Tom Gates a Tiny Bit Lucky

Tom Gates a Tiny Bit Lucky by L. Pichon (Scholastic Australia)
PB RRP $15.99
ISBN 978-1-74362-534-7
Reviewed by Jenny Heslop
Tom Gates, master doodler and expert in getting on the wrong side of his teacher, is back in his 7^th hilarious adventure. Tom is still obsessed with caramel wafers and band practice (so that Dogzombies can enter the Battle of the Bands).

This time, Tom’s dad is big on getting fresh air and decides they will make a kite together. Which is a good thing really as Tom discovers there is so much fun to be had with a piece of string. In fact, string provides a perfect enhancement to doodling – until Mr Fullerman confiscates it.

Throw in Delia’s bad moods, an invitation to meet the new neighbours and school Enrichment Week and Tom has too much to think about. All he wants to do is find a copy of The Very Special Recipe in the library so he can finish the story Mr Fullerman started.

The pictures and doodles sprinkled among the pages are as much a part of the story as the text and provide many laugh-out-loud moments. The humour is quirky but easily relatable, especially within the family dynamics.

Short chapters and big font with pictorial cues make Tom Gates great for the beginner reader market, 8 years plus. But once you read one, you’ll probably want to read more. They’re light, quick to read and very funny.

As a bonus, at the end of A Tiny Bit Lucky, is Dad’s instruction on how to make a kite. Try it out, then go fly it with a friend.