You're a Bad Man, Mr Gum!

Mr Gum is an unpleasant man who lives in the town of Lamonic Bibber. He despises children, good hygiene, and most aspects of civil society - but his greatest hatred is reserved for his own garden, which he must keep tidy due to regular visits from a fierce fairy with a frying pan. A local girl named Polly discovers Mr Gum's dark secret and decides to take action. Her mission brings her into contact with various town characters, including a wise old gingerbread man named Alan Taylor and Friday O'Leary, the local butcher. The story's main conflict centers on Mr Gum's attempts to solve his garden problem once and for all, while Polly works to prevent his scheme from succeeding. The tale includes absurd situations, unexpected alliances, and peculiar town traditions. This children's novel explores themes of community responsibility, standing up to wrongdoing, and the power of determined action. Its irreverent humor and celebration of the absurd challenge conventional storytelling expectations.

Readers compare the humor to Roald Dahl and describe it as silly, absurd, and filled with wordplay. Parents report their children laughing out loud during reading sessions, with many kids aged 7-10 requesting repeated readings. Liked: - Inventive language and made-up words - Short chapters good for reluctant readers - Illustrations complement the story - Appeals to both children and adults Disliked: - Some parents found the humor too crude - References to violence may upset sensitive children - Writing style can be chaotic and hard to follow Ratings: Goodreads: 4.1/5 (2,800+ ratings) Amazon UK: 4.6/5 (1,200+ ratings) Amazon US: 4.5/5 (200+ ratings) One teacher noted: "Perfect for getting boys interested in reading." A parent wrote: "My son went from hating books to begging for the whole series." Critics mentioned the plot "meanders too much" and some jokes "try too hard to be random."

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🌟 Author Andy Stanton worked as a film script reader and medical records clerk before becoming a children's writer 🌟 The book was inspired by Stanton's desire to write something that made him laugh, rather than trying to please others or follow market trends 🌟 You're a Bad Man, Mr Gum! won the Red House Children's Book Award and the Blue Peter Book Award for "Most Fun Story with Pictures" 🌟 The illustrations by David Tazzyman were done using a dip pen with Indian ink, giving the book its distinctive scratchy, energetic style 🌟 The character of Friday O'Leary was named after Stanton's grandmother, whose maiden name was O'Leary