Timmy Failure: Now Look What You've Done (Timmy Failure #2) by Stephan Pastis

Maury's Museum of World Records has is all wrong, Carl Kobalinski can't be the smartest person in the world. Self proclaimed world class detective Timmy has that title after all. To save the Museum's “reputation,” Timmy climbs on the statue of Carl to yank down the sign, and in so doing falls and breaks his leg. Timmy isn't held back at first, but when his business partner and main mode of transportation picks this time to quit, Timmy is left to depending on his Aunt Colander's help. When a school district wide contest is announced for the detective who can find who took the Superintendent's missing globe, Timmy is confident that he will win the 500 dollar prize. With the money, he can now open a new office in Peru. One problem though, Timmy misses the school deadline and now he'll have to figure out a new way to win.

I liked the character of Timmy, his over confidence in his detective skills were entertaining. Especially when he starts getting notes with hearts all over the envelope which he believes are from an “assassin.”  I also enjoyed Timmy's 1500 pound sidekick business partner, Total the polar bear. The ambiguity as to whether Total is real or imaginative makes the story fun to read.  I'm leaning toward imaginative, Timmy's mom never does directly address Total after all. The illustrations in these Timmy Failure books are done very well and I think they will resonate with 8 to 12 year old's who enjoy diary and comic book style stories.

Favorite Line: “I know that if I am to move forward like the professional that I am, I must first see the past with mature eyes. And that means acknowledging that others have caused all my problems and blaming them for it.”