtful. "I see what you mean. Undoubtedly."
"Well?"
"Exactly," said Owl. "Precisely." And he added, after a little thought,
"If you had not come to me, I should have come to you."
"Why?" asked Rabbit.
"For that very reason," said Owl, hoping that something helpful would happen soon.”
from Alice, so many -
The wisdom of the Mock Turtle:
“Reeling and Writhing, of course, to begin with, and then the different branches of arithmetic -- Ambition, Distraction, Uglification, and Derision.”
And from the Duchess, a quote that has always seemed so quintessentially British:
"Be what you would seem to be -- or, if you'd like it put more simply -- Never imagine yourself not to be otherwise than what it might appear to others that what you were or might have been was not otherwise than what you had been would have appeared to them to be otherwise.”
What is so new and fresh about Timmy Failure, detective extraordinaire -perhaps because he couldn’t solve a case to save his life, but he’s completely delightful while screwing up each step of the way - is that he mocks bits of the last half century in the USA, much well overdue for roasting.
Your average 8-12 year old (the suggested age group for this book) wouldn’t get the references of most of the chapter titles:
“I Get No Kick From Kickball”
“Dial M for Magellan”
(his answer to who first sailed around the globe was CHANG. Playing the odds - he knew that was the most common last name in the world…)
“Movin’ On Up”
“Happiness is Not a Dumb Blanket”
“You Can Always Go Downtown”
“It Ain’t Me Gabe”
I may be wrong - but the Jeffersons? Peanuts? Petula Clark? Many decades ago. Those are there for the Older Readers.
But i was reduced to jelly when our hero was filling out a standardized test form so that the dots made the shape of his name (last year he made mountains). The difference was that this year they were being graded in a group:
“I had to do it.
If Old Man Crocus was going to pair me with You-Know-Who, I had no choice but to throw myself upon the gears of the machinery and make the whole wretched process come to a halt.”
Somewhere, Mario Savio is smiling.
November 11, 2022
اولین بار، وقتی فهمیدم عاشق دنیای بچههام که فیلم «مشق شب» آقای کیارستمی رو دیدم. هنوزم تعداد زیادی از بهترین کتابام جزء کتابای کودکان هستند. خیلی باحاله که انتشارات «دنیای اقتصاد»، دقیقا دو حوزهی علاقهی عمدهی من رو پوشش میده؛ از یک طرف کتابای فلسفهی سیاسی و اقتصادیِ کاملا بزرگسالانه، و از طرفی این سری کتابهای کودکان (که قصد دارم بیشتر و بیشتر هم بخونمشون).
February 19, 2013
I've heard Timmy Failure described as the "the next Diary of a Wimpy Kid." I love statements like that. They get the best eye-rolls. But wait, check out the first lines.
"It's harder to drive a polar bear into somebody's living room than you'd think. You need a living room window that's big enough to fit a car. You need a car that's big enough to fit a polar bear. And you need a bolar bear that's big enough to not point out your errors."
I know what you're thinking. How will the rest of a book from a first time children's author ever pull off a story with an opening like that?
Well, if this one's going to show up with a blurb from Jeff Kinney on the cover, let's start the comparisons. If you know any fans of Wimpy Kid, they read it like I watch Arrested Development. Over and over and over again. Sometimes they read the same book again and again. Sometimes they start from the beginning and go through the series. Hey, if you're forced to read for 20 minutes a night, might as well enjoy it, right? We fall in love with stories that are greater than the sum of their parts.
Failure's got it. They say boys tend to be more plot-centric. That they don't care for character development and feelings and all that. There better be some good ol' violence or at the very least some bathroom humor. And yeah, I love the books that pull those elements off as much as the next 10-year-old, but when character is given the treatment Pastis and Kinney work, we love that too.
Pastis captures the magic that, until now, I’ve only seen from Jeff Kinney. We’re able to laugh our way through every situation, every interaction, every moment of Timmy’s complete ineptitude; without ever losing our sense of compassion for a kid who’s got the deck stacked against him.
It’s Timmy’s situation that highlights the brilliance of Patsis’ writing. Betsy Bird brought up the question about whether Total, Timmy’s associate who happens to be a 1,500 pound polar bear, is a real part of the story or as her husband thinks, a manifestation of Timmy’s break from reality. I was sure I agreed with Matt. Most of the time. Because there are more places where you could evidence the latter. But then, there are those moments where Total absolutely has to be real.
This conundrum completely mirrors Timmy’s character. Most of the events lead you to conclude that Timmy is cognitively limited and a complete outcast. He eats on a lunch bench by himself to ensure the other kids won’t steal his secrets. Except, nobody is ever overtly mean to him. He seems to spend enough time with friends, dropping great punchlines as opposed to actually solving their cases. Even Flo, hardcore-biker-librarian shows up at his play.
When Timmy ends up with a new teacher and he’s asked to work on “cases” he actually pulls off decent grades. Which, of course, on affirms the shortcomings of the educational system since Timmy has to be the one to solve the cases.
In the end, I truly believe that Timmy’s a smart kid who just doesn’t have a reason to try. Or, he’s completely out of touch with reality. Or, he’s both. Or, the contradictions are all complete oversights by the author. Either way, it couldn’t matter any less. Timmy Failure is as touching (don’t tell) as it is a riot.
"It's harder to drive a polar bear into somebody's living room than you'd think. You need a living room window that's big enough to fit a car. You need a car that's big enough to fit a polar bear. And you need a bolar bear that's big enough to not point out your errors."
I know what you're thinking. How will the rest of a book from a first time children's author ever pull off a story with an opening like that?
Well, if this one's going to show up with a blurb from Jeff Kinney on the cover, let's start the comparisons. If you know any fans of Wimpy Kid, they read it like I watch Arrested Development. Over and over and over again. Sometimes they read the same book again and again. Sometimes they start from the beginning and go through the series. Hey, if you're forced to read for 20 minutes a night, might as well enjoy it, right? We fall in love with stories that are greater than the sum of their parts.
Failure's got it. They say boys tend to be more plot-centric. That they don't care for character development and feelings and all that. There better be some good ol' violence or at the very least some bathroom humor. And yeah, I love the books that pull those elements off as much as the next 10-year-old, but when character is given the treatment Pastis and Kinney work, we love that too.
Pastis captures the magic that, until now, I’ve only seen from Jeff Kinney. We’re able to laugh our way through every situation, every interaction, every moment of Timmy’s complete ineptitude; without ever losing our sense of compassion for a kid who’s got the deck stacked against him.
It’s Timmy’s situation that highlights the brilliance of Patsis’ writing. Betsy Bird brought up the question about whether Total, Timmy’s associate who happens to be a 1,500 pound polar bear, is a real part of the story or as her husband thinks, a manifestation of Timmy’s break from reality. I was sure I agreed with Matt. Most of the time. Because there are more places where you could evidence the latter. But then, there are those moments where Total absolutely has to be real.
This conundrum completely mirrors Timmy’s character. Most of the events lead you to conclude that Timmy is cognitively limited and a complete outcast. He eats on a lunch bench by himself to ensure the other kids won’t steal his secrets. Except, nobody is ever overtly mean to him. He seems to spend enough time with friends, dropping great punchlines as opposed to actually solving their cases. Even Flo, hardcore-biker-librarian shows up at his play.
When Timmy ends up with a new teacher and he’s asked to work on “cases” he actually pulls off decent grades. Which, of course, on affirms the shortcomings of the educational system since Timmy has to be the one to solve the cases.
In the end, I truly believe that Timmy’s a smart kid who just doesn’t have a reason to try. Or, he’s completely out of touch with reality. Or, he’s both. Or, the contradictions are all complete oversights by the author. Either way, it couldn’t matter any less. Timmy Failure is as touching (don’t tell) as it is a riot.
December 13, 2015
This kid is supposed to be comic, but seemed like an idiot and a brat. Maybe his antics are supposed to be so outlandish that even a child can see through them, but I'd rather my child just not be exposed to it at all.
September 12, 2019
Timmy is like that awful boy from the Wimpy Kid books, but he's the MC and the hero; yeah, run that concept through your brain again. Being a jerk, calling people names, body shaming others, being mean, destroying other's property... yay, let's hear it for all the "misunderstood" kids in the world, let them be themselves and celebrate it. What kind of a message is that to be sending elementary school children?
I know Timmy probably has ADHD, it was hinted at many times, but the author painted a picture of a rude, disrepectful, bullying, over the top destructive (I'm talking taking a car and crashing it into a house... almost killing someone destructive, not an I found my mom's box of paperclips and bent all of them out of shape destructive) child with zero redeeming characteristics. That's not a very good representation of children with ADHD.
And speaking of the car crash... there were no consequences for Timmy, in fact the police gave him chocolate milk and a tour of the police station.
Then there was all the adult puns and wording, "Those inclined toward generous interpretation might say it's a goddess rising from the sea. Or Adam touching the hand of God," which also showcases the horrible punctuation in this book. For a while I was thinking this was intended as an adult parody of an MG early reader chapter book (like Diary of a Wimpy Kid) because there was so much adult humor, but no, it's an early reader chapter book according to the publisher.
There was a lot of body shaming going on in this story, and in a way that made it seem like it was okay to do, even funny cool.
At the very end the teacher tricked Timmy into doing his homework, which I know was a nod to teachers and parents who have students and children with ADHD, but it wasn't presented in a way that 7-11 year olds would get it. It just looked like another way Timmy was being rewarded for not following rules.
This book should be retitled The Making of a Juvenile Delinquent.
I won the first four books of this series, and was excited to have them to put in the Little Free Library at our neighborhood community center, but I can't put this book in it with a clear conscience. I'm going to recycle it. I will skim read the other three before I decide what to do with them.
I know Timmy probably has ADHD, it was hinted at many times, but the author painted a picture of a rude, disrepectful, bullying, over the top destructive (I'm talking taking a car and crashing it into a house... almost killing someone destructive, not an I found my mom's box of paperclips and bent all of them out of shape destructive) child with zero redeeming characteristics. That's not a very good representation of children with ADHD.
And speaking of the car crash... there were no consequences for Timmy, in fact the police gave him chocolate milk and a tour of the police station.
Then there was all the adult puns and wording, "Those inclined toward generous interpretation might say it's a goddess rising from the sea. Or Adam touching the hand of God," which also showcases the horrible punctuation in this book. For a while I was thinking this was intended as an adult parody of an MG early reader chapter book (like Diary of a Wimpy Kid) because there was so much adult humor, but no, it's an early reader chapter book according to the publisher.
There was a lot of body shaming going on in this story, and in a way that made it seem like it was okay to do, even funny cool.
At the very end the teacher tricked Timmy into doing his homework, which I know was a nod to teachers and parents who have students and children with ADHD, but it wasn't presented in a way that 7-11 year olds would get it. It just looked like another way Timmy was being rewarded for not following rules.
This book should be retitled The Making of a Juvenile Delinquent.
I won the first four books of this series, and was excited to have them to put in the Little Free Library at our neighborhood community center, but I can't put this book in it with a clear conscience. I'm going to recycle it. I will skim read the other three before I decide what to do with them.
November 15, 2021
Very interesting, it's an easy read and i need to read the next one.
August 18, 2013
Rating Decision Crisis: 2 stars, or 3? Started slow, Timmy too much like Wimpy Kid/AwfulHumanBeing Greg Heffley, but improved, slowly....
Did warrant a few chuckles, though; Timmy's statement that Corrina Corrina "has the ethics of a donkey" made me laugh out loud, as did his understanding that Flo the Librarian was reading more books about killing innocent creatures when he sees him reading my favorite book of all-time, To Kill a Mockingbird. Another truly funny moment comes when Timmy sees the photo of Emily Dickinson on the book Flo the Librarian is reading and thinks, “if she can crush things with her fist, her photo is somewhat misleading.” Had there been more of those moments, I would've bumped the star power up a notch or two.
Timmy Failure is an idiot. That's the only way I know to describe him. He thinks he's a genius, but he is oblivious to what is going on around him. He fancies himself a detective but misses clues a 4-year-old would catch. He's also mean to his friend Rollo ("the rotund boy"), mean to his classmate who clearly has a crush on him, and he's mean to his other classmate, Corrina Corrina, who has enough problems on her own with her emotionally absent father. He's not very respectful of his mother or his teacher. He just seems to think he's the smartest and really has no time for anyone who doesn't think that, too.
Whether his pet polar bear Total is real or not, a la Calvin & Hobbes, I couldn't say. He didn't add a whole lot to the story, but I did enjoy seeing him steal Staci the polar bear's beach ball.
Perhaps a re-reading would make me like this more. Maybe I'm looking at it all wrong. Maybe it's because I'm predisposed to dislike Greg Heffley and his ilk. Immensely. But...since I don't have the ability to award 2.5 stars, I'm going to have to stick with the two-star "it was ok", because I just didn't like it enough to say, "I liked it".
All that said, though, I think kids will love this one, and if I had any money at all in my library budget, I'd buy a couple of copies.
Did warrant a few chuckles, though; Timmy's statement that Corrina Corrina "has the ethics of a donkey" made me laugh out loud, as did his understanding that Flo the Librarian was reading more books about killing innocent creatures when he sees him reading my favorite book of all-time, To Kill a Mockingbird. Another truly funny moment comes when Timmy sees the photo of Emily Dickinson on the book Flo the Librarian is reading and thinks, “if she can crush things with her fist, her photo is somewhat misleading.” Had there been more of those moments, I would've bumped the star power up a notch or two.
Timmy Failure is an idiot. That's the only way I know to describe him. He thinks he's a genius, but he is oblivious to what is going on around him. He fancies himself a detective but misses clues a 4-year-old would catch. He's also mean to his friend Rollo ("the rotund boy"), mean to his classmate who clearly has a crush on him, and he's mean to his other classmate, Corrina Corrina, who has enough problems on her own with her emotionally absent father. He's not very respectful of his mother or his teacher. He just seems to think he's the smartest and really has no time for anyone who doesn't think that, too.
Whether his pet polar bear Total is real or not, a la Calvin & Hobbes, I couldn't say. He didn't add a whole lot to the story, but I did enjoy seeing him steal Staci the polar bear's beach ball.
Perhaps a re-reading would make me like this more. Maybe I'm looking at it all wrong. Maybe it's because I'm predisposed to dislike Greg Heffley and his ilk. Immensely. But...since I don't have the ability to award 2.5 stars, I'm going to have to stick with the two-star "it was ok", because I just didn't like it enough to say, "I liked it".
All that said, though, I think kids will love this one, and if I had any money at all in my library budget, I'd buy a couple of copies.
May 1, 2013
I'm a sucker for a flawed, unreliable narrator, love understated, deadpan humor, and believe self-delusion is an unavoidable fact of life that should be embraced by all good stories, so it would seem that Timmy Failure has a winning formula for me since it has all three of these in abundance. Unfortunately, the humor never quite connected with my funny bone. I think it had something to do with how obviously hard Pastis works to make sure readers notice Timmy's failings and feel superior in response; a bold, neon, flashing effort that overwhelmed any other aspect of the character, tale, or telling for me. I appreciate the effort and think there is a good-sized audience that will have a sense of humor that gels perfectly with the author, but I was merely mildly amused.
May 30, 2013
Yes, Timmy Failure, mistakes WERE made. The first mistake was your very existence. Does the world really need another one of those Wimpy Kid knockoffs?
The second mistake was making you a bumbling arrogant character that no reader could possibly root for.
The third mistake was immediately allowing the reader to solve the mystery but still forcing us to wait for Timmy to solve it, in the name of comedy.
There were no real stakes, no real characters, no originality, but there WAS a lazy polar bear detective. So I shall award you two stars.
The second mistake was making you a bumbling arrogant character that no reader could possibly root for.
The third mistake was immediately allowing the reader to solve the mystery but still forcing us to wait for Timmy to solve it, in the name of comedy.
There were no real stakes, no real characters, no originality, but there WAS a lazy polar bear detective. So I shall award you two stars.
February 26, 2013
What I love about Timmy Failure is that you can read it on two levels. On the one hand, it's hilarious. Timmy's delusions of grandeur and boundless faith in himself make for a lot of funny situations. But the adult reader, and probably quite a few sophisticated kids, will also see Timmy struggling to make a very imperfect world into the one he'd rather have, and will be happy when things turn out well for Timmy despite his best efforts.
February 27, 2019
Absolutely marvelous. I was expecting more puns, since this is from a guy who runs pearls before swine but absolufuckinglutely marvdonkulous!
March 19, 2020
Osobno volim ponekad pročitati dječje knjige jer su opuštajuće i zabavne. Ova je knjiga upravo takva bila na početku, ali što sam sve više čitao počeo sam uviđati velike probleme. Immy ima 11 godina, a pri kraju knjige ispada kao da ima 2 mjeseca po razini logike, sazrijevanja i svemu pokazuje da ima problema. Razina demoniziranja i neshvaćanja osnovnih postupaka i reakcija je meni bilo uznemirujuće. Ipak možda sam ja prestar, a možda ova knjiga stvarno ima žešće probleme sa glavnim likom koji ima previše problema u svojoj glavi.
May 24, 2015
Timmy Failure je môj nový najobľúbenejší osemročný hrdina!
Má toľko dobrých heftov, že kebyže ich mám vypísať, tak to bude polka knihy! Akože fakt si to prečítajte. Timmy Failure stojí za to. A ak si udrží kvalitu aj v Ďalších častiach, tak sa veľmo teším!
I like him very much!
ochutnávka:
I asked mother for a teleconference to discuss this and other thingsm but she is constantly rescheduling. I'm not pushing the issue for now, but I expect it will come up at her year-end review. That's the annual meeting where I sum up her strenghts and weaknesses as a mother.
The way she is pushing the whole school thing is definitely going to hurt her review.
:D :D :D
Má toľko dobrých heftov, že kebyže ich mám vypísať, tak to bude polka knihy! Akože fakt si to prečítajte. Timmy Failure stojí za to. A ak si udrží kvalitu aj v Ďalších častiach, tak sa veľmo teším!
I like him very much!
ochutnávka:
I asked mother for a teleconference to discuss this and other thingsm but she is constantly rescheduling. I'm not pushing the issue for now, but I expect it will come up at her year-end review. That's the annual meeting where I sum up her strenghts and weaknesses as a mother.
The way she is pushing the whole school thing is definitely going to hurt her review.
:D :D :D
March 29, 2013
It's no Milo: Sticky Notes and Brain Freeze, but it's pretty good. The main character is equally as inept and self-centered as Wimpy Kid, but not nearly as rude or whiny. He comes off as more just...oblivious and bumbling.
Definitely some recognizable humor and style from Pearls Before Swine.
I reviewed this on the TMC Guys Read Blog at http://guysread.wordpress.com/2013/03...
Definitely some recognizable humor and style from Pearls Before Swine.
I reviewed this on the TMC Guys Read Blog at http://guysread.wordpress.com/2013/03...
November 20, 2023
Though this book is expected to appease equivalently to the readers of Wimpy Kid and Tom Gates, I could imagine Timmy Failure is heavily inspired from Calvin and Hobbes.
It tries hard to be funny, but sadly, lacks the one thing that CnH has - a very likeable character.
Tried as hard as I could, I failed to like Failure, a brutish obnoxious dimwit that he is.
I hope, my daughter doesn't like him either, so that I wouldn't have to buy any more from the series. Fingers crossed.
Pongalswamy laughed, "Stop reading books intended for human beings THIRTY years younger than you."
It tries hard to be funny, but sadly, lacks the one thing that CnH has - a very likeable character.
Tried as hard as I could, I failed to like Failure, a brutish obnoxious dimwit that he is.
I hope, my daughter doesn't like him either, so that I wouldn't have to buy any more from the series. Fingers crossed.
Pongalswamy laughed, "Stop reading books intended for human beings THIRTY years younger than you."
Read
August 18, 2023My son LOVED this book but I did have to frequently stop and remind him that it’s not okay to comment on other people’s bodies!
April 19, 2018
Fun and amusing.
I was almost done with the book before it occurred to me that Total, Timmy's polar bear friend, might not be real. This idea FILLED ME WITH RAGE. I hate when books have fantastical elements that turn out to be someone's imagination or a dream or a hallucination or whatnot. So while I'm glad that the book never actually indicates that Total is imaginary, I wish it would go farther in the opposite direction, making it clear that he's real. (That's something I love about the Phoebe and Her Unicorn comics, in which absolutely everyone can see and interact with the fantasy creatures.) A couple of adults do refer to Total when speaking to Timmy, but they could just be humoring him. ARGH I HATE THE UNCERTAINTY CHARACTERS IN A BOOK SHOULD BE REAL IN THAT BOOK DARNIT
I was almost done with the book before it occurred to me that Total, Timmy's polar bear friend, might not be real. This idea FILLED ME WITH RAGE. I hate when books have fantastical elements that turn out to be someone's imagination or a dream or a hallucination or whatnot. So while I'm glad that the book never actually indicates that Total is imaginary, I wish it would go farther in the opposite direction, making it clear that he's real. (That's something I love about the Phoebe and Her Unicorn comics, in which absolutely everyone can see and interact with the fantasy creatures.) A couple of adults do refer to Total when speaking to Timmy, but they could just be humoring him. ARGH I HATE THE UNCERTAINTY CHARACTERS IN A BOOK SHOULD BE REAL IN THAT BOOK DARNIT
February 4, 2020
A very charming and humorously odd story about self proclaimed boy genius and detective Timmy Failure🧣, when a simple case turns into a bizarre search and rescue mission that goes weird in many ways. Timmy is a very interesting character, even if the way he sees things are a little off, but the story and characters provide plenty of chuckles and an exciting series. A- (91%/Excellent)
March 18, 2020
This book was the right amount of sarcasm, humor and ridiculousness!
December 19, 2019
Li em português.
Adorei a parte em que Timmy chamou, ao namorado da sua mãe, o peru do bowling.🤣🤣🤣
Adorei a parte em que Timmy chamou, ao namorado da sua mãe, o peru do bowling.🤣🤣🤣
July 26, 2020
You know how all books are not for all readers and some books work SO MUCH BETTER when read aloud? Yeah, this was definitely the case with the particular book and myself. I was all ready to throw in the towel because quite honestly, I couldn't believe what I was reading. I get it is for a much younger audience than I, but I read a fairly large amount of Children's Fiction and even Picture Books, so the fact that this one was giving me fits was enough to aggravate. HOWEVER, in my exasperated state, I tried reading several passages aloud to illustrate the absurdity of what was happening...and you know what? It. Changed. EVERYTHING. I'm not saying I'm a diehard Timmy fan now, because yeah...I'll leave that to the fandoms, however I could appreciate the humor, the jokes, the ridiculous nature of some situations and the whole investigation into the missing candy THAT much better with all my gesturing, vocal variations, and moments of acting out. So why yes, not all books are for all readers, if you've a kiddo in the house that likes to use their imagination, and you happen to have a few moments to spare to enhance the adventure, I highly suggest a read aloud session with this book!
**copy received for review; opinions are my own
**copy received for review; opinions are my own
March 25, 2013
Timmy Failure: Mistakes were Made (Book 1) by Stephan Pastis
Candlewick, 2013
294 pages
Fantasy/Humorous
Recommended for grades 4-6
Timmy Failure thinks himself to be a topnotch detective that is destined to run a multi-billion dollar detective agency. The irony here is that Timmy does live up to his name, no matter how much he tries to assure readers he isn't a failure, by missing the blatantly obvious answers to all his cases.
When Timmy borrows his mother's Segway and loses it, he is determined to get it back before he's really in for it. The cast of characters are fairly flat, but there are many sophisticated words used throughout the book. I found it strange that the author chose to use obscure songs, historical references and old book titles as names of his chapters, since the average kid reader wouldn't pick up on what they were referring to.
The ending was sweet, though poor Timmy misses out on that sweetness, he just isn't too sharp. Set in a Wimpy Kid format this will certainly appeal to kids!
Oh, and I should mention, there are some lines that caught me just right, Timmy's voice is laugh out loud (or at least a little nose snort self laugh) funny:
"I should say a word about the Failuremobile. It's not actually called a Failuremobile. It's called a Segway. And it belongs to my mother...And she has set forth some restrictions on when and how I can use it. (NEVER. EVER. EVER.) I thought that was vague. So I use it. So far, she hasn't objected. Mostly because she doesn't know." pg. 7
Candlewick, 2013
294 pages
Fantasy/Humorous
Recommended for grades 4-6
Timmy Failure thinks himself to be a topnotch detective that is destined to run a multi-billion dollar detective agency. The irony here is that Timmy does live up to his name, no matter how much he tries to assure readers he isn't a failure, by missing the blatantly obvious answers to all his cases.
When Timmy borrows his mother's Segway and loses it, he is determined to get it back before he's really in for it. The cast of characters are fairly flat, but there are many sophisticated words used throughout the book. I found it strange that the author chose to use obscure songs, historical references and old book titles as names of his chapters, since the average kid reader wouldn't pick up on what they were referring to.
The ending was sweet, though poor Timmy misses out on that sweetness, he just isn't too sharp. Set in a Wimpy Kid format this will certainly appeal to kids!
Oh, and I should mention, there are some lines that caught me just right, Timmy's voice is laugh out loud (or at least a little nose snort self laugh) funny:
"I should say a word about the Failuremobile. It's not actually called a Failuremobile. It's called a Segway. And it belongs to my mother...And she has set forth some restrictions on when and how I can use it. (NEVER. EVER. EVER.) I thought that was vague. So I use it. So far, she hasn't objected. Mostly because she doesn't know." pg. 7
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