Excellent Excuses [and Other Good Stuff]

Tom Gates #2

by Liz Pichon

'No school for two whole weeks! (Yeah!) I can forget all about lessons (and irritating things like Marcus Meldrew). And concentrate on good stuff like: Inventing new ways to annoy my sister Delia. (So many). Unfortunately a couple of small problems called the dentist and my big weirdo sister, Delia, seem to be getting in the way of my plans...'.

Genres: Childrens, Humor, Fiction, Middle Grade, School, Graphic Novels, Contemporary

341 pages, Paperback

First published September 1, 2011

About the author

L. Pichon says that when she was little, she loved to draw, and her mom said she was very good at making a mess (this is still true today). She kept drawing, went to art school, became a designer and art director at Jive Records, and began to publish children’s books. After its publication in the U.K., The Brilliant World of Tom Gates won several prestigious awards, including the Roald Dahl Funny Prize, the Waterstone’s Children’s Book Prize, and the Blue Peter Book Award. L. Pichon lives in Brighton, England, with her family.

Reviews

[Chloe]

It was a good book I'll love to read the others.

[Millie Hodgson]

I think this book is amazing and it only took a day for me to read I can't wait to read the next book

[Dfreija4]

Tom Gates, a boy who struggles to just be a good normal kid, wanted to be a good kid who gets good grades and does all his work, and also makes sure that his band, DogZombies, actually qualify to be a good band! But the thing with him, was that he never was able to behave because he was either staring at a girl in his class, called Amy Porter, or he was to busy worrying and stressing with his friend Derek, to find a drum player for his band. So to make sure that he got rid of his band problem(s), he and his friend Derek, put posters all over school for a new drummer. Then when auditions occurred, the only person there was a guy who they knew was hyper named Norman. When Norman started to play, Derek and Tom where so amazed with how well Norman could play. After all the stress was gone, he started to have a good better life at school, and in reality!

[Orbi Alter]

Odlican nastavak! Drevni Fosili (baka i djed) su divni...

[Paris]

Extremely fun and a clear way to see how a child lives it's life and is just a very good book.

[Nikki Naddy]

Gefiel mir etwas besser als Band 1 und war auch dicker

[Abdollah zarei]

خیلی مونده تا قده رولد دال تو دلم جا باز کنه. ولی شخصیت تام رو دوست داشتم. و به عنوان یه داستان کودک خیلی خوب بود. حتی بهتر از خاطرات یک بچه چلمن. خیلی کاراکتر تام واقعی و ملموس بود و طنزش هم خوب بود. بیشتر شیطنت ها و رویاهاش رو در پیش داره شخصیت تام. و هر اتفاق براش یه تجربه رو رقم می زنه. از اینش خیلی خوشم اومد

[Amber Sullivan]

This book was brilliant. I really enjoyed it and never wanted to put it down. I love reading because of books like this.

[Willemijn]

Leuk!!!!!

[Sallyvchit1155]

I love this book and I keep reading it again and again because Tom and I have a lot of things in common. He had an annoying sister (Delia) which I also have.(annoying sister and an annoying brother) which means I kind of know how he felt and it is why I actually like and laughed of what he did to Delia. The way of what he did to Delia was alike with some of the tricks i did to my sister. he got a classmate that is really sneaky (Marcus Meldrew) which I think that I got one also.

I really love this book because of another reason too. it is really funny, and almost the same as reading comic books. what Tom did with his toothache, it's really funny, especially when he thought splashing + water = toothache cure. the field trip is really interesting and the things that happened is funny. the gold star "case" is actually pretty realistic since it can really happen and I did saw it happen before. it is not a gold star, but still a sticker that you'll get prize at the end of the semester. funny that it also happened in the story.

[Kevin Mrgeski]

This book is about a boy called Tom Gates. He has a band called Dog Zombies with his best friend (Derek), and he needs a drum player, so he makes a poster to hang up in his classroom were his classmates can sign up to tryout for the drum player role. However bully in his grade writes made up names and fictional. The only real person is a kid who everyone thinks is weird. It turns out he is a really good drum player. He has this really annoying sister called Delia, who he likes to think of ways to embarrass her. I really liked this book because it has a lot of detail which makes you feel like your in the story, also it makes you laugh and feel emotions that the characters in the book are feeling. Read the book to find out more.

[Jaehoon Kim]

The book was really fun and was really easy to understand. I don't recommend this book used top study or grow your skills but I recommend it when you are on board or if you just want to entertain yourself

[Harini Sankar]

So fun revisiting a childhood book of mine. I missed Tom Gates and his eccentricities. This has inspired me to pick up old children's classics again.

[Oana]

As funny as the last one.

[julka ⋆˚꩜｡⋆˙⟡]

kolejna część tomka łebskiego <3 po prostu uwielbiam tą serie. to już druga część, ale ja czytałam juz chyba 8 (nie pamiętam dokladnie) 😅 pierwszy koncert w dziejach PZOMBIE! i nie tylko, ale nie bede zdradzac, sami musicie przeczytac ;) to chyba najdluzsza ksiazka z serii dlatego duzo sie dzieje. moja ocena: 4,5/5 ⭐

[Lily Stokes]

It is very good and funny. Has great pictures

[Suhasa]

Can never get tired of Rupert Grint's voice

[Marruix]

És un bon llibre, fàcil i ràpid de llegir.
Sí que és cert que molts dels problemes i situacions en que es troba el protagonista són difícils de creure però és divertit.

Anna Ribas (6è primària)

[Ana Maisuradze]

ვიხალისე. ძალიან საყვარელი და სახალისო ტექსტია ^_^

[Razvan Zamfirescu]

Spicuiri din recenzia finala care se gaseste pe blogul meu



..........................................
Cine nu știe că Tom Gates e noul meu puști favorit, imediat după Nate? De data asta, din păcate, Pichon nu m-a făcut să râd așa cum a făcut-o în celelalte două romane traduse deja de editura Arthur.

Tom este la fel de năzdrăvan și sturlubatic doar că parcă i-a lipsit sarea și piperul ca să ajungă să-l notez cu 4 sau 5 stele. Nu știu ce s-a întâmplat exact sincer să vă spun mai ales că volumul de față este al doilea din serie chiar dacă a apărut al treilea în românește și în mod normal trebuia să fie mai fain decât cel care-l urmează că încă e proaspăt autorul. Din păcate Pichon parcă s-a rupt, parcă s-a împiedicat de personaj, parcă nu l-a mai iubit atât de tare pe Tom și parcă povestea pe care a născocit-o a fost puțin forțată.

În fine, cartea-i faină, e amuzantă, e plăcută la citit și m-am delectat cu ea vreme de o cafea și câteva țigări. E o binevenită gură de aer și relaxare printre task-urile de la job și stresul aferent fiecărei nenoricite de zi de om matur.
.......................................

[Eelika Rand]

Lugesin seda raamatut ja veel teisiga kahte (Luuseri päevik ja Ühe äpardi päevik), et neid oma vahel võrrelda ja seda oma seminaritöö pärast. Need kolm on üsna sarnased päeviku vormis piltide ja tekstiga lood, kus peategelane on kas poiss või tüdruk. Eelkõige oli eesmärk hinnata lastekirjanduse vaatevinklist.
Tom Gates Suurepärased ettekäänded (ja muu hea kraam) on lihtsa tekstiga ja piltidega illustreeritud. Peategelane Tom käib 5-klassis ja tal on suurem õde, keda ta nimetab luuseriks, idoodiks jne. Ühesõnaga läbi saamine pole kõige parem. Raamat räägib Tomi elust koolis, sõpradega koos tegemisest ja bändist Zombi-Koerad.
Oma paksuse juures 346 lehekülje juures läheb raamat kiiresti edasi, sest teksti osa ühel leheküljel ei ole pikalt ja pildid annavad teksti edasi. Samas tekst ei ole alati sirgelt reas ja ühe kindla suuruse ja stiiliga, vaid erineb igal leheküljel. Mis muudab lugemise huvitavamaks.

Samas oli üks asi, mis mulle ei meeldinud ja mille tõttu ma lausa kaalusin raamatu pooleli jätmist, aga seda siiski ei teinud. Üksteise tögamine ja üksteisele ära panemine venna ja õe vahel. Ma arvan, et erinevast east hoolitama saadakse siiski omavahel paremini läbi, kui üksteist luusreks ja idoodiks nimetada. Tunnistan alati see ei pruugi nii olla :).
Poistele see raamat kindlasti meeldiks :). Eriti veel neile, kellel on vanem õde.

[Lucija]

I accidentally started the series on the second book and had no idea until this moment. Well, I am surprised that nothing was spoiled from before or anything like that. This book was just amazing. I had so much fun reading it because of the interesting story and the really cool writing. This book is so fast pace and I love it so much!

[Joe O'Hara]

This book was WOW

I really liked this book it was funny and kinda told kids not to cheat or they will get punished I liked the Delilah’s a weirdo song

[Kati Végh]

Still loved these when i was little

[Klárka]

Super books. 👌

[Katy Kelly]

More pre-teen Tom diaries, entertaining if not a great role model!

And alright, he's not the worst - he pranks his sister, he doesn't do his homework. But he's a good kid really, Tom Gates. He's in a band, has friends and crushes, fakes parent letters. All in all - a kid that other kids enjoy reading about and see themselves in.

In this second book, the narrative continues on really, into a school holiday in which Tom determines he WILL do his homework... but later.

My boys both seemed a bit bemused he didn't just do his review of the concert he went to, not like he wouldn't have a lot to say! But of course, Tom never takes this route, and the cheat's path of copying a synopsis from the back of a book about trees later comes back to bite him, multiple times.

I'd like to see more from Delia the older sister in later episodes I think, see their relationship in a little more detail.

Tom is amiable, but totally lazy. Me and my two listeners all felt it was his own fault he needed to go to the dentist after eating so many caramels and sweets (and we got a good lesson out of this too!). And my eldest was affronted at the way his teacher lets him off so easily with lack of homework or shoddy attempts (his school is a bit more strict!), so again, some good discussions and reminders.

Good to join Rupert Grint on the audiobook again, and this saw us through a few school runs, the 5 year old was keeping up as easily as the 11 year old, and there's nothing unsuitable in these books either (if you don't mind repeated refrains of 'Delia's a Weirdo' at random times through the day).

Typically for ages 8-12, but younger will probably enjoy this insight into Big Kids' Lives too.

[Книжни Криле]

„Том Гейтс: Отлични оправдания (и други хубави неща)” (изд. „Дуо Дизайн”) е втората книга от сдобилата се с международна популярност младежка серия на Лиз Пишон. Съвсем не очаквахме да я видим на български, тъй като първа част излезе преди цели пет години, но точно както прасешките дневници на Емер Стамп, илюстрованите записки на Том явно също са получили втори шанс в родните книжарници. И защо не? Все пак, те май по нищо не отстъпват на обичания Дръндьо! Том Гейтс е въоръжен с решителност! Решителност всячески да избягва всичко училищно и образователно и час по-скоро да се превърне в знаменита рок звезда. Проследете първите му крачки по трънливия път към славата... или пък към една изпълнена с премеждия двуседмична ваканция. Прочетете ревюто на „Книжни Криле”: https://knijnikrile.wordpress.com/202...

[Ollie]

Можливо, художня цінність цієї серії і невелика, а ціна - дещо накручена, але вона написана мовою, яку розуміють діти. Якщо хочете, щоб ваш любий учень молодшої школи не тільки грав у Майнкрафт, але і читав кілька десятків сторінок щодня (і - о Боже! - ще й перечитував улюблені розділи), це прекрасна штука. Пісенька про Делію настільки нечемна і принизлива, що однозначно заслуговує на утілення у життя.

[Chris]

This one was just ok for me. I didn't find it exciting or even funny, expect of 1-2 events. It reminded me of Diary of a Wimpy Kid and that's the main reason I went ahead and read it, but it didn't hit the mark.

[Poppy]

This was a very good book by Liz Pichon and am excited to read the next one!

This book series is about a boy called Tim Gates who is in a band and is quite cheeky!

Very good book and I would read it again!