An Interview with Stephan Pastis by Tizzie Frankish

"When you lose hope, find it." -Timmy Failure

As a writer of humorous stories, I am pleased to welcome Stephan Pastis author/ illustrator of the fabulously funny Timmy Failure books to the Middle Grade Strikes Back Blog.

For those of you not yet acquainted the Timmy Failure books feature a hapless detective, his business partner Total the polar bear and their plans for world domination. Timmy is the founder, president and CEO of the best detective agency in town, probably the world but unfortunately for him, failure is an option! And it’s a theme that unbeknownst to Timmy continues through all the books in the series.

Stephan was in the UK to promote ‘Timmy Failure: Now look what you have done’ which is now available in paperback and very kindly stopped by to share his deepest, darkest thoughts on the worst detective in town, probably the world! 

So without further ado… 

You’ve previously said ‘Pearls before Swine’ was your escape route from ‘evil lawyer to kind-heart-hearted cartoonist’. So what encouraged you to make the leap into writing and drawing for children?

The amount of space and freedom that writing a book gives you. It gives you 200 blank pages to tell any story you want. That’s something I don’t have with a comic strip – with the strip I only have 3 panels to tell my story.

So, when did Timmy Failure appear on the scene? Did he wrestle his way into your consciousness or hang around in the wings for a while? What came first his voice or his picture?

His picture came first – I was sitting around doodling, and this picture of a little kid with a scarf appeared on the page, and I was writing in the margins what this kid would be like – he’d be a detective, he wouldn’t be very smart, he’d need a sidekick. I remember I sat down consciously to think what character would I base the book on, and Timmy was the first guy I drew.  His voice came really easily - I love that kind of character where they’re dumb, but arrogant.

 Dumb and arrogant definitely come together to create laugh out loud moments, especially with Total by his side. But, if Timmy’s partner in solving crimes wasn’t Total the Polar Bear who would it have been? Did you have a back-up buddy for him?

 I did not have a back-up-buddy for Timmy, but if I did I think it would be a monkey, I love monkeys.

 Timmy and Total are quite possibly the worst duo in the history of the world for solving mysteries. Where did the idea for a detective series come from and why are they so rubbish at it?

Because every kid’s book I read with a kid detective had the same type of character in it every time; a smart, clever character who could do or solve anything – it seemed so well established that I thought it would be kind of funny to do that type of character but have him not be smart in any way. That made me laugh. I like a characters’ blind spot; the difference between who they are and who they think they are – and the wider that gap, the funnier the character.

 My children and I love the witty line drawings which add another layer of humour to the stories. What comes first the story or the drawings?

 The story always comes first – without the story I wouldn’t know what to illustrate. I leave little gaps in there for where I think a drawing would work, and I make a little note like “show Timmy with broken leg falling off statue here” for myself.

 Your enjoyment for what you do (create stories that make us laugh) clearly comes across in your work. Do you have a particular audience/child in mind when you’re writing?

 Myself. I just try to make myself laugh. Secondarily, I try to make my own kids laugh – they are the first people to read the books.

 Which book in the Timmy Failure series did you enjoy writing the most? And is the one you enjoyed writing the most your favourite?

 I like every single one of them, I take 7 weeks off from writing the comic strip during the summer and I enjoy it every time – I’m looking forward to doing the same this summer!

 Another summer of fun, no doubt! There are lots of funny characters in the books (Flo is a particular favourite of mine!) If you could pick one of your characters for a spin off series, who would it be and why?

Probably Corrina Corrina, I think she’d be the most interesting, because she has a lot of similarities to Timmy but there a lot of blank spots on her life. It would be fun to go in and fill some of them in and find out a little more about her.

The fourth book in the series; Timmy Failure: Sanitized for your Protection, is out in October.  What trials and tribulations can we expect from the hapless detective this time round?

 Timmy is going to run away from home and get arrested and that’s all I can say for now!

And just when you thought life for Timmy Failure couldn’t get any worse… After Sanitized for your Protection, how many more Timmy Failure books do you have left up your sleeve?

 I think there’ll be two or three more, I know where he’s going to end up and I’ve always had the ending in mind, I just need to figure out how he gets there…

Quick fire questions:

Are you a plotter or a pantser? Pantser

What do you like best drawing or writing? Writing

Are you left handed or right handed?

It depends, for drawing I use my right hand.

What do you like best comics or books?

I like writing the books the best.

Chicken nuggets or sausages?  (I know what Total would answer!)

I like sausages.

Questions from the kids:

I love the drawings in the books. How many are there in a book? (Ollie age 7)

About 3 every 2 pages, so that would be 300-ish drawings.

Timmy Failure doesn’t have a mouth. Why is that? (Ollie)

Because he looks very funny and odd with one.

Does Total really exist? My brother says he doesn’t, but I think he does. (James age 5)

It depends how you read the book, I think you can legitimately read it and see it as he’s in Timmy’s imagination and I think you can read it and legitimately see that he’s a real-life character. I leave it up to the reader.

What were your favourite books when you were my age (5)? (James)

I read a lot as a kid, I remember reading all the C. S. Lewis Chronicles of Narnia books, and How to Eat Fried Green Worms, A Wrinkle in Time, The Phantom Tollbooth – there were a lot!

Did you feel like Timmy Failure when you were a kid? (Rory age 9)

I still feel like Timmy Failure.

Thanks Stephan for taking the time out of your busy schedule to answer my questions and for sharing your insights into the world of Timmy and his creation. I look forward to the release of Timmy Failure: Sanitized for your Protection in October. Until then…

‘The seal became dinner. The End!”

Timmy Failure: Now Look What You’ve Done is now available in paperback, £6.99

Or click on the book below

www.timmyfailure.com

https://stephanpastis.wordpress.com/

Interview by Tizzie Frankish 

www.tizziefrankish.com       @tizzief

Danny Wallace - Hamish and the Worldstoppers - Book Review (Simon & Schuster )

Book Blurb: What would YOU do...if the whole world just stopped? Yes the WHOLE WORLD. Birds in the air. Planes in the sky. And every single person on the planet - except you! Because that's what keeps happening to ten-year-old Hamish Ellerby. And it's being caused by The WorldStoppers and their terrifying friends The Terribles! They have a PLAN! They want to take our world for their own ...Oh, and they hate children. Especially if you're a child who knows about them. Hang on - You know now, don't you? Oh dear. Can Hamish save us from the WorldStoppers? Only time will tell!

Book Review: Thinking back to his childhood provided a great inspiration for the comedian Danny Wallace to write his first children's novel 'Hamish and the Worldstoppers'. It is a book that will stay with you for years to come; a book that will leaving you feeling better. In my opinion, nothing makes you feel better than laughter and this book has it in spades. 

From the very first page, you can tell that the author has had so much fun in writing and breathing the world of Hamish (a ten year old boy). Hamish starts to notice something very unusual happening when the world just keeps stopping. This leads to a world of many possibilities - just imagine that you are the only person in the world not to be affected by it? What could you get up to? Unfortunately, the only problem are The Terribles, who are monsters that can move through stopped time with deadly consequences....

It's a fantastic trip into Danny's childhood imagination. Rooted in his own reading experiences from Richmal Crompton to PG Wodehouse, you can see the influences injected into the story with some Dahl-like moments also included. This is a quirky read which is really quite different. It's definitely not what I was expecting, but enjoyable all the same. 

The plot is surreal. It has some scary moments and slightly bizarre incidents which younger readers will absolutely love. It's a non-stop rollercoaster full of action and adventure. It is a very cool read, in my opinion. The characters are fantastic and the monsters full of originality which leave this adding up to a story to be remembered. 

The story is set in Starkley, the fourth most boring town in Britain, but that all changes in the blink of an eye. With grown-ups mysteriously disappearing, and those that are left acting very odd, the world soon comes to a stop. No one moves. Nothing. Except the story, which comes to an explosive ending that will leave you wanting much more....

Fuelled by many silly moments that leave you smiling from head to toe, this story is a brilliant read. The sweet shop encounters will leave your senses on overload and your brain frazzled by the sugary delights. 

The outstanding illustrations in the finished copy are by Jamie Littler. They are incredibly cool and provide another feast for the eyes and imagination. 

This is another amazing and unexpected read. Hopefully, it will find the readers who love a good story whatever age they are....

Published by  Simon & Schuster Childrens Books (12 March 2015)

Book Review: Tom Gates Extra Special Treats (not) by L.Pichon

 

This is a star pupil badge. It's not mine, it belongs to Marcus Meldrew. I found it under my desk and picked it up. He hasn't noticed it's gone yet. The badge must have fallen off his jumper. I am going to give it back to him (eventually).

 

Published by Scholastic in October 2014

 

Summary

It's really cold outside and we're all hoping it's going to snow. Yeah! Derek and I could make a snow Rooster and have a snowball fight (look out, Delia!). Granny Mavis has started to knit me a new winter jumper, but by the looks of things I'm not sure it's going to fit. . .

 

******

When it comes to looking at the hierarchy in UKMG, I can't help but think Tom Gates should at least be the crown prince. He is an extremely well loved character among  the Middle Graders not to mention having an army of adult fans. Every book that is published, is devoured by readers, who are usually left desperate for another adventure by the end.  Following in the footsteps of the Americans, Diary of a Wimpy Kid, Tom shows the world that the UK can write just as funny and lovable characters as the US can.

You may think this series would only appeal to boys, but I can assure you that girls will love it too. I know this, being a girl!

Reading a Tom Gates book, is like cracking open a piñata; you never really know what you will get inside it and it hits you all at once. Jam packed with illustrations, drawn by the author herself, along with hilarious episodic events in Tom's life, you can not love these books. 

 

 

In this book, we find Tom absolutely desperate to get a star pupil badge from his teacher, Mr Fullerman. He will do anything to get one. However life doesn't like to hand us the things we want with ease, so we can only watch as Tom struggles with getting his homework done, coping with the invasion of his rather snobbish relatives and dealing with the sudden arrival of snow in his quest to be crowned a star pupil.  Tom deals with most of the events thrown at him with a laid back attitude and you can't help but love him for it.

 I love all the characters in these books. They all seem to shine out on the page and yet have that familiar and comfortable feel to them. Of course, this is helped by Liz Pichon's amazing illustrations, so we know exactly what these characters look like.

I think one of the best things I love about this book, is that it is so real to life. The events aren't over dramatic, they are your normal day to day family dramas, only the author has added her own touches of side splitting humour.

I'm not surprised this series has won so many awards, (including the Roald Dahl Funny Prize and the Waterstones Children's Book Prize) as  it really is a delight to read. It reminds me a lot of the Dandy and Beano annuals I used to read as a child.

This series would be ideal for any reluctant reader as it is quick and easy to read with so much to look at.  I would be seriously surprised if the reader wasn't instantly drawn into Tom's comical adventures.

 

There are a whole range of Tom Gates books to read and I don't think you need to start from the beginning of the series to enjoy them.