Tom Gates: Epic Adventure (kind of) by Liz Pichon
Tom Gates book 13. Scholastic, 2017. ISBN 9781742768779
(Age: 7-11) Recommended. Themes: Families. Grandparents. School life.
Liz Pichon's extremely popular Tom Gates returns with another
humorous diary, exploring the difficulties of his school and family
life. Granny Pet and Granddad Joe - Mum's parents have just returned
from their world travels after seven years. The Wrinklies as Tom
calls them, have mastered yoga in India, can converse in four
languages and have surprise gifts for their grandchildren. Granny
Pet gives Tom a fabulous digital watch with animal noises for the
alarms. This is just perfect for scaring his sister Delia and making
inappropriate noises at school.
School for Tom continues to be a series of problems, awkward
situations and embarrassing moments. Why hasn't he received an
invitation to Julia Morton's birthday party, everyone else has?
There is his failed spelling test, even after study club and the
embarrassment of long hair, even his teacher comments on his need
for a haircut. Of course, he ends up going to Hairtastic where
Granny Mavis has her hair done. The stylist snips away until poor
Tom ends with a super short cut and has a photo of his new hairdo
displayed in the window.
Julia's party at the boating lake is a series of comic events.
Marcus and Tom haphazardly paddle around the lake on a beakless bird
boat (more like a giant worm), and become stranded on a small island
attacked by hungry birds. After lunch Tom is last to hold the
petting zoo animals, no fluffy rabbits for him, just a smelly
armadillo! Of course, nothing is ever straightforward and his life
often seems unfair. The family outing to Crambly Castle proves to be
a day filled with expensive disasters and Tom returns too late to
attend the school disco.
Liz Pichon's Tom Gates series is perfect for reluctant readers who
enjoy stories told through visual presentations, cartoons, doodles
and sketches. The minimal text is presented in a variety of formats,
styles and sizes, handwriting, bubble writing, emphasized words,
block writing and words made out of patterns.
Tom Gates: Epic Adventure (kind of) is another fun addition
to the popular Tom Gates books, recommended for a readers from 8-11.
Rhyllis Bignell