WHAT'S WRONG WITH TIMMY?

Shriver,Maria. 2001. WHATS WRONG WITH TIMMY?.Ill. Sandra Speidel. New York: Warner Books.
ISBN-10: 0316155489

PLOT SUMMARY
Kate is a curious young girl who asks lots of questions. One day while at the park Kate sees a young boy that looks different. “He had brown hair like her brothers, freckles on his nose, and wore a t-shirt and shorts just like her brothers.” However, Kate can not get over the fact that he somehow looked different. When Kate goes to ask her mother about the new boy she learns that the moms are friends. As she sets and talks with her mom she learns that Timmy has a learning disability and he can do things just like her. Timmy just needs a little longer to learn them. After feeling more at ease Kate goes and makes friends with Timmy and tries to get a game of basketball going with her other friends. When they show a bit of apprehension Kate stands by her new friend and begins playing with just him. The other friends soon join in and all the children become friends.

CRITICAL ANALYSIS
Our story starts out almost like a fairy tale “Once upon a time there was a girl named Kate”. This beginning is the start of several problems within this book. The reader is lead to believe from the beginning that the story is about a girl named Kate rather than about a boy named Timmy. This seems to be true for a majority of the story. Shriver spends a large part of the story dealing with how Kate feels and how she thinks Timmy looks strange. Shriver could have focused more on Timmy and his feelings. Another issue with the story is the conversation between Kate and her mother. It is often not believable. Kate speaks more like an adult than a child when asking her mother questions about Timmy.
Speidel’s illustrations are done in hazy pastels setting the mood for a more delicate topic. The pictures do a nice job telling the story. Overall, the message behind the book is a good one and there are not many books available to help children deal with disabilities however, I feel this one falls short.


REVIEW EXCERPTS
Amazon.com
When 8-year-old Kate meets a boy who seems somehow different, she feels funny inside. After talking with her mom, though, Kate begins to understand that Timmy is just like her in many ways. Timmy has special needs; he takes longer to learn than Kate, and can't walk or run as well. But he also "loves his family, he wants friends, he goes to school, and he dreams about what he wants to be when he grows up." Kate and Timmy meet, and the seeds of a friendship are planted.
From School Library Journal
The warm pastel illustrations support the theme of acceptance of all people no matter their differences. However, the little girl's questions and actions are quite mature for her age. The lack of paragraphs might be a bit confusing to young readers, and the intermittent use of bold-faced, larger-sized type is a bit disruptive, although its purpose seems to be to highlight the theme. The book reads well, though, and would be a good introduction for youngsters welcoming a disabled child into their school or neighborhood.


Reviews accessed at:
http://www.amazon.com/Whats-Wrong-Timmy-Maria-Shriver/dp/0316233374

CONNECTIONS
Additional books on the topic.

I Can, Can You? ISBN-10: 1890627577
Don't Call Me Special: A First Look at Disability ISBN-10: 0764121189