Tom Gates – Extra Special Treats (not)

Liz Pichon's Tom Gates Extra Special Treats (not) is a funny diary story for 9 year olds about a snowy week, a house full of relatives and a badge Tom wants VERY badly.

What happens

This is the sixth Tom Gates book. It starts with Marcus Meldrew's Star Pupil badge, which has fallen off his jumper and landed under Tom's desk. Marcus hasn't stopped bragging about it since Mr Fullerman gave it to him.

Star pupils get to hang out in the library at lunchtime. Teachers smile at them more, too. So Tom decides that, just for a change, he's going to hand in ALL his homework on time.

His first evening doesn't help. He finds the chocolate raisins Mum has hidden in the teapot, then gives her a great big hug to cover up a mouthful. Which leaves a chocolate handprint on the back of her brand new dress (oops).

Then the snow arrives. The school heating packs up and everyone gets sent home. Uncle Kevin, Aunty Alice and the cousins turn up with suitcases because their pipes have frozen. And the girl who kept pulling faces at Tom is moving in next door.

On top of all that, there's a surprise party to plan for Granny Mavis and Granddad Bob's fiftieth wedding anniversary. Nobody is to say a word. ESPECIALLY Tom.

As always it's like being inside Tom's head. You get his diary, his doodles in every gap and his own version of events. Some words are written HUGE when he's excited. Others go tiny when he's trying not to look guilty.

Plenty of the laughs come from the pictures. Uncle Kevin snores so loudly that Tom has to go downstairs to check he isn't a real dinosaur.

Tom isn't exactly a model pupil. He pinches treats, tells the odd fib to get out of trouble, and a snowball meant for Marcus lands on the head teacher instead. None of it is nasty, and he's very good company.

Who doesn't love a snow day? If your reader has ever had cousins squashed into their bedroom or a grown-up snoring through the wall, they'll recognise plenty here. A child can race through it in a sitting or two. There's even a guide at the back to folding a stand-up paper monster.

What to read next

The Brilliant World of Tom Gates is where the series begins. For another week of Tom's diary, try Best Book Day Ever (so far). Same school, same Class 5F and Marcus still sitting next to him. Here he's building an Alien Scale Monster costume for the book parade.