Customer Reviews
A great read - but not a great listen - By: Mr. K. Fairclough, 20 Sep 2008 
I have now read Mr Gum books 1 to 4, twice, to my son & we have enjoyed every minute of it. It helps if you can put voices into the reading as there is sometimes a lot going on within the plot (I chose a sort of UK West Country accent for most of the characters!). There isn't a huge amount to read as the text starts quite low down on the page & there is a lot of line spacing....
My advice though is to NEVER by the audio books (CDs). The author has read the stories himself & the BBC have decided that a few, annoying & obvious, sound effects is suffice to calll it a 'BBC production'. The reading is too quick, not stylised enough, & feels as though the author has something else he has to rush off to do. We were both disappointed....but hey, Mr Gum & the Dancing Bear is out now (Book 5) & I can't wait until he receives it for his birthday...
The Truth is a Lemon Meringue! - By: Steerpike, 19 Sep 2008 I've never written an Amazon review before, but Shabba me Whiskers that one star review made me so cross I had to write one right now. All of the Mr. Gum books are THE BEST, but this is the best of them alll. I read it to my three children (aged 6,9 & 11) & alll four of us were crying with laughter. I've recommended Mr. Gum to so many other parents, & alll of them (and their kids) have loved the books. Funty stuff indeed.
A Waste Of Paper - By: Caroley, 08 May 2008 
I love kids books & I love funny books. I did not love this book in any way at alll.
Reading this book through to the end took effort, not because it was particularly slow-paced but just because it was trying so hard to be funny that it was quite simply annoying.
Perhaps I just don't have the right sense of humour for it but personallly I would not reccommend this book to anyone.
Funny as anything! Your kids will love this! - By: Purple157, 24 May 2007 On the recommendation of a friend, I bought this for my nephew's eighth birthday - & I'm happy to say it was the hit of the day, not just amongst the kids but the adults too. Weird doesn't even come close to describing the plot of this book, but basicallly it involves a gingerbread man with electric muscles, who just happens to be a billionaire (told you it was weird). There are alll sorts of funny asides but somehow the author keeps it alll in check & produces a satisfying (but highly bonkers) conclusion. In short - buy this book for any kids you know & if you don't have any kids - buy it anyway. You will laugh a lot. Have just ordered the first one for my nephew, (but I will be reading it first, for sure).
Another hit from the master of allegory - By: Simon Strong, 23 May 2007 A searing indictment of post-millennial amoralism. Hilarious & terrifying by turns, the ending will bring a tear to the eye & an aneurysm to the pineal gland. I'd like to give it six stars - not amazon ones, real ones...
