Failure On The Front Page

Check back for news and updates on Timmy Failure, his progress on becoming the world’s greatest private eye, client reviews, book signings, and more!

Timmy Line

“Detective Timmy may not have a clue, but he’s hilarious.” — Cleveland Plain Dealer

“If you’ve read Pearls Before Swine, then you already know that Pastis is good at writing really funny comics. Well, this book shows he’s also good at writing really funny stories for kids — ones that grown-ups will enjoy, too.” — Wired.com

“…with its high-low mix of humor and surprisingly sophisticated storytelling (parents will snicker at references like “Dial M for Magellan”), “Failure” is anything but.” — Austin American-Statesman

“The gap between who we are and who we think we are is the essence of the humor behind Timmy.” — Houston Chronicle

“Timmy fails and fails again, yet emerges utterly convinced of his genius. The book is darn funny, and the illustrations are too.” — New York Daily News

“The book was great and hilariously funny. Timmy Failure is a real page turner!!! It was so great I just couldn’t put it down. My favourite character is Total the 1500 lb polar bear. I recommend that everyone should read this book!’” — Noah, age 9, www.caxton-books.co.uk/childrens-book-club/

“Timmy Failure: Mistakes Were Made is one of those “laugh your head off and try not to be sick” books” — Charlie, age 9, www.lovereading4kids.co.uk

“This will be the best ever book you will read – it will glue you to the page like cheese stuck to the carpet.” — Adam, age 9, www.lovereading4kids.co.uk

“This is a hilarious, well-written story with totally captivating illustrations to keep your imagination racing. It’s a truly laugh-out-loud book which will enthrall its young readers as well as their parents during bedtime reading.” — We Love This Book

“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…” — Publishers Weekly

“Timmy Failure is a winner!” — Jeff Kinney, author of Diary of a Wimpy Kid

“…Readers should be simultaneously amused and touched by this quirky antihero.” — Booklist

“The Pearls Before Swine cartoonist’s frequent black-and-white illustrations help to cast Timmy’s adventure in an appropriately ironic light. Timmy… has greatness in him. Just like all of us.” — Kirkus Reviews

“For years, I’ve admired Stephan Pastis’s brilliant, award-winning comic strip, Pearls Before Swine. I’m delighted to learn that he’s now bringing his hilariously offbeat sense of humor to the children’s book realm with Timmy Failure. Pastis crafts a great story starring an unforgettable protagonist whose unorthodox approach to detective work (and world domination) will have readers in stitches. A memorable supporting cast, clever drawings, and a riotous plot that Pastis steers expertly from whodunit to slapstick — this book has it all. For Timmy Failure, success is the only option!” — Lincoln Peirce, creator of the Big Nate series

“The deadpan humor is remarkable… You will actually laugh out loud with this book.” — Betsy Bird, A Fuse #8 Production

“Recommend it to anyone who is alive.” — Cameron, kid reviewer

“Pastis (creator of Pearls Before Swine) is a master of wry commentary in a comic form – you get the joke, then he nails it with an additional comic line. The type of humor that will have you snickering, then choking with laughter. Timmy Failure is no exception. Eleven-year-old Timmy has big plans – an international detective agency with him at the head. Then money wouldn’t be his mom’s biggest worry, and they might have something better than a Segway for transportation. If only folks would cooperate! Sadly, his staff consists of a garbage-eating polar bear with a propensity for naps. And his mom usually ignores his requests for a conference call. He has lots of trouble solving his cases – he’s a little clueless – and his competition is often a step ahead. Timmy has a sweet and funny story, with lots of comic illustrations - perfect for kids just coming into their own sense of irony and humor.”— Andrea Vuleta, Mrs. Nelson’s, La Verne, CA

“I would recommend it because it is funny and has a good description of polar bears.” —Jamie, kid reviewer

“Crazy funny book for ages 8-12, boys or girls. Cleverly written, awesome illustrations, and laugh-out-loud witty. I'll definitely recommend this to middle grade readers.”— Rachel Watkins, Avid Bookshop, Athens, GA

Timmy Failure: Mistakes Were Made is “invaluable to anyone who ever wanted to be a detective.” — Anonymous