4 out of 4 stars
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Bullying is a widespread problem in schools and can significantly lower a child's self-esteem. Long term abuse beats down self-esteem and damages a child's ability to see himself in a positive light. Self-esteem not only plays a major role in a child's life, but also influences how the child views the world. As a mother this subject is especially close to my heart, though fortunately my kids weren't subject to any kind of bullying at school.
Drawing from his experience as a lifelong educator, Mr. Matthew J Rhoades addresses those issues and does it gracefully with a whiff of magic in the mix. "Tough-Luck Tim and the Toilet Twister" is a children's chapter book focusing on the themes of self-acceptance, sibling rivalry and self-image. This short, but poignant, book aims to motivate children to believe in themselves and boost their self-confidence.
This chapter book centers around a young boy named Tim Trimble. Tim is a character that many children can relate to and root for. "Tough luck" Tim is a fifth grader at Migrainia Elementary and, as his nickname implies, Lady Luck isn't in his corner. Tim is socially awkward and a very clumsy boy. He is also a victim of verbal abuse both at school (from the class bully) and at home (from his brother). He has a low self-esteem as a result and it doesn't help that he has a "golden" older brother who does everything much better than him. Needless to say that the two don't get along and the brother picks on Tim on a regular basis.
Tim is a baseball nut and has high dreams of being a big league baseball star one day, but sadly he lacks the necessary skills. His parents ignore him for the most part, unless it is to scold him and compare him to his popular and successful brother. Tim's only comfort comes from his dog and from his loving grandpa. He has one best friend, Gibby, another misfit who talks with a lisp. Tim and his grandpa are very close and grandpa's main purpose in life is to cheer Tim up. The grandfather is a retired plumber whose favorite word is "floshabadday" and he is an obsessive collector of junk and antique. Tim's grandfather gives him an antique model of a pull-string TOILET as a gift (an odd gift for sure) and tells him he needs to "flash a bad day away". Tim doesn't understand what that means, but nonetheless tries to follow this advice one fateful day and his whole world is turned upside down literally.
This is a truly wholesome coming of age tale, with a whiff of magic in the mix. It encompasses trials of growing up and many young readers will be able to take something away from it. The author’s writing style is simply written and apt for young readers. The storyline is easy enough to follow and Tim’s adventures make for a delightful read for elementary and middle graders. There are black and white illustrations in the book which are sketched very well and would enhance the reading experience of the child. The only one wrong note in the book was grandpa calling Tim "rough-luck", due to the streak of bad luck in Tim's life, and I didn't like it and thought it was a self-fulfilling prophecy.
That aside, I think this is a good story for children overall since it can be used to bolster self-image and encourage kids to accomplish their goals. Therefore, I rate this book 4 out of 4 stars and recommend it as an inspiring book for kids, their parents and for educators. It is a very quick and engaging read with lessons and morals readers of all ages can appreciate. Both Tim and the reader learn that when Life throws you a curve ball, you Keep batting and don't give up. Keeping up with the spirit of the book, you have to hit it right out into the stands and run all the bases for a home run!
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Tough-Luck Tim and the Toilet Twister
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