Tom Gates Series by Liz Pichon 7 Books Collection Set - Children's Fiction - Paperback

Titles in This Set
DogZombies Rule (for Now)
Family, Friends and Furry Creatures
Epic Adventure (Kind of)
Biscuits, Bands and Very Big Plans
What Monster?
Mega Make and Do (and Stories Too!)
Spectacular School Trip (Really.)

Details
Condition: Brand New
Format: Paperback
ISBN: 9789124143015
Publisher: Scholastic
Age Range: Ages 7-11 (Grades 2-6)

Overview
This seven-book collection follows Tom Gates, the endlessly doodling schoolboy created by Liz Pichon, through a fresh run of family outings, band dreams, mystery creatures, and one seriously chaotic school trip. Written in Tom's own scribbled, sarcastic voice and paired with his signature cartoon doodles, each story mixes laugh-out-loud humor with genuine warmth about friendship, family, and finding your own way of being creative. Perfect for reluctant readers and Tom Gates superfans alike, this paperback set delivers seven complete stories packed with sketches, lists, and comic asides that make reading feel like flipping through a friend's hilarious notebook.

About the Books
Across these seven installments, author-illustrator Liz Pichon expands the world of Tom Gates with the same blend of comic-strip doodles, laugh-out-loud captions, and spot-on middle-grade humor that made the series a favorite with young readers. Tom is still the same easily distracted, wildly imaginative schoolboy, forever dodging homework, dreaming up band names, and doodling his way through class, but this run of books pushes his world wider. Family features heavily across these titles, with road trips, relatives, and the occasional furry surprise, alongside Tom's ongoing rivalry with his older sister and his loyal friendship with his best mate. School life supplies plenty of material too, from disastrous class trips to unexpected monster scares and inspired, if chaotic, craft projects. Pichon's format never changes: short chapters, hand-lettered captions, and doodle-covered margins that turn every page into something to look at as much as read, which is part of why the series appeals so strongly to kids who find traditional chapter books intimidating. Humor stays gentle and observational rather than mean-spirited, built from exaggeration, misunderstandings, and Tom's stubborn optimism no matter how a plan falls apart. Threaded through the laughs are quieter themes of loyalty, creativity, and paying attention to the people and pets around you. Fans of the earlier Tom Gates books will recognize the cast and comic rhythm, while newcomers can pick up any title here and quickly get up to speed on Tom's world, making this whole set an easy, rewarding read for reluctant and enthusiastic readers alike.

Key Benefits

• Complete run of seven Tom Gates paperbacks in one set, ready for gifting or a classroom library.
• Liz Pichon's signature doodle-and-diary format makes long chapter books feel approachable for reluctant readers.
• Laugh-out-loud, kid-tested humor about school, family, friendship, and creative chaos.
• Brand new paperback copies, perfect for birthdays, holidays, or back-to-school reading lists.
• Easy to read in any order, so kids can jump straight to their favorite-sounding title.
• A go-to pick for fans of illustrated humor chapter books for middle-grade readers.

Book-by-Book Guide
DogZombies Rule (for Now) — Tom juggles a wobbly family tree project, a mysterious squeak in his shoe, and his usual doodle-fueled distractions.
Family, Friends and Furry Creatures — Relatives, pals, and a menagerie of pets crowd into Tom's world as loyalties and rivalries get put to the test.
Epic Adventure (Kind of) — A big family outing promises epic thrills, though Tom's version of "epic" doesn't always match everyone else's expectations.
Biscuits, Bands and Very Big Plans — Tom's band dreams collide with snack cravings and overly ambitious scheming, in classic Tom Gates fashion.
What Monster? — A spooky rumor takes hold at school, and Tom can't resist doodling and investigating his own monster theories.
Mega Make and Do (and Stories Too!) — Packed with craft ideas and short stories, this entry leans into Tom's love of making things with his own two hands.
Spectacular School Trip (Really.) — A class trip goes sideways in the most Tom Gates way possible, mixing mishaps with moments of surprising fun.

About the Author
Liz Pichon is a British author-illustrator best known for creating the Tom Gates series, which blends comic-style doodles with diary-format storytelling to capture the everyday chaos of school and family life. Before writing for children, Pichon worked as a graphic designer, experience that shows in the series' distinctive hand-lettered captions and lively page layouts. Since its debut, the Tom Gates series has grown into a long-running, popular set of books, translated into multiple languages and beloved by reluctant and enthusiastic readers alike. Pichon continues to write and illustrate new Tom Gates adventures from her home in the UK.

Why You'll Love This Set
With seven full stories, brand-new doodle-covered pages, and Tom's irresistibly funny voice, this collection is an easy win for birthdays, holiday stockings, classroom libraries, or summer reading lists. It's especially great for kids who love illustrated humor chapter books but want a fresh cast and a whole new stack of laughs to dig into.

Please Note: This is the UK edition with the ISBN as listed; the cover may vary slightly from the image shown.