We are no strangers to the Timmy & Tammy series of books, as we purchased some of the Level 1 and 2 books previously, and have also reviewed ‘What is Singapore?’, ‘Lee Kuan Yew’, and ‘Singapore’s Wildlife Wonders’. The Level 1 and 2 books are targeted at emergent and young readers, incorporating sight words, short sentences, and repetition. They’re somewhat like the ‘Peter and Jane’ books that we used to have eons ago, but definitely more interesting, and set in a local context.
As usual, Noah was thrilled when I pulled out the parcel from our letterbox, and gasped, “Timmy and Tammy!” when I opened it. He flipped through the three books on his own, then asked me to read them to him.
Timmy & Tammy Series (Set 4)
He chose to start with ‘Writing a Diary with Mum’, and learnt about how Timmy and Tammy’s mum kept a diary to record memories of what she did with her children. The story is simple, yet able to inspire young readers to imitate Timmy, Tammy, and their mother, in writing their own diaries too. With easy access to technology, diary-writing isn’t very common anymore, but I do hope that this book will help in reviving this dying art a little.
Noah was intrigued by the idea that he could write his own diary, or rather, “book”, like Timmy and Tammy did after their mum shared her diary with them. He asked if he could start by drawing pictures instead of writing, since he can’t write or spell yet, and I thought that was a pretty good idea, especially for preschoolers.
Writing a Diary with Mum
Ever since I started on the IVF process, C has been bringing Noah out on his own more frequently, so that I can get some rest. They usually go running/scooting at the park, but recently, they’ve been going to play hockey and tennis together. Sports is a great way for parents to bond with their kids, and I think they’ve become closer as a result of these father-son outings.
Thus, when we read ‘Spending Time with Dad’, Noah was able to relate to the story, and we talked about the things he does when he goes out alone with Daddy. He was quite amused that Timmy and his dad went out to eat instead of going out to play, like what he does with his daddy, and kept asking me why they wanted to eat so many things.
Spending Time with Dad
‘Talking to Grandpa about the War’ was an interesting read for both of us, because prior to this, we hadn’t really talked about wars before. Memories of the world wars will probably fade gradually, as the stories of those who survived die with them, if don’t share their experiences with others. Even in this book, Grandpa didn’t share much about the fear that he probably experienced, although he did talk about being constantly hungry. I thought the children’s reactions to his recount were quite an accurate depiction of how kids in general would react, because we are so sheltered from such hardships.
Noah did ask about why there was a need for a different flag, and was amused by the concept of banana money, but his attention span, like Timmy’s, is quite short, and he was quickly distracted by how Timmy and Tammy used the bananas as guns instead. We don’t allow him to play with guns at home, but he somehow manages to either build his own guns or turn random objects into guns. There is this fascination with violence and fighting that I’m not fond of at all, and I’m glad that Grandpa points out that fighting is bad.
I do hope that this book will prompt young readers to talk to their grandparents about their experiences through the war, and perhaps gain a better understanding of how terrible war really is.
Talking to Grandpa about the War
Overall, I liked the themes of all three books, because they aren’t very common, and spark off discussions between parent and child. The illustrations are colourful and eye-catching, perfect for young children who still enjoy looking at pictures while reading. The vocabulary used in these Level 3 books is a little more sophisticated than the Level 1 and 2 ones, and I personally prefer it this way. Even though Noah can’t read on his own yet, I like exposing him to a variety of words, so for example, instead of always using the word “says”, the Level 3 books use words such as “guesses”, and “replies”, in addition to “says”.
Happy reading!
Buy the Book Timmy & Tammy Series (Set 4) on Armour Publishing Timmy & Tammy Series (Set 4) is also available at Popular Bookstores
Check out the previous Friday Flips posts HERE. I’ve also created a photo album on Facebook with some other good reads, and will be updating it whenever I come across more books that we enjoy. Do pop by for a look HERE.
Disclaimer: We received three of the books from the Timmy & Tammy series (Set 4) for the purpose of this review. All photos and opinions are, as always, our own.
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