Start with book #1
Read the seven numbered novels before treating Zero to Hero as an optional extra.
Book Series · 7 Books
Timmy Failure Books
In order from Mistakes Were Made to It's the End When I Say It's the End.
Timmy is a spectacularly overconfident child detective whose misunderstood clues, deadpan narration, and imaginary polar-bear partner turn ordinary school and family problems into elaborate cases.
Reviewed by the Bookroo Editors Updated
Reading order
How to Read the Timmy Failure Books
Read the seven illustrated novels in numbered order, beginning with Mistakes Were Made and ending with It's the End When I Say It's the End.
Zero to Hero is a shorter prequel connected to the movie adaptation. It adds background but is not book #8 and can be read after the main series has introduced Timmy.
Sources: Penguin Random House official Timmy Failure order, Official Zero to Hero prequel page.
For parents
What Parents Should Know
Beneath the absurd detective humor, Timmy deals with financial stress, housing uncertainty, an absent father, a hardworking single mother, school conflict, and worries he rarely names directly. His unreliable narration can hide how vulnerable he feels.
There is teasing, rule-breaking, property damage, and occasional comic peril, but little graphic violence. The heavily illustrated prose format is inviting without being a graphic-novel adaptation.
Where to start
Where Should My Child Start?
Mistakes Were Made establishes Timmy's voice, family, classmates, and detective agency.
Where the story begins
First Book in the Series
Graphic Nov.
Sale price
$858
Book #1 · Chapter Book · Ages 8–12 · 2013
Mistakes Were Made
A clueless detective and his polar bear partner tackle a hilarious mystery.
320 pages· 22,814 words· Est. 4 hour read
$8.99Save 5%
Paperback
Summary: Meet Timmy Failure, the self-assured yet clueless head of Total Failure, Inc., the town's most unconventional detective agency. With his lazy polar bear partner, Total, Timmy embarks on a side-splitting caper filled with unexpected twists. Can this bumbling duo solve the mystery, or will their antics lead to more chaos? Dive into a world where failure is funny, and every misstep is a chance for laughter and unexpected poignancy. Join Timmy on his quest for greatness, where the stakes are high, and the laughs are endless.
In reading order
Timmy Failure Series
7 books · Published 2013–2018
#1
#1 in Series
Graphic Nov.
Sale price
$858
Mistakes Were Made
Chapter Book · Ages 8–12 · 2013
A clueless detective and his polar bear partner tackle a hilarious mystery.
#2
#2 in Series
Graphic Nov.
Sale price
$759
Now Look What You've Done
Chapter Book · Ages 8–12 · 2014
A clueless detective tackles a school mystery with a lazy polar bear sidekick.
#3
#3 in Series
Graphic Nov.
Sale price
$759
We Meet Again
Chapter Book · Ages 8–12 · 2014
A young detective faces academic probation and a mysterious report that could change everything.
#4
#4 in Series
Graphic Nov.
Sale price
$759
Sanitized for Your Protection
Chapter Book · Ages 8–12 · 2015
A cross-country trip turns chaotic as Timmy faces unexpected challenges.
#5
#5 in Series
Graphic Nov.
Sale price
$759
The Book You're Not Supposed to Have
Chapter Book · Ages 8–12 · 2016
A banned detective's secret notebook is stolen, threatening chaos.
#6
#6 in Series
Graphic Nov.
Sale price
$759
The Cat Stole My Pants
Chapter Book · Ages 8–12 · 2017
Timmy faces threats and mystery in Key West, relying on an unexpected ally to save his life.
#7
#7 in Series
Graphic Nov.
Sale price
$858
It's the End When I Say It's the End
Chapter Book · Ages 8–12 · 2018
A retired detective's memoir film faces unexpected challenges and family reunions.
Optional movie prequel
Zero to Hero
1 book · Published 2020
A shorter illustrated story connected to the film adaptation. It does not change the seven-book main-series count.
Graphic Nov.
Sale price
$1398
Zero to Hero
Chapter Book · Ages 9–12 · 2020
Discover how a clueless detective's journey began.
Good to know
Common Questions
How many books are in the Timmy Failure series?
There are 7 books in the Timmy Failure series. It began with Mistakes Were Made in 2013, and the newest book, It's the End When I Say It's the End, was published in 2018.
What order should you read the Timmy Failure books in?
Start with Mistakes Were Made and follow the series order — the books above are numbered #1 through #7.
What ages are the Timmy Failure books best for?
The series is best for ages 8–12, based on the age ranges of the individual books.
Which Timmy Failure book is the longest?
It's the End When I Say It's the End (Book #7) is the longest book in the series at 24,275 words (352 pages).
Which Timmy Failure book is the shortest?
The Book You're Not Supposed to Have (Book #5) is the shortest at 17,316 words (304 pages).
The people
The Creative Behind the Books
The people who bring Timmy Failure to life.
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