Failure is an Option: The Timmy Failure Blog

We’re sure you are. After all, anybody who’s ANYBODY knows that if you want to be a world-class detective, you should be paying close attention to everything Timmy Failure does.

But maybe you’ve been living under a rock since the sixth Timmy book came out. It’s called TIMMY FAILURE: THE CAT STOLE MY PANTS.

But you probably already knew that.

Timmy Failure chapter names often contain pop culture references. How many can you identify from Timmy Failure: Sanitized for Your Protection?

Chapter titles:

Chapter 13: Rainy Days and Mothers Always Get Me Down

Chapter 14: The King and I

Chapter 15: The Icewoman Cometh

Chapter 16: You Have the Right to Remain Rollo

Chapter 17: All the Redemption I Can Offer, Girl, is Beneath This Dirty Bean

Chapter 18: Leaving in an Elevator

Chapter 19: Gumshoe, Burning Down the Avenue

Chapter 20: Hello, I Love You, Won’t You Tell Me Where You Are

References:

Chapter 13: “Rainy days and Mondays always get me down” are lyrics from the 1971 song “Rainy Days and Mondays” by The Carpenters

Chapter 14: The King and I is a musical by Rodgers and Hammerstein

Chapter 15: The Iceman Cometh is the name of a play written by Eugene O’Neill

Chapter 16: When police arrest someone and take them into custody, “you have the right to remain silent” is the first part of the Miranda Warning that informs suspects of their rights

Chapter 17: “All the redemption I can offer, girl, is beneath this dirty hood” are lyrics from the song “Thunder Road” by Bruce Springsteen

Chapter 18: “Love in an Elevator” is the name of a song by the rock band Aerosmith

Chapter 19: “Hot shoe, burnin’ down the avenue” are lyrics from the song “Panama” by the hard rock band Van Halen

Born in 1810, Frederic Chopin was a Polish composer and is best known for his solo piano compositions. Born in Warsaw, Poland, Chopin was a child prodigy and moved to Paris at age 20. He composed music during the Romantic era, when European classical music became more emotional and expressive.

Other famous Romantic composers include Franz Liszt, Ludwig van Beethoven, Franz Schubert, Johannes Brahms, and Claude Debussy. Frederic Chopin died in 1849, but his music remains very popular with piano teachers.

In the sixth book in Stephan Pastis’s hilarious series, Timmy is being threatened and must rely on his new partner to solve the mystery — and possibly save his life! On sale April 25, 2017!

Timmy Failure chapter names often contain pop culture references. How many can you identify from Timmy Failure: Sanitized for Your Protection?

Chapter titles:

Chapter 7: The Doorman Always Knocks Once

Chapter 8: They Say It’s Snot’s Birthday

Chapter 9: Dancing King

Chapter 10: Yippity Yap, Don’t Drop That

Chapter 11: Ironing Board Butterfly

Chapter 12: Bye Bye Rollo - The Telephone Hour

References:

Chapter 7: The Postman Always Knocks Twice is a movie from 1981 starring Jack Nicholson.

Chapter 8: “They say it’s your birthday” are lyrics from The Beatles’ “Birthday Song.”

Chapter 9: “Dancing Queen” is a song by the Swedish pop group ABBA.

Chapter 10: “Yakety Yak, don’t talk back” are lyrics from the song “Yakety Yak” by The Coasters.

Chapter 11: Iron Butterfly is a psychedlic rock band from the 1960s.

Well, it’s happened. Timmy has been banned from his detective work. Not to worry: he documented everything in his private record.

And then the manuscript was stolen.

Millenium Park is one of the most popular tourist destinations in Chicago, Illinois. Concerts are hosted in the park’s Jay Pritzker Pavillion during the summer months.

One of Millenium Park’s biggest attractions is Cloud Gate, a public sculpture by the artist Anish Kapoor, nicknamed “The Bean” because of its shape. The sculpture was built from 2004 to 2006 and weighs 110 tons. It stands 33 feet high and is highly polished so that its surface is reflective. Thousands of visitors to Chicago visit The Bean every day.

Timmy Failure chapter names often contain pop culture references. How many can you identify from Timmy Failure: Sanitized for Your Protection?

Chapter titles:

Chapter 1: Let’s Do the Timmy Warp Again

Chapter 2: Sergeant Bulko

Chapter 3: Don’t Know Much About History, But I Know A Lot About Mysteries

Chapter 4: The Fish Scales of Justice

Chapter 5: EZ Dazed and Confused

Chapter 6: Ice Ice Total

References:

Chapter 1: “Let’s do the Time Warp again” are lyrics from “The Time Warp,” a song from The Rocky Horror Picture Show, a movie from 1975.

Chapter 2: Sergeant Bilko is the name of a 1996 comedy film.

Chapter 3: “Don’t know much about history, don’t know much biology” are lyrics from the song “Wonderful World” by Sam Cooke.

Chapter 4: The scales of justice are a symbol of the balance between truth and fairness in an ideal justice system:

Chapter 5: Dazed and Confused is the name of a 1993 film directed by Richard Linklater.

The new release, Timmy Failure: The Book You’re Not Supposed to Have, goes on-sale in the U.S. September 27, 2016!

Antarctica, the seventh continent on Earth, is a 5.4 million sq mile mass of snow, ice, rock, and water that contains the south pole. Wildlife is limited to seals, penguins, and a few other hardy species that can withstand the climate. Otherwise, the only thing to see is the snowscape, and assorted scientific research facilities. Still, Antarctic tourism is becoming more popular, raising concerns about conservation and the welfare of the wildlife that does make its home there.

Seňor Burrito warms his paws in some holiday hot cocoa.

Book 2 (p. 238):  “I like this one of Timmy because it makes him sort of look like King Kong standing atop the Empire State Building.” — Stephan Pastis

Chapter titles:

Chapter 30: Monkeychuck Prison Blues

Chapter 31: Long As I Can See the Flashlight

Chapter 33: Over the River and Through the Woods to the Round-Headed Kid We Go

Chapter 34: The Grand Duel

Chapter 35: The Fugitive

Chapter 36: If You Build It, Timmy Will Leave

References:

Chapter 30: “Folsom Prison Blues” — song by Johnny Cash

Chapter 31: “Long As I Can See the Light” — song by Credence Clearwater Revival

Chapter 33: Over the River and Through the Woods — Thanksgiving poem by Lydia Maria Child

Chapter 34: The Grand Duel — 1972 spaghetti western directed by Giancarlo Santi

Chapter 35: The Fugitive — 1993 movie starring Harrison Ford; 1963-1967 TV series starring David Janssen

The Emperor penguin is the largest species of penguin in the world. They grow to about 4 feet high. Adults have white bellies, black backs, and yellowish necks and breasts. Chicks, though, are fluffy and grey all over. They live in huge colonies, and use vocalizations to identify one another.

Emperor penguins only live in Antarctica. They breed in the coldest weather of any bird species in the entire world.

Book 3 (p. 240):  “I didn't want to reveal what Scutaro Holmes looked like until the very end of the third book.  So I had to dress him in various costumes in all the other drawings before this one.  And then I revealed him for the first time here.  I wanted everyone to see for the first time how very small he really was, so I barely have his nose above the table.”  — Stephan Pastis

Our recent experiences at Camp Monkeychuck (specifically the encounter with what may or may not have been the Scrum Bolo Chihuahua) have inspired me to do some research on other so-called mythical creatures. The Sasquatch, sometimes known as Bigfoot, is one of the more common creatures mentioned in folklore. Sasquatch is supposed to be a monkey-like, human-like being with very large feet and an unpleasant scent. Various individuals have produced casts of large foot impressions and dubious photographs as “proof” of existence. Most scientists dispute the claim.