Long Arm Vs the Evil Supply Teacher

Sam Nixon and Mark Rhodes's Long Arm Vs the Evil Supply Teacher is a gloriously silly superhero story for 8 year olds, stuffed with trump jokes.

What happens

It's the second Long Arm book. Ricky Mitre looks like a normal boy, but ever since a toilet-cleaning accident his arm can stretch as long as he likes. Only a few people know he's secretly Long Arm, the hero of the town of Wolvesley.

Being a superhero is exhausting, though. Ricky keeps nodding off in maths and his latest test comes back marked W (for Worse-Than-Even-I-Expected).

Then everything at school changes. The head teacher has gone missing (she's apparently playing a really good game of hide-and-seek). In her place comes Mrs Schofield, who rides a motorbike, calls everyone "guys" and has only one rule. Have fun!

Ricky thinks she's brilliant. His best friend Simon, the inventor, isn't so sure. And the title gives you a pretty big clue about who's right.

Meanwhile animals are vanishing all over town. Ricky's dog Elliot disappears on a walk, three hippos stampede down the high street and even the school hamster gets pinched. Can Ricky work out what's going on before it's too late?

It's the sort of book where the jokes come thick and fast and nobody takes anything seriously. Ricky's teacher Mr Pinkerton is famous for his trumps (and the narrator is VERY happy to describe them). The front row in assembly is called Spittle Row because of the head teacher. And the favourite TV show in Wolvesley is a talent contest for bottom burps.

The narrator chats to you directly too, which makes it feel like a friend telling you a story. You at home holding the book are even included in the joke!

Underneath all the silliness there's a nice bit about friendship. Ricky makes friends with the lonely new boy and doesn't notice that Simon feels a bit left out.

So if your reader thinks trumps are the funniest thing in the world (and let's be honest, lots of 8 year olds do), this will have them giggling from the first page. If toilet humour makes you wince, this probably isn't the one for bedtime reading together!

What to read next

For another class who find out they're secretly superheroes, try Cartoon Kid by Jeremy Strong next. Casper falls off his chair on the very first day with his new teacher, and things only get sillier from there.