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Have you read Tom Gates: Super Good Skills (Almost...)? Post your feedback by 27 June for chance to win £100 voucher! See Liz Pichon at Bookfest

26 replies

SorchaMumsnet · 09/05/2016 15:29

Tom Gates is back! Tom, Delia and the whole Gates family are off on holiday to the most boring campsite ever. But how will Tom avoid dying of the yawns? With a totally AMAZING book of holiday stuff to do, of course! This month we're delighted to bring you the first EVER Tom Gates activity book, Super Good Skills (Almost…) by Liz Pichon. The giveaway is now closed but you can head to the book page to find out more about the tenth Tom Gates.

Don’t forget that Liz joins us at Bookfest to show how to doodle like Tom and even how to play the caramel wafer biscuit trick! Book your tickets to see her and other great kids' events on 25 June.

If you're not able to join Liz live at Bookfest, she will also be doing a webchat on Friday 10 June at 4pm to talk about her career as well as all things Tom Gates-related! Ask her a question in advance or join the webchat on the day.

You don’t have to win a free copy to take part in the discussion. Anyone who has read Super Good Skills (Almost...) can post their feedback here. If you miss out on a free copy, you can always buy one and all who post before 27 June will be entered into a prize draw to win a £100 Love2Shop voucher.

This giveaway is sponsored by Scholastic Books

Have you read Tom Gates: Super Good Skills (Almost...)? Post your feedback by 27 June for chance to win £100 voucher! See Liz Pichon at Bookfest
Have you read Tom Gates: Super Good Skills (Almost...)? Post your feedback by 27 June for chance to win £100 voucher! See Liz Pichon at Bookfest
OP posts:
insan1tyscartching · 13/05/2016 20:49

Have applied dd loves the Tom Gates series.

MarthasHarbour · 13/05/2016 20:52

I have applied too. DS is a big fan Smile

debjani · 22/05/2016 19:57

We got this book only y'day and my daughters (11 &13) both read it through immediately - we met Liz pichon at a book awards ceremony for her first tom gates book & we have been fans ever since. My eldest says this book was v funny, v interactive & she loved the doodle pages - it's as good as the other 'tom gates' books. My youngest says: 'this is another great book in the series & my favourite thing about it is that this is a story that includes cool pages you can write & draw on yourself." (We received a free copy via mumsnet & our views are our own).

BlueEyeshadow · 01/06/2016 22:43

DS1 was thrilled with the book and read it right away. He didn't realise at first that it was his to keep so didn't do the doodle pages. I will try and get him to express an opinion about it, but he certainly seemed to enjoy it! Thanks, MN!!

HesSpartacus · 02/06/2016 10:44

Dd (10) and Ds (12) love Tom Gates (making a change from ds's love of future dystopia / apocalypse novels...) - they weren't sure about this one at first owing to the activities. Ds thought it would mean there was less actual story and Dd absolutely refuses to write in a reading book and is a stickler for keeping hers pristine. However, they loved it - as always, the written portion was great. Dd is coming round to the idea of writing in it, too. Really, for the upper age groups I'd prefer a straight novel, but it might be good for younger readers as is. Thanks for our copy, and big thanks to Liz. Keep on writing!

Temporaryanonymity · 02/06/2016 10:47

I'm so grateful to the Tom Gates books. It was the first book I have ever bought (and I have tried lots!) that my reading phobic 9 year old son has ever voluntarily read independently and enthusiastically. Since then his confidence has grown and he will now read other books.

Blatherskite · 02/06/2016 10:52

I gave this book straight to DS (9) as he is a huge Tom Gates fan and he ditched his current reading book to start it right away. He absolutely loves it.

He's loves to read in bed and this book was a bit unhelpful for that as he was so into the activity pages that it was waking him up rather than relaxing him but it would be absolutely perfect for keeping him amused during a long journey or quiet day over the summer holidays. It's definitely the sort of thing that I would buy for him.

In his own words, it's "The best thing there ever was" Grin

I'm going to get him to write a proper review which I will post here and will also pass on to his Auntie who works in Waterstones as she has said that she will display it in her branch and he's very excited at that idea.

hermancakedestroyer · 02/06/2016 10:56

My ds aged 11 loves the Tom Gates books and couldn't wait to receive this book to try out. He thought it was clever that the author wrote a story that had relevant activities along the way. He thought the story was classic Tom Gates and he loved it. His favourite character was Delia - Tom Gates' sister, because she is funny and acts like his older sister! He loved the bright colours on the book cover as it really made it stand out. He would recommend it to readers up to 12 years old. Thank you for the opportunity of trying out this book. Thank you Scholastoc and Mumsnet Flowers

clorindaClutterbuck1 · 02/06/2016 10:58

Great book, well illustrated, and my kids love it! Would very much recommend the latest Tom Gates :-)

PatriciaHolm · 02/06/2016 11:14

DD (11) and DS (10) both enjoyed this; they have read most of the other books as well, they are one of the few things that inspires DS to read! DD did comment that she thought some of the activities were a bit random ;-) but she and her little cousin (7) spent ages passing it between them to colour in in the back of the car at the weekend.

SarahatCraftInvaders · 02/06/2016 11:25

Both my kids (8 and 10) were delighted to receive the Tom Gates Activity book, after they had -fought- decided who would read it, my daughter disappeared with it first. She says she likes the activity book more than the straight story books. My son (10) says he loved the fact that there were activities mixed in with the story, and that the story was still classic Tom Gates and very funny. Both kids say they would recommend it to all their friends. Thanks to Scholastic books and Mumsnet for the chance to review this book, and ofc to Liz for writing it, both kids are huge fans!

lorka · 02/06/2016 14:29

Thank you for the Tom Gates Super Good Skills book. My daughter (10) was delighted to receive this book. She said some of her friends had it already and loved it. She started reading it straight away. It is a lovely, well illustrated book which I would definitely recommend to others. :)

reenu26 · 02/06/2016 15:34

I gave the book to my 10 year old nephew who is very happy with the book. he said that he loved that their is space to doodle and he can write his thoughts as well! he said that the book is very funny and he has told all his friends about the book!

Toomanycats99 · 03/06/2016 08:23

Thanks for sending us the book. My 8 year old daughter loves Tom Gates. Over to her for comments......! I loved that Tom Gates super good skills (almost) had activity pages eg:colouring pages . Tom is always trying to be funny but Delia is always grumpy.I have read all the books but this one is by far my favourite.

RunningKatie · 05/06/2016 21:23

Thank you for sending us the Super Good Skills book, the activities were a real hit over the half term week when we had visitors aged 8 & 10 and the weather wasn't great for outdoors actitvities.

They really enjoyed the pages where they could doodle, the design was fun and age appropriate. Their mum was happy to keep them off their ipads even for a short time too! Grin

rose69 · 06/06/2016 22:38

Both children 12 and 11 love the Tom Gates books and are enjoying the activities in this one. They are great books to read out to the children - the Aliens Stole my Homework story is especially good.

BlueEyeshadow · 07/06/2016 13:51

DS1 says this was the best Tom Gates book yet because of the doodle pages.

ScoutFinch1975 · 10/06/2016 10:43

My 10 yr old son read this book before me and loved every page! He is a HUGE Tom Gates fan and owns every book. He really enjoyed the activities part and giggled himself silly reading the story.
I'm really glad I read it too as I now realise what all the fuss is about and why children love these books so much! Incredibly fun, funny and real! An easier read for reluctant readers, and a very entertaining read for everyone.

AintNobodyHereButUsKittens · 13/06/2016 19:33

Many thanks for the book. My 11 year old son has just been rereading his boxed set of all the prior ones, and he enjoyed this one, although he personally prefers the original format because he wasn't up for the DIY doodles element.

Igneococcus · 14/06/2016 18:40

My 8 year old ds loved the book. He was very excited when I told him there would be a TG book in the post soon and he was checking every day for its arrival. He finished reading it on the day it arrived. He liked the activities a lot and has even drawn on other pages. He also read all the funniest bits to the rest of the family.
He is a very competent reader but not a very enthusiastic one. The Tom Gates books are some he likes and reads voluntarily so it was great to get this one. It was lovely to see him that excited about a book. Thanks very much to MN and Scholastic

papaver · 15/06/2016 12:01

Delighted to get this book. My daughter is a big Tom Gates fan. She has dyslexia and these books are some of the few she will pick up to read for pleasure.

MrsWeasley · 15/06/2016 20:35

I read this book myself and knew that it would be a great success. It's funny and the characters are appealing. I gave it to two 9 year olds to read and they love it. My second reader is half way through and says it's very funny and he doesn't want to stop reading. He said he wishes he owned the book! (I hope he gives it back ;) )The first reader said she enjoyed it because it was funny and she liked that it was a quick read. She said the doodles and pictures were just as funny as the words. Asked would she recommend it - yes definitely, which is a good job as I seem to have a queue of people with their fingers crossed that I will let them borrow it. :) Because of all the doddles and pictures it is a quick read which is a real confidence boost for the less confident or reluctant reader. :)

FrootLoops · 27/06/2016 10:24

My 9 year old is a big Tom Gates fan and I wanted to introduce my 7 year old to the books too. She can be a reluctant reader so the activities throughout were very good for holding her attention and breaking up the story a little. She loved the tone of the book and the doodles since she is quite artistic too. All in all a funny, engaging book which was very well received. Thanks for the chance to read it.

Liska · 27/06/2016 16:33

We received a copy (eventually - Royal Mail lost it for a while!), and my 9 year old declared it the best Tom Gates book ever! She basically inhaled it in about 3 hours. One of my favourite things about the Tom Gates books in general is that she shares them as she goes along - she's constantly collapsing with laughter and then insisting on reading me the funny bits. (Although they're funnier when you read them yourself. Which I do! ) The fact that this one had extra activities was brilliant - I almost wished I'd embargoed it until the summer hols - it is perfect 'plane entertainment material. Keep writing, please, Liz!

Goonergirl1 · 27/06/2016 18:40

This was our first Tom Gates book - but definitely won't be our last. My 7 year old loved it, he loved the characters, thought it was hilarious, related to so much of it and enjoyed the different activities and 'interactions' with the book throughout.