Timothy D. Bellavia facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Timothy Bellavia
Timothy photographed by Lola Flash in December 2019
Born	(1971-05-01) May 1, 1971 (age 54) Buffalo, New York, U.S.
Alma mater	Roberts Wesleyan University Pratt Institute (MFA) Fashion Institute of Technology
Occupation	Author, illustrator, educator, producer, dancer, fabric artist, doll-maker

Timothy Bellavia (born in 1971) is an American author, artist, and teacher who creates books for children. He is famous for his We Are All the Same Inside book series and the special Sage Doll he invented. These tools help kids learn important lessons about being kind and accepting everyone.

Timothy Bellavia's Work

Timothy Bellavia first wanted to be a fashion designer. But then, he decided to use art and dolls to teach kids. He has worked with many groups like Sesame Workshop (who make Sesame Street), the Mattie J.T. Stepanek Foundation, and the Herbie Hancock Institute of Jazz.

He won an award for being an "Outstanding Educator of the Year." He also helped with a big five-year project. This project showed how important it is to include STEAM (Science, Technology, Engineering, Arts, and Mathematics) in school lessons. This project was called Young Academic Music (YAM).

Today, Timothy is a professor at Touro University in New York City. He teaches about different ways to educate people.

Awards and Recognitions

Timothy Bellavia has won many awards for his work in education and art. Here are some of them:

Books by Timothy Bellavia

Timothy Bellavia has written and illustrated many books, mostly for children.

Children's Picture Books

• We Are All the Same Inside (2000)
• Come and Abide (2002)
• Theo and the Sisters of Sage! (2003)
• Sage Goes to Kindergarten (2006)
• Paper, Scissors & Magic - Seven Ways to Get Kids to Love Books (2007)
• The Inside Story – Commemorating the 10th Anniversary of Sage (2009)
• La historia por dentro (2011) (Spanish version)
• Vu de l'interier (2011) (French version)
• We Are All the Same Inside Curriculum – Activities, Stories, Doll Patterns and More! (2018)
• Tales at Luv Micheal: The Big Idea (2020)
• Treble Leads the Class - with Susan Courey (2021)
• Treble Catches the Rhythm Train - with Susan Courey (2021)
• Treble Goes 'A Go-Go - with Susan Courey (2022)
• The Sage Doll Through the Years - An Illustrated History, Paper Dolls and More! (2025)

Books for Young Adults

• Pieces of Ice - with Kristin Walsh (2009)
• W.T.h. is a Sage Doll?! (2025)

About Timothy's Life

Timothy Bellavia was born on May 1, 1971, in Buffalo, New York. He grew up in a town called Waterport, New York. He is one of four children. His brother, Rand Bellavia, is a singer-songwriter. Another brother, David Bellavia, received the Congressional Medal of Honour.

Timothy went to Roberts Wesleyan University and then earned a special art degree (MFA) from Pratt Institute in Brooklyn, New York. After school, he moved to Manhattan. He worked as an art teacher, a model, and even a backup dancer for the famous singer Cyndi Lauper. Later, he worked as a curator at the Lower East Side Tenement Museum.

In 1997, Timothy received a scholarship to attend the Skowhegan School of Painting and Sculpture. He also studied at the Fashion Institute of Technology. He has written many children's books, including the award-winning We Are All the Same Inside.

T.I.M.M.-E. Company

Timothy Bellavia started The T.I.M.M.-E. Company. Inc. in 2000. T.I.M.M.-E. stands for "Tolerance in Multi Media Education." This company helps teach kids about peace, tolerance, and accepting everyone.

The T.I.M.M.-E. Company publishes We Are All the Same Inside. They also created a special school program for young children. This program uses dolls to teach about human diversity and tolerance. In 2003, Timothy shared his program at the United Nations. He spoke about "Educating Our Children For A Safer World." His speech was even shown on TV.

The company has also worked with the New York City Department of Education. They hold workshops to teach kids in New York City about tolerance and peace. They also help schools add art into their reading lessons. The T.I.M.M.-E. Company has even worked with Sesame Street characters like Rosita and Abby Cadabby at special events.

We Are All the Same Inside Book

We Are All the Same Inside is a children's picture book written by Timothy Bellavia in 2000. It was even nominated for a Christopher Award! In 2010, a special 10th-anniversary version of the book came out. This new version included paper doll patterns, ideas for teachers, and old photos. To celebrate, a special music CD was also made for kids. The Brooklyn Historical Society even hosted a workshop where kids could make their own Sage dolls based on the book.

The Sage Doll

The Sage Doll is a special doll invented by Timothy Bellavia in 1998. It's unique because it has interchangeable covers. You can put different covers on the doll, and each cover shows a different character. These characters can have different skin colors, hair, or clothes.

The main doll underneath shows the human body's internal organs, like the heart and lungs. It doesn't have any outside features like skin or hair. This helps kids understand that while people look different on the outside, we are all very much the same on the inside. The Sage doll is a great tool for teaching kids and adults about how we are all connected.

Young Academic Music Research

The Young Academic Music and Computational Thinking (YAM) project was a big five-year research project. It showed how important it is to include STEAM (Science, Technology, Engineering, Arts, and Mathematics) in elementary school lessons.

This project created a series of children's books and animated videos. These include "Treble Leads the Class" (2021), "Treble Catches the Rhythm Train" (2021), and "Treble Goes A 'Go-Go" (2022). Timothy Bellavia worked with Susan Courey and the Herbie Hancock Institute of Jazz on these. The famous musician Herbie Hancock even narrates these fun stories about music notes that go to school!

#star80: Celebrating Diana Ross

Timothy Bellavia created a special online celebration called "#star80 A Celebration of 80 Gowns, Dolls, and Years." This project honored the famous singer Diana Ross before her 80th birthday. It was a web series on YouTube that included interviews and tributes from fans.

Timothy made over 80 We Are All the Same Inside Sage dolls that looked like Diana Ross in her famous gowns. The project showed how much Diana Ross has influenced popular culture. Many people, including other celebrities, shared their love for the legendary Motown artist.

Music by Timothy Bellavia

• We Are All the Same Inside 10th Anniversary - with Sherlie Matthews (2010)
• The Grass is Stone - with Dan Giangiobbe (2024) Demo Recording

Films and Videos