School Library Journal Review
Gr 4-7-Timmy Failure is the mastermind and CEO behind Total Failure Inc., a detective agency he runs out of his mother's closet with Total, his imaginary polar bear associate and business partner. Timmy becomes involved in several cases, including missing candy, missing shoes, and a toilet-papered house,. Then, to his horror, his Failuremobile, otherwise known as his mother's Segway, goes missing. Who is behind its disappearance? Timmy is sure it's the rival detective agency run by his classmate, the evil Corrina Corrina. He also finds himself dealing with his mother's new boyfriend, a new apartment, and a new teacher. With so many cases and so much change, can Timmy come out on top? Pastis's illustrated comic novel seems aimed at the Wimpy Kid readership judging by the cartoon drawings and the sarcastic male protagonist. Yet many of Timmy's escapades may go over this target audience's heads since the vocabulary is sophisticated. Timmy's apparent lack of common sense will also either delight students or turn them off completely. Jared Goldsmith does a fabulous job voicing all the characters, especially Timmy. Be sure to pair the audio with the print version.-Elizabeth Elsbree, Krug Elementary School, Aurora, IL (c) Copyright 2013. Library Journals LLC, a wholly owned subsidiary of Media Source, Inc. No redistribution permitted.
Publisher's Weekly Review
Mysteries abound in the first children's book from Pastis, creator of the comic strip Pearls Before Swine. Who stole the Halloween candy of Timmy's classmate Gabe? Who is the mysterious girl Timmy refuses to discuss? Why is no one fazed that Timmy has a pet polar bear named Total? Fortunately, Timmy is an aspiring detective, who believes his agency, Total Failure Inc. ("We won't fail, despite what the name says"), is "on the verge of being a Fortune 500 company." Unfortunately, Timmy is a terrible sleuth, who doesn't leap to the wrong conclusions so much as cannonball into a swimming pool full of them. His narration reveals an impressive command of business-speak (he doesn't talk with his single mother-he teleconferences), while the wide-eyed characters resemble a cross between the work of George Booth and Sara Varon. Pastis has assembled an eccentric and funny cast (running gags revolve around Total's voracious appetite and a librarian who looks like one of the Hells Angels), yet there are also touching interactions to be found, particularly between Timmy and his mother. Ages 8-12. Agent: Daniel Lazar, Writers House. (Feb.) (c) Copyright PWxyz, LLC. All rights reserved.
