Timothy Tugbottom Says No! [Hardcover]

Anne Tyler (Author), Mitra Modarressi (Illustrator)

Book Description

Age Level: 2 and up

Timothy Tugbottom knows what he likes—and he definitely does not like different. Blueberry muffins for breakfast? A new book at bedtime? A brand-new big-boy bed? No thank you, not for him. He’s perfectly happy with his favorite cereal and his alphabet book—not to mention the warm, safe crib he’s been sleeping in his whole life. Although he has to admit his crib isn’t quite as comfortable as it used to be. . . .

Editorial Reviews

From School Library Journal

PreSchool-K–Preschooler Timothy Tugbottom enjoys his daily routine and is reluctant to try anything new. His pregnant mother tempts him with a pair of pants with many pockets, a delicious blueberry muffin instead of his usual cereal, and a book about dinosaurs from his grandmother. To each suggestion, Timothy utters a resounding No. He does not want to go to Polly Peartree's party or to sleep in his new big-boy bed. He tells his father, I don't like DIFFERENT. However, after spending a restless night in the crib that he has outgrown, the child suddenly changes his tune. He wears his new pants, enjoys a couple of bites of the muffin at breakfast, has a great time at Bobby Bagel's party, and settles down to sleep in his new bed, which is very, very comfortable. The genuine, straightforward story, which is told from the youngster's point of view, is accompanied by expressive watercolors in muted pastel shades. The pictures are filled with homey details that artfully create a portrait of the boy's loving family life and reflect the warm, positive tone of the story. Young readers will identify with Timothy and may also enjoy Tumble Tower (Scholastic, 1993), another successful collaboration from this team.–Linda L. Walkins, Mount Saint Joseph Academy, Brighton, MA
Copyright © Reed Business Information, a division of Reed Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

From Booklist

PreS. An acclaimed adult author offers a simple picture book that captures a habit of petulant preschoolers: saying no. Timothy has a whole litany of things he doesn't want to do. He won't wear his new pants or eat anything but his favorite cereal for breakfast. A new bedtime story? Absolutely not. Nor will he try out the big boy's bed his parents want him to sleep in. But that night, when Timothy heads into his warm, safe crib, he realizes that it's too small. After banging around all night, Timothy decides to widen his horizons (and sleep in a bigger bed). Suddenly all his nays turn into yeas. The turnaround is too fast, and Tyler's penchant for cutsie names (Polly Peachtree, Bobby Bagel) grates. Still, kids will recognize themselves here, and the smooth-edged watercolor artwork, filled with the details of a child's world, ably chronicles Timothy's evolution to yes-man. Ilene Cooper
Copyright © American Library Association. All rights reserved

See all Editorial Reviews

Product Details

• Reading level: Ages 2 and up
  
• Hardcover: 32 pages
• Publisher: Putnam Juvenile (September 8, 2005)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0399242554
• ISBN-13: 978-0399242557
• Product Dimensions: 9.6 x 8.2 x 0.5 inches
• Shipping Weight: 11.2 ounces
• Average Customer Review: 4.8 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (4 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #1,728,331 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

More About the Author

Anne Tyler was born in Minneapolis, Minnesota, in 1941 and grew up in Raleigh, North Carolina. This is her 17th novel. Her 11th, Breathing Lessons, was awarded the Pulitzer Prize in 1988. A member of the American Academy and Institute of Arts and Letters, she lives in Baltimore, Maryland.

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

2 of 2 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars A helpful story for children who are resistant to change, June 9, 2009

By 

Ginger (Staten Island, New York) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Timothy Tugbottom Says No! (Hardcover)

This book rested on the bookshelf in the therapeutic playroom at a special education preschool where I counseled. A particularly stubborn 4 year old child noticed it one day, and he intuitively took it off of the shelf and asked me to read it. This child normally had difficulty maintaining a conversation, and especially discussing emotions.

As we read the book, he was eager to talk about Timothy's feelings, ask questions about his motivations, and make sure that I read every word. He would flip back to pages he could particularly identify with (for instance, Timothy's expression of anger when he knocks blocks over in the illustration). He clearly identified with Timothy, and as we read it he became more relaxed and expressive. It became his ritual to request this book prior to engaging in any other play, but the repetitive nature was therapeutic rather than obsessive, because each time we read it, he softened a bit more. He was slowly addressing his strong resistance to change, on terms that were comforting and acceptable to him, and after we read it he would often accept new play suggestions or select a toy other than his preferred trains (this was huge for him).

Eventually he didn't need to read the book each session, only to reference it or point at it. Sometimes when he resisted something or said "no" during our play interactions he would pause, look me in the eye and say "Timothy Tugbottom says no?" then change his behavior, soften his attitude or smile knowingly and say "Timothy Tugbottom doesn't like new things!" and he would immediately feel better. The only thing I needed to do throughout this process was read, listen, answer his questions, and acknowledge his emotions when he did choose to express them.

There is no judgment of Timothy's resistance to change in this book, there are no serious power struggles between parent and child, there is only an account of a child who is afraid of and resistant to change, and then overcomes that on his terms. The book may seem to simplify things too much for some people's taste, and Timothy's change of heart might seem too quick to some readers--but I think it just serves to show children that they can and will have a change of heart in their own time, when they feel safe enough. It also lets a child know that embracing the change may even feel good.

Sometimes all it takes for a child to accept a small change is to have their feelings validated by finding another child (or a character in a book) that they can identify with. I highly recommend this book for parents, teachers or therapists who would like to help children come to this realization themselves.

1 of 1 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars A fresh version of a familiar story!, December 31, 2005

By 

Alice Wilson (Baltimore) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Timothy Tugbottom Says No! (Hardcover)

Timothy is an appealing and all too familiar protagonist to many people who know children. Resistant to change of any kind, he rejects any well-meant attempts to vary his menu, his wardrobe, his routine. Anne Tyler carefully paces his gradual awakening in this believable and satisfying tale. Mitra Modarressi's illustrations are wittily enchanting.

4.0 out of 5 stars He said, "I'm getting too BIG for this bed!", October 22, 2011

By 

Michael J. Ettner (Washington, DC) - See all my reviews
(TOP 1000 REVIEWER)    (REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Timothy Tugbottom Says No! (Hardcover)

There is a tweet-sized summary on the book's copyright page that explains its plot: Timothy Tugbottom likes his old pants, old crib, old bedtime story, and old breakfast, until he realizes that new things can be good too.

At age 6 or so Timothy has become awfully closed minded and has turned into a something of a recluse (even refusing to attend the birthday party of one of his two best friends!) This is not dissimilar to the condition of the adult recluses Tyler portrays in her novels, such as Macon Leary in "The Accidental Tourist," Maryam Yazdan in "Digging to America, and Liam Pennywell in "Noah's Compass." There is one stark difference, though, since growing children must confront as frequently as every day what sequestered adults can escape for decades: a new reality, and new social and cultural demands. While Tyler's grown protagonists usually follow a long, slow process until their protective shells crack open a wee bit, in the case of young Timothy all it takes is one final unpleasant night in his outgrown crib for him to rejoin the world as an active, bigger boy participant. The reviewer who complained Timothy's turnaround "is too fast" must not know any children.

I found two items of note. Tyler seems overly fastidious in reminding the reader that key interactions are occurring on a Saturday. She mentions Saturday five times. In part this is a nod to the fact that most families have time to be together (to enjoy a leisurely breakfast for example) only on the weekend. But it also allows Sunday to be the day on which Timothy wakes up as a renewed child ready to start a different life (marked with the fresh taste of a sweet blueberry muffin.)

The other notable feature appears in Modarressi's illustrations. Timothy's mother, who is pictured seven times, is pregnant. She is, as the old expression goes, big with child. So one of your tasks will be to decide whether, and if so when and how, to point this out to the child you are reading the story to. If you yourself are about to bring a new sibling into the life of your avid listener, this could spark a good conversation tying the world of the book back to your child's world.

Also be sure to check out the newspaper headline in the picture on page 8, foreshadowing the story's end.

All in all this second Tyler/Modarressi (mother/daughter) collaboration (Tumble Tower was their first) is a terrific addition to your shelf of children's books. So when can we expect a third?