Mr Gum and the Biscuit Billionaire by Andy Stanton and David Tazzyman
| Mr Gum and the Biscuit Billionaire by Andy Stanton and David Tazzyman | |
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| Category: Confident Readers | |
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Reviewer: John Lloyd
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| Summary: What's one of the best things around? Reading new Mr Gum books. What's one of the second best things? Reading old Mr Gum books. This is the latter, but is still highly recommended. | |
| Buy? Yes | Borrow? Yes |
| Pages: 192 | Date: July 2014 |
| Publisher: Jelly Pie | |
| ISBN: 9781405274937 | |
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Meet Alan Taylor. No, sorry – you'll have to look down if you want to. He's only 15.24 centimetres tall, but now you're looking down you can see the blue sparks that come off him when his electric muscles move him. Alan's a true gentleman born and (ginger)bread, but he's been tainted by money – a massive fortune the little gingerbread man carries around in a biscuit tin. He's of the impression that he needs to scatter his dosh around in order to make friends. Nobody else in their right mind in the town of Lamonic Bibber is of the same opinion, but two people who are certainly keen to be on the receiving end of the cash include the nasty Mr Gum – and he wants to receive it all through some evil robbery. What's more, he'll do it in the middle of Alan's impromptu party, complete with helicopter rides, a full fairground and the world's nastiest hot dog stand…
We're back in the unique world of Andy Stanton books, which if you don't know are replete with the silliest characters, the weirdest expressions, the most wanton breaking of the narrator's fourth wall, and a whole host of other quirks that so many books for under-twelves have riffed on ever since. This was the second in the series, and although Polly (the real heroine of these books), Friday (the weird adult best friend character) and the others seem to be missing Jake (the huge and none more friendly dog who saved the day in book one), this is more or less self-contained. With the life lessons given to Alan Taylor it's the nearest this series gets to caring about providing a moral – elsewhere they are just sheer, pleasurable delights.
It's always a joy to be reading a Mr Gum story, even if this time it's down to the book reviewing gods sharing an old delight. This is now seven years old, and is being rereleased along with the whole series, courtesy of some new covers for them all (why, I'm, not sure, as the old ones were perfectly fine anyway) and for the sake of plugging their brand new e-book formats. It's a little shame that it's just a vanilla reprint, as before now the series has been on the receiving end of a posher, de luxe makeover. Book one has previously been brought out in an expanded edition with more delightful silliness and more stickers, as was Mr Gum in The Hound of Lamonic Bibber. Back in 2009 this was a World Book Day title – a sure sign the series has received at least some prestige. But even the many thousands who would have paid £1 (or a free voucher) for that would cherish what's been added – the new introduction alone made me properly laugh twice. Never mind the fact the main story is a Sherlock Holmes spoof done Lamonic Bibber style, and is very close to modern classic status.
So it's a shame Biscuit Billionaire hasn't been similarly added to – Stanton and the scratchy sketcher Tazzyman have more than enough talent in them to provide for more. As it is, when meeting the series for the first time I wasn't completely bowled over by this title on its own. It was still great fun, and remains so, but wasn't the best example of what the creative team could get up to. While still more than enjoyable, it had a high standard to maintain. Proof, really, of the quality of these books, and evidence that one cannot just go back to pick out one of these off the shelf – one really needs the whole funty lot. They certainly combine to make me smile heartily, and will do the same for youngsters of any age and reading ability.
I must thank the publishers for my review copy.
For something completely different - in that it shows the exuberant brilliance of writing for the junior age groups - you might well fall for Boy In The Tower by Polly Ho-Yen as we did.
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You can read more book reviews or buy Mr Gum and the Biscuit Billionaire by Andy Stanton and David Tazzyman at Amazon.co.uk Amazon currently charges £2.99 for standard delivery for orders under £20, over which delivery is free.
You can read more book reviews or buy Mr Gum and the Biscuit Billionaire by Andy Stanton and David Tazzyman at Amazon.com.
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