Books › Tom Gates
Tom Gates
416 pages
A hilarious, doodle-filled romp through the chaotic, highly distractible mind of a creative kid trying to survive school and family.
What it feels like
Reading this book feels like flipping through the secret, doodle-stuffed notebook of the funniest kid in class. The experience is incredibly brisk and energetic, driven by a seamless blend of conversational text and expressive, chaotic illustrations that keep the eyes moving and the pages turning. It captures the exact frequency of middle-grade life—the monumental unfairness of homework, the exquisite joy of annoying an older sibling, and the grand delusions of starting a garage band. The tone is cheeky and irreverent, yet entirely warmhearted, creating a cheerful atmosphere where the stakes are low but the laughs are constant. It is an absolute delight for reluctant readers and anyone who appreciates the hilarious, highly distractible reality of being a kid.
- Mood
- energetic
- lighthearted
- chaotic
- cheerful
- Tone
- cheeky
- irreverent
- upbeat
- humorous
- Pace
- brisk
- Themes
- sibling rivalry · creative distraction · everyday absurdities · school survival · the pursuit of fun
- The writing
- Conversational and highly visual, blending punchy, relatable observations with expressive doodles and dynamic typography.
- The arc
- A bouncy, low-stakes journey through the minor annoyances of childhood that ultimately celebrates creativity and everyday joy.
- Who it's for
- Middle-grade readers, especially reluctant ones, who crave laugh-out-loud humor, relatable school drama, and heavily illustrated pages.
Content notes
- mild sibling teasing
About the book
"Hits the elementary-school-boy sweet spot.... Hilarious." — Booklist
No school for two whole weeks! Now Tom has plenty of time for the good stuff, like finding new ways (so many!) to annoy his big sister, Delia. Or band practice for Dogzombies in his best friend Derek’s garage. All that stands between this band and rock greatness is, well, a song (besides “Delia’s a Weirdo”). And finding a drummer. And landing a gig. Will Tom let a killer toothache and pesky overdue homework get in his way?
Description from Open Library.
Books like Tom Gates
See why they match
Yes! no (maybe ...)Liz PichonA hilarious, high-energy scramble to save your favorite junk from a mother's cleaning rampage.
Top of the class (nearly)Liz PichonA chaotic, doodle-filled romp through the everyday triumphs and hilarious disasters of middle school life.
Bad Kitty school dazeNick BruelA delightfully chaotic romp through the absurdities of obedience, fueled by feline defiance and slapstick humor.
Big Nate Lives It UpLincoln PeirceA high-energy, doodle-packed survival guide to the everyday indignities and unexpected triumphs of middle school.
Big Nate Greatest HitsLincoln PeirceA rapid-fire dose of middle-school chaos fueled by unearned confidence and hilarious detentions.
Bummer in the Summer!Dan GutmanA high-energy, laugh-out-loud romp through school days and holiday chaos.