What's Wrong with Timmy?

Rating:
Summary: Insightful
Review: "What's Wrong with Timmy" by Maria Shriver is a good read-out-loud book for children. Narrative is simple and up to date. A great way to get the young in your family to understand that GOD has a plan and purpose for each of us and that in the long run we are all similiar in that we all have wishes, dreams, and even failures.
Beverly J Scott author of Righteous Revenge

Rating:
Summary: Good resource
Review: Any book that helps raise awareness on this topic is valuable and Ms. Shriver certainly has made a reasonable attempt here. I also strongly recommend Special Kids Need Special Parents by Judith Loseff Lavin. She offers real answers from someone who clearly knows what she is talking about. Both books are important resources.

Rating:
Summary: Let's model appropriate behavior
Review: As a mother of a little girl with Down syndrome, I am saddened to see books like these are still being published. The title alone implies that there IS something the matter with Timmy, and the books starts off describing just the attitudes and behaviors we DON'T want to see from children and adults alike. This is just one more book that reinforces the belief that everyone, when first encountering someone with a disability, should have the immediate reaction of judging them negatively. What I love to see, on the other hand, is books that treat those with Downs, Autism, etc. as really cool people with neat gifts for the world. I've heard that those who are mentally retarded are actually more spiritually evolved than the rest of us--they already know how to slow down, enjoy the moment, appreciate the simple things in life, and they've grown beyond the need for competition and other leanings those of us standard issue folks tend to have. I would recommend books such as "Russ and the Apple Tree" and "Russ and the Firehouse"--books that show a boy with Downs having a regular, fun day and being what he is best--a little boy.

Rating:
Summary: Very Disppointing!
Review: As a teacher with a hearing impairment teaching children about diversity is a priority in my classroom. I purchase many books in a wide range on the subjuct of differences and multiculturalism.

The picures were beautiful. The writing however was not an easy read for young children. I try to get books that will be good for a wide age range. For example 4 to 9 years old. The most important aspect that I found very wrong was Ms. Shriver's use of words. As a teacher I am teaching children to use the proper language and believe me in the 21st century you do not explain to a child that another child is "retarded." This is what she called Timmy in explaining to her daughter Kate what was wrong with Timmy.
You explain the best way you can that the child is mentally challenged. Also the use of the word handicapped is very outdated. I know that it is still used in parking lots as in Handicapped Parking, but it is really not a the proper word to us to refer to people with disabilities.
I correct people all the time when they ask if I was born deaf. I point out I was born Hearing-impaired. I teach this to children in the simplest way possible. I explain the difference between deaf and hearing-impaired. I am currently working to have my book published in order for young children to see that there will be adults in their life that will have disabilities and yet those adults can be successful.
It is important that children learn about other children from all cultures whether it be ethnic or not. Children with disabilities have their own culture and they want to share it with us. They do not want our sympathy but only for us to see that they are different and yet they have goals like everyone else and that it is possible for them to achieve those goals.
I only hope that when people set out to write books of this type that they thoroughly research the subject and the age intended.

Rating:
Summary: What's Wrong with This Book? Plenty!
Review: As a writer who gets around in a wheelchair and conducts disability-awareness workshops for school children, I've been a longtime collector of books that acquaint kids with people who have disabilities. This book is among the most disappointing I've ever seen. Here's why:

1. The book centers on a mother-daughter dialogue (actually, more of a mother monologue) *about* a kid who has Down Syndrome. How easy it would have been to transform the manuscript into a dialogue *with* a kid who has Down Syndrome!

2. The choice to change the font to big and bold whenever a disability-related word is introduced is counterproductive. Take a sentence like "And then I saw that she was in a WHEELCHAIR." [This may not be Ms. Shriver's exact wording, but it's close.] The large, dark letters send a danger signal to readers young and old: "Whoa! Being in a wheelchair is cause for alarm, fear, panic." This is the very opposite of what disability rights activists have been striving to convey in books, film and television for decades.

Ms. Shriver is to be commended for her work on behalf of people with disabilities. Although well intentioned, this book does not further the cause she champions.

Rating:
Summary: Great and Important Book for Kids!
Review: Great Holiday Gift!

Summary:
This is a very, very touching book. Maria did a great, great job in writing a touching story that comes to life from our own experiences. It is a collectors book, beautifully illustrated, and a quick, easy read. So, it is in truth a wonderful children's book that many adults would love to read. It is a "Kleenix" book - make sure you have a box available when you read it.

The Story:
The story features a little girl, Kate, who meets a little boy, Timmy, who has challenges doing the things that we all take for granted. Kate asks her Mom, "Why is that boy different?" Kate is afraid to initiate speaking with him, and is at a loss for what to do. Her Mommy explains to Kate, that when Timmy was born, his Mommy cried a lot of tears because Timmy was hurt when he was born. The story blossoms from there.

After working up all of her courage, and fumbling quite a bit, Kate meets the boy and finds out that he is a really great kid, and has hope, and dreams, and thoughts and feelings and fears like all other children. Kate realizes that Timmy, is just like her. From there on Kate goes out of her way to make sure that Timmy is included in her activities with her friends.

The Story's Importance:
This is very important for all children (and adults) to learn more about others who are different than us as well as to learn more of their perspective. We have a handicapped child, yet, I am still uncomfortable about how to first greet a handicapped, or challenged person when we first meet them, because I never want to intrude, or impose.. With that in mind, I can see how it very challenging for someone who has had no exposure to people who are handicapped, challenged, or just different. I wish I read this book when I was a child, because I am no different than anyone else in learning about how to meet someone with disabilities.

Real Life example:
Our daughter (...) is severely handicapped with cerebral palsy, is six years old, and attends a full-inclusion kindergarten classroom. (...) (She) has been very fortunate to have made some great friends at school and out of school. But, most children (and adults) do not know what to do, or say when they first meet her.

We always introduce (her) to her new friends, and explain that when she was born, she got hurt. And, while (she) is very bright, like they are, but her body can't do the things she wants to do. It's kind of like when their foot falls asleep and it becomes difficult to walk! (Her) friends relate to this and are no longer afraid of her, or of doing something wrong. Her friends often argue over who will play with (her) or help her. Now (she) has many very good friends who play with her at school and come to the house, as well.

Christmas Gifts:
The book is a great holiday gift. We thought it is so touching, and informative, we purchased about a dozen to give to (our daughter)'s therapists (touching), and her teachers (informative). We also kept a few for our family for our own teary enjoyment!

Rating:
Summary: Great book for church library
Review: I am a Lutheran Church librarian in Florida who bought this book for our church library. It stresses that though we may have different traits and characteristics we are all worthy of love, respect and human dignity. It discusses a mentally-challenged little boy and how he can be a good playmate even though he is a little slow. So what? He is still a persdon worthy of dignity and acceptance. This book stresses kindness on a personal level and a live-and-let-live attitude. This is a vital life lesson for our children to learn early on, and is a great conversation starter. This book will help cut down on bullying, marginalization and dehumanization of the mentally and physically challenged among us. After all, who among us does not have some sort of shortcoming? Children need to know that perfection is an impossibility and so they should expect people to do the best job they can but not expect perfection in themselves or others. The illustrations appear to be done in pastels and are very attractive. Great Job, Maria! Keep them coming!

Rating:
Summary: Kind, but Unrealistic Solution to Complex Problem
Review: I am sure Ms. Shriver has the goal of helping to making life easier on kids with disabilities, but she glosses over a really complex set of circumstances.

This book highlights the fact that others stare at the handicapped. A "normal" little girl is attempting to find out why Timmy looks and acts differently. Her mother attempts to explain carefully the similarities she shares with Timmy instead of the differences. The mother shares a story from her own childhood in which she was uncomfortable the first time she actually met a child in a wheelchair.

The little girl has difficulty understanding what "disabled" means and her mother tries to make it as simple as possible, yet complete. The mother decided the best way to explain was for the girl to actually meet and talk with Timmy. Kate is surprised to hear Timmy say his feelings are hurt when people call him "retarded" because she never thought of that before. Kate decides to invite Timmy to play ball with her and her other friends. The other children stare at Timmy at first, but one by one they all accept him with his disability and the game is started - (this part of the book was a little too fairy tale and certainly not realistic, unfortunately).

It was encouraging to me the reader, when Katie's Mom tried to explain that God makes lots of different kinds of people and that friendship with others less "able" can be a very positive experience.

The end of the book has the little girl deciding that there is nothing at all wrong with Timmy.

Being the parent of a mentally retarded daughter, I felt this book was a nice attempt at a very complex subject. However, real life just does NOT deal out many pleasant experiences to most of our handicapped children. Unfortunately, it is a long, hard uphill battle for them to become even marginally accepted. Rarely does a "normal" child so quickly end up with the perception that there is "nothing, - nothing at all" wrong with "Timmy."

Rating:
Summary: I really didn't like this book.
Review: I did not like this book, but I will attempt to point out some good things first. The illustrations are beautiful--kind of like impressionist paintings of children. Nice to look at. And the book is about an important subject--how to help "normal" children understand "disabled" children and how they're really all very similar.

Now to the bad stuff.

This book is far, far too wordy. Even the dedication takes up a whole page! The dialogues between the children are unrealistic, stilted, and far too long. I can't believe that most children would practically bare their souls to each other the first time they met. There is too much explanation and not enough action--Mom telling stories and child listening reverently as though this suddenly makes everything okay. As though listening to a parent ever made a child suddenly know exactly what to say and do! And the "God" stuff got on my nerves--the blurb doesn't say anything about this being a religious book.

Although the book's central theme, "be strong inside," is a good message, the story itself doesn't do a thing to make the theme seem real. And we never do get to find out what's "wrong" with Timmy--saying "he's just like everybody else" is kind of unrealistic. Wouldn't it be better to point out the similarities along with the differences?

Not recommended.

Rating:
Summary: What's Wrong with Timmy?
Review: I just read What's Wrong with Timmy? It was a pleasure to read, especially having my own son, Craig, 13 years old, who has Down syndrome. It really hit home with me how other children sometimes view Craig. I am recommending that our school district order copies so teachers can read with their students. It was a very positive story focusing on the strengths of children with special needs and how much alike we all are. Kudos to Ms. Shriver for a touching book that I hope gets widely read and helps to de-stigmatize our children! This is a very hopeful book that should be read by every elementary and middle school student, and discussed in class with their teachers...