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Mr Gum and the Secret Hideout by Andy Stanton (view source)
Revision as of 12:08, 4 March 2018
, 12:08, 4 March 2018no edit summary
{{infoboxinfobox1
|title=Mr Gum and the Secret Hideout
|author=Andy Stanton
|reviewer=John Lloyd
|buy=Yes
|borrow=Yes
|pages=256
|publisher=Egmont
|date=November 2010
|isbn=978-1405253277
|amazonukcover=<amazonuk>1405253274</amazonuk>|amazonusaznuk=1405253274|aznus=<amazonus>1405253274</amazonus>
}}
Evidence is easily found here, for this is so utterly quotable I could spatter the screen with gags and only slightly spoil the book. Friday O'Leary, we learn, was once a professional apple. A hen gets so startled it lays an egg out from its mouth. Elsewhere, we see our heroes Friday and Polly discover what a ship's brig is, from the wrong side of the door, we find what might be the world's longest straw, learn what meat pirates have as their ringtones, - even William Shakespeare is on hand with some news.
And for once the wacky wordplay, presented complete with obligatory song lyrics, typographic invention and more, is as topnotch as the story. There was the possibility of a moral lesson here, regarding a current issue I won't reveal, and Stanton just says 'hang' to that, and gives us entertainment, pure and simple. So returning fans will be ''like a gang of carefree bellybuttons'' at the news this is one of the most enjoyable entries to an already award-winning and constantly inventive franchise. Newcomers have a lot of lemon meringue to consume en route here, but it's well worth it.
The series, and my encounters with it, began with [[You're a Bad Man, Mr Gum! by Andy Stanton|You're a Bad Man, Mr Gum!]]. More absurdity, but with a slightly more sensible and familiarly fantasy backing, can be had with [[Sebastian Darke: A Buffalope's Tale by Philip Caveney]].
You can also watch a video podcast with Andy Stanton [http://www.linkto.tv/iframe/show/uuid/StpbaEPkeuI here].
{{toptentext|list=Guardian Children's Fiction Prize 2011}}
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