Mr Gum: what to read next

David O’Doherty and Chris Judge’s Danger is Everywhere books are a shoo-in for kids looking for their next favourite series. Alternatively, for even more illustration, Dav Pilkey’s Dog Man books are full of off-the-wall humour and hilarious drawings and are satisfyingly fast-paced.

If you like those, also check out Clyde by Jim Benton: the full-colour comic story of a bear trying to be a gangster and failing. And The Great Hamster Massacre by Kate Davies and Hannah Shaw is a hilarious story about 9‑year-old Anna and her little brother Tom, who launch a full-blown investigation into the death of two Russian Dwarf hamsters.

Alex T Smith’s Mr Penguin books are sure to satisfy those looking for quirky humour and adventure, while David Solomons’ My Brother is a Superhero series will fulfil older readers’ craving for humour, with a bit of a focus on family relationships thrown in.

Meanwhile, Matt Brown’s Mutant Zombies series (with other books including aliens and killer vending machines) is sure to satisfy those looking for goo, surreal humour and a fantastical plot.

There is of course the dark humour of Lemony Snicket’s Series of Unfortunate Events books, featuring the child-hating Count Olaf. Or try Judith Eagle’s The Secret Starling, a story in which Clara lives a solitary life dictated by her mean uncle’s strict, puritanical regime until a breath-taking adventure provides a way out of his grasp.

Oh, and the Ice Queen in Abi Elphinstone’s Sky Song will send delicious shivers down the spine.

We had to ask Mr Gum​’s creator Andy Stanton for his ideas!

‘Even in a funny book you have to make the reader care about your story, and that means giving your characters real problems and emotions,’ he said. ​‘Two of my favourite books do this brilliantly: Here Comes Charlie Moon by Shirley Hughes, and The Eighteenth Emergency by Betsy Byers. Both are bursting with warmth and heart.

‘The Iron Man by Ted Hughes is one of the most beautifully written children’s books ever. It’s quite unlike anything else, and will challenge and provoke thought in readers of all ages. I love it so much that I included an affectionate nod to it in You’re a Bad Man, Mr Gum! I wonder if you can find it (clue: it’s somewhere in Chapter 2).

‘Happy reading, you nibbleheads!’

Now it’s your turn! We’d love to hear your suggestions about what to read after Mr Gum - maybe you’ve just stumbled across a story you think would be perfect, or perhaps children you know have been in this exact situation!

Let us know by messaging us on social media @BookTrust using the hashtag #WhatToReadAfter