Andy Stanton

Absolutely hilarious, this crazy and nonsensical adventure will be a delight for both children and adults. Indeed, I read it with my son (6yo) and, we both laugh although for different reasons -my boy enjoyed the silliness of it all (at times even laughing to tears!) while I was more impressed by the endless play with words and language (and boy it's clever!). This is a true classic -non stop jokes, highly creative and wildly absurd. Me and my son cannot wait to read the next one!

I'm not sure I've ever read a book which taps into the minds of small children quite as well as this one. It's weird, loud, crass, silly, repetitive, over the top and doesn't really make any sense at all. So basically it is just like my 8 year old in print form. He thinks it's hilarious and is saving up his pocket money for the rest of the series, rather than spending it on sweets and tat. Thank you Mr Stanton.

Thank you, GR friend Laura, for recommending this on audio! It was perfect for my road trip today— I laughed out loud a lot. The author is the audiobook reader. While sometimes that turns out to be a bad idea, in this case, it was perfect.
The humor is droll and absurd, with the most deliberately nonsensical similes I’ve ever heard. Characterization of the baddies is grotesque in a style similar to Roald Dahl’s.
Oddly, I’m not sure who to recommend this to, other than adults who like show more children’s books. It’s clearly a children’s book, but Mr. Gum really is a bad man who plots something pretty horrific against the town’s beloved stray dog. It would have upset me greatly when I was a child. I’m not a parent, but I am an aunty who gives books as gifts, and I think I’d be more likely to give this to my grown nieces and nephews (on audio, of course).
It was great fun for me, anyway, and I would recommend it to fans of Lemony Snicket or Roald Dahl. show less

This book was great, fantastic and most marvellous. But what is going on in the nice and shiny but squeaky and creepy town of Lamonic Bibber?

I can tell you that the villagers (apart from Polly, Friday O'Leary and the gingerbread man Alan Taylor) have gone mad about a stupid old cherry tree. But, uh, uh, uh - that isn't just any old cherry tree. Well, I suppose it is, but do you think something (/, of course, someone) is lurking around somewhere near that particular little tree?

Hmm... Well, show more you'll have to wait and see and find out by reading this book and finding out... show less