Don't Be Afraid, Tommy [Hardcover]

Klaus Baumgart (Author)

Book Description

Age Level: 3 and up

Tommy, who is afraid of absolutely everything, deals with his fears by teaching his new puppy how to face all the things he himself is afraid of.

Editorial Reviews

From Publishers Weekly

"Tommy was afraid of everything," begins Baumgart (Laura's Star). That seems something of an understatement for a child who wears a big winter scarf to the beach because he fears catching cold ("The sun might go under"). Tommy's mother tells him he has too much imagination, and, to help him conquer his fretfulness, gives him a puppy named Roly and instructs him to make the pet feel at home. Looking out for a creature even more vulnerable than himself, Tommy sheds one fear after another, so that near the close of the book, the boy is even willing to let his giant Aunt Martha?"almost the scariest thing of all!"?give him "a big slobbery kiss." On the last page, readers are treated to their first full view of Roly?who turns out to be a toy dog on wheels (proving, incidentally, that "too much imagination wasn't such a bad thing after all"). Softly toned, cartoony watercolors show the artist's keen sense for how children can feel overwhelmed by the domestic landscape. Depicting Tommy's reactions to his fears, and not the products of his worried imagination (no octopuses are seen hiding in the toilet, for example), Baumgart enables kids to relax and laugh at what are certain to be many of their own anxieties. Ages 3-7.
Copyright 1998 Reed Business Information, Inc.

From School Library Journal

PreSchool-Grade 1AA rite-of-passage tale full of warmth and wit. Tommy's excessive fears make his life difficult. To help him overcome them, his mother gives him a special birthday puppy. The boy promptly names the perky pooch Roly and, as his mother suggests, teaches him "not to be afraid." Tommy and Roly discover that they can be brave just as readers discover that Roly isn't real but rather a toy on wheels. Though a boy and his dog are common characters, these two are uncommonly delightful. Baumgart's story and illustrations are in perfect harmony, and tender touches permeate both. The cartoon watercolor illustrations are colorful yet soft. The text is humorous without a hint of ridicule. From fears about spiders to toilets to Aunt Martha's "big slobbery kisses," there's something to stir the empathy of every young listener.AJody McCoy, Lakehill Preparatory School, Dallas, TX
Copyright 1998 Reed Business Information, Inc.

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Product Details

• Reading level: Ages 3 and up
  
• Hardcover: 32 pages
• Publisher: Little Tiger Pr (February 1998)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 1888444320
• ISBN-13: 978-1888444322
• Product Dimensions: 11.1 x 8.6 x 0.4 inches
• Shipping Weight: 14.1 ounces
• Average Customer Review: 4.0 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (1 customer review)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #694,546 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

1 of 1 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Klaus Baumgart's work is charming and illuminative, August 4, 2002

By 

Catherine S. Vodrey (East Liverpool, Ohio United States) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Don't Be Afraid, Tommy (Hardcover)

Klaus Baumgart's "Don't Be Afraid, Tommy" focuses on a little boy named Tommy who seems to be afraid of, well, just about anything and everything. When his mother buys him a dog for his birthday, however, Tommy starts to come out of his shell. Roly (as he names the dog) becomes Tommy's surrogate and Tommy starts to comfort the dog for fears he himself previously required comfort for (bad syntax, but you get my point!). The effect is that Tommy becomes braver, more daring, and more relaxed in his environment.

Not until the last page do we see that Roly isn't really who we thought he was--but that's OK, because he's done his job so capably. Klaus Baumgart's illustrations are winningly soft and rounded, and the colors are lovely.