Timmy Failure: Mistakes Were Made

Timmy Failure: Mistakes Were Made introduces readers to Timmy, an 11-year-old with an overactive imagination and a detective agency, Total Failure, Inc., co-run by his imaginary polar bear, Total. Living with his single mother in Portland, Timmy's 'cases' often involve outlandish theories about 'Russians' and his arch-nemesis, Corrina Corrina. Beneath the abundant humor and slapstick, the story subtly explores themes of self-confidence, friendship, family dynamics, and learning from mistakes. Timmy's journey includes seeing a school counselor and grappling with his mother's new relationship and job loss, all while maintaining his unique worldview. This graphic novel is perfect for middle-grade readers who enjoy quirky characters and laugh-out-loud adventures, offering both entertainment and gentle lessons on growing up.

“An endearingly pathetic antihero with delusions of greatness. . . . Seldom has failure been so likable — or so funny.” — The Wall Street Journal Take Timmy Failure—the clueless, comically self-confident CEO of the best detective agency in town, perhaps even the nation. Add his impressively lazy business partner, a very large polar bear named Total, and what you have is Total Failure, Inc. From the offbeat creator of Pearls Before Swine comes an endearingly bumbling hero in a hilarious caper accompanied by a whodunit twist. With perfectly paced visual humor, Stephan Pastis gets readers snorting with laughter, then slyly carries the joke a beat further—or sweetens it with an unexpected poignant moment—making this a comics-inspired story that truly stands apart from the pack.