Rating: 
Summary: I liked it, I bought it, BUT....
Review: I liked this book. Maria Shriver did a good job in making a little boy with Down Syndrome come to life, and it is a book that is certainly worth reading with your child aged 4-10. Still, there were things that I would do differently. For openers, many books like this tend to over-idealize the disabled person who is the main character. Timmy is no exception. Yes, there are many children with Down Syndrome who can play basketball and have the vocabulary that Timmy has. But there are also many children (including my own non-verbal son) who do not. I thought that Ms. Shriver could have at least mentioned that there are people with more severe cognitive/speech disabilities even if Timmy is not one of them. I DID appreciate the fact that she noted that "there were tears when Timmy was born." But at the end she decides that there is nothing wrong with Timmy afterall, and that was a little too corny for my taste. Also, in one part of the book she talks about how kids at school tease Timmy and call him "stupid" or "retard." Perhaps I am being naive, but many schools have moved way beyond treating disabled students like this. I would like to invite Ms. Shriver to my child's own elementary school, where the kids with disabilities are mainstreamed into regular recess and lunch and sometimes other subjects. The non-disabled kids actually FIGHT over who will "get to be" the disabled student's "buddy" that day. And when the boys are playing football with one 10 year old boy with Down syndrome, they are incredibly protective of him and seem to really enjoy the "joy" he gets from being out there with them. The book also squeezes in a child who is physically disabled (she is in a wheelchair) but has no cognitive disabilities. The book was a bit wordy (like this review!) and could have been edited down a bit more. Despite my criticisms, I did think this was a good book and worth reading. I'm glad it was written by Maria Shriver as the Shriver/Kennedy family have been such wonderful advocates for the mentally disabled. I bought a copy, read it with my 9 year old daughter, and then donated it to her school library.
Rating:
Summary: Very Good Book
Review: I truly appreciated the handling of such a sensitive topic. (...)The characters are wonderful as well and easy to identify with.
Rating:
Summary: Sincere Effort -- Many Positive Points
Review: I was very curious to read this title from Maria Shriver knowing her family background with people with special needs.My brother has Down's Syndrome, so I know what it is to be on the receiving end of other children looking at my brother and wondering (sometimes outloud and sometimes in facial expression, stares and body language) wondering "What's wrong with him?" Recently one little girl asked my daughter, "Why is your uncle so freaky?" These are truths: that people "in the world" don't always use politically correct terms... not by a long shot... and as fellow citizens we can educate those who have not yet learned some of the simple truths this book teaches. One warning (to those who do not share this view) the book takes a very spiritual stance in its explanations. Another shortcoming is overcome very simply. Each page has quite a bit of text and I thought, "This is way too much on a page to teach the very littlest children who really need the lessons the most" and then I saw the bolded, larger words on each page could be the only words read. Those words would be enough for the littlest ones to understand the message of the book. It would be tough to write a perfect book on this subject that pleases everyone. This book makes a sincere effort and will be helpful for many who read it.
Rating: 
Summary: What's Wrong With Timmy?
Review: Just as with What's Heaven, this story has Kate as well. I think every parent that has a child with special needs would hope that friendship and acceptance would come as quickly to them as it does to Timmy in What's Wrong With Timmy?
The story begins with Kate and her mother at the park. Kate is always so full of questions and wonders why the boy she observes playing basketball seems different. Kate learns his name is Timmy from her Mom who happened to be friends with his Mother before they moved away when both kids were babies. When Kate asked her Mother about Timmy her Mother proceeded to speak in the same way as when she has something important to say.
It turns out that Timmy is a child with special needs. He talks slower, cannot walk or run as fast as Kate but he wants the same things as other children do. Kate kept asking her Mother more questions indicating that she was scared of Timmy because of his differences. Her Mother explained that when we first come in contact with someone different we may feel uncomfortable and that is okay. She than relays in detail about a friend of hers when she was in school who had a sister that was in a wheelchair. To this day Kate's Mother cannot recall if she ever said hello to Rosie the first time she met her when playing with Tina. Kate says that back in those days people were in institutions or just stayed in their homes.
I am not sure how many typical developing children are as inquisitive as Kate, but find all her questions and feelings quite fascinating. As a parent to two special needs children it is hard to know how other children view those who have disabilities and are different.
This is certainly a story that can be read to children before they enter the school system and learn about all types of children they will encounter. We should be encouraging all children not to fear another child because they are different but to seek out the similarities within
Rating: 
Summary: There's nothing wrong with timmy.
Review: Maria Shriver's attempt to assist children deal with their uncomfortability with someone with Down Syndrome or a wheelchair is a fair attempt. I have a child with Down's. I thought more of Timmy's strengths could be featured, for example, the high emotional and social intelligence, perseverence, courage, tolerance and forgiveness. It could focus on the child's abilities. Nevertheless, this is a much needed book. I did like the way Shriver made the key thoughts in large print for the younger readers. This book seemed too wordy for very young children. I'm thinking it would appeal to 5th and 6th graders. Preschool and kindergarten would be great times to introduce this theme--before biases and fears set in.
The book is excellent for a child who has someone different in their life. It is a marvelous book for assisting children in understanding and dealing with their uncomfortability about their queezy reactions to children of difference. If reading it to a younger child, unless your child is especially precocious and patient, summarize the pages to about 1/2 the words. The concepts are great-
It would be nice to complete the reading of this book by including a list of all the ways a special child is abled. Perhaps your child could make a list of the able qualities of the child they know who heroically and daily overcome the fears of others and a life with more hardship. They could also acknowlege and appreciate their gifts of walking, running, speaking etc.
KW
Rating:
Summary: No One Is Perfect
Review: No one is perfect and for those of us who have a disabled child or even a sibling, I think this book could work wonders. Many of the class insults from other regular kids might not hurt so much if it was a made to read item at schools. Get real here - as the kids get older - the more teasing we get out in public from strangers (other kids who don't know my son). But most of all I think the teasing is simply from kids trying to show off and not really meaning to hurt. I have found disability books to overlook the fact that not all kids can verbalize as well as maybe Timmy does, but the feelings are still there. One of the very few parenting books that have helped us has been "Mommy-CEO," revised edition, by Jodie Lynn. She talks about some of the ups and downs with kids and everyday parenting conflicts with siblings too. One of the poems at the back of this book hit home with me as a mother talks about her disabled daughter. All in all "What's Wrong with Timmy" and "Mommy-CEO" would make a great pair to give to family, friends and loved ones (and to those who you would like to educate) who have both types of children in one family. Maria/Timmy covers many aspects and Mommy-CEO/Jodie covers general parenting with some disability challenges with siblings. Thanks to both authors who have taken the time to be sensitive to our needs and have strived to keep a much needed spotlight on children who seem not to be perfect in life, yet are still very much loved.
Rating:
Summary: a good thoughtful read
Review: Our kids are always asking questions, & some of them give us pause as to how to answer them. One such question is when our kids see someone with a disability. Unlike us adults who turn a blind polite eye, our kids blurt out what's in their minds. What's wrong with that person? How we answer them is important, to ourselves as well as our children. Both the reader & the readee will learn much from this book because it's one thing to have the answers for your children's questions, it's a whole other thing to know where to go from there, & WHAT'S WRONG WITH TIMMY? gives you quite a few directions. A good thoughtful read, about an awkward subject, told in an uncomplicated & expansive way. Very well done & the Sandra Speidel's illustrations are enchanting!
Rating:
Summary: What is "Wrong" with Timmy?
Review: Sydney, our 18 year old daughter with Down syndrome, recently had the opportunity to participate at a book reading, with a 'typical' buddy from our local high school. They did this as a public service and were able to demonstrate first hand, and by reading alternate pages, the very essence of this story. Maria Schriver, with lovely illustrations by Sandra Speidel, has conveyed many truisms about being differently abled, in a very meaningful way. There are no stupid questions and yes, some people do call others "retarded," stupid or dummy. In a sensitive manner, but using factual information at the same time, Mrs. Schriver addresses a real issue, that including a person with special needs might have social implications or reprecussions and that each person must learn to be strong and brave inside. This is a book that should be recommended reading for all students in the 4-8 year old age range ~ and beyond. There is a "bottom line" lesson to be learned from this wonderful book. Read it, I'm sure you'll agree.
Rating: 
Summary: TOO RELIGIOUS.
Review: The publisher should mention the heavily religious tone of this book ... I got this for my sons' school because it sounded good and valuable, but many schools do not accept children's books that mention God in them over and over again.
Rating: 
Summary: What's wrong with the author?
Review: This book is a real nightmare for children with disabilities. Maria Shriver does attempt to impart the message that nothing is wrong at all- unfortunately, she's already planted the seed in the young minds of her readers with the mere title of the book. She then spends an exhaustive twenty pages trying to be sure she'd convinced them of it. I'd recommend "Russ and the Almost Perfect Day" by Janet Elizabeth Rickert instead.
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