Wally and the Dolphins


Children - Animals
47 Pages
Reviewed on 01/23/2020
Buy on Amazon

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Author Biography


Timothy Christian Merritt is a writer and illustrator living in Dallas, Texas.

Timothy attended Southern Methodist University from 1984-1988, graduating with a Bachelor of Fine Arts degree.

His illustrations are hand-drawn and incorporate a variety of media. He is interested in color and how color affects one's emotions and state of mind.

Literary influences include Shel Silverstein, Lewis Carroll and the writing, music and style of the Beatles. Timothy's writing is one that invokes mental images with words, particularly weird words.

Hyer Elementary School is his favorite school he has attended - a school that was just the right size, with rose bushes planted along the perimeter fence, a slice of pizza in the cafeteria cost $1.75 and a cozy library where he learned to read and was introduced to books.

His favorite children's books include: The Giving Tree, Where the Wild Things Are, May I Bring a Friend, Babushka and the Three Kings, and Hailstones and Halibut Bones.

    Book Review

Reviewed by Sarah Stuart for Readers' Favorite

Wally and the Dolphins by Timothy Christian Merritt is a captivating story based on a real golden retriever called Wally – there is a beautiful photograph of him before the story starts. Wally has a “Daddy Tim” who has to go to work every day and he leaves Wally feeling very lonely, but only until four dolphins magically appear to keep him company. Well, it must be magic! Would you expect results if you cast a spell whilst looking at your reflection in a Japanese Garden pond? The dolphins suggest lots of ways Wally could fill his time until Daddy Tim comes home. All of them are impossible in real life, but this is a special adventure where anything can happen, including meeting a Tiger Shark brandishing a knife and fork!

Daddy Tim leaves Wally with a list of household chores, but our hero is far too busy to do them after he meets the dolphins. For “our hero” substitute “wizard”. Not that Wally is an expert at witchcraft; it’s trial and error, and fun. Wally and the Dolphins by Timothy Christian Merritt is a book designed to be read out loud and the semi-rhyming story flows beautifully, but do be ready for questions along with the demand to “read it again." BTW, the chores do get done, with the dolphins’ help. Timothy Christian Merritt has crammed so many intriguing stories within the tale of Wally and the Dolphins that it is an absolute must for any child’s personal library.