Andy Stanton - What's for Dinner, Mr Gum?

For Andy, Kathy and Ellie And for Bob, the fattest cat in L.A.

What’s for Dinner Mr Gum? First published 2007 by Egmont UK Limited This edition published 2019 by Egmont UK Limited, The Yellow Building, 1 Nicholas Road London W11 4AN

Text copyright © 2007 Andy Stanton

Illustration copyright © 2007 David Tazzyman

The moral rights of the author and illustrator have been asserted

First e-book edition 2019

ISBN 978 1 4052 9374 7

Ebook ISBN 978 1 4052 5932 3

mrgum.co.uk www.egmont.co.uk

A CIP catalogue record for this title is available from the British Library

All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced, distributed, or transmitted in any form or by any means, or stored in a database or retrieval system, without the prior written permission of the publisher.

Stay safe online. Any website addresses listed in this book are correct at the time of going to print. However, Egmont is not responsible for content hosted by third parties. Please be aware that online content can be subject to change and websites can contain content that is unsuitable for children. We advise that all children are supervised when using the internet.

Egmont takes its responsibility to the planet and its inhabitants very seriously. We aim to use papers from well-managed forests run by responsible suppliers.

Read all of Andy Stanton’s books!

You’re a Bad Man, MR GUM!

MR GUM and the Biscuit Billionaire

MR GUM and the Goblins

MR GUM and the Power Crystals

MR GUM and the Dancing Bear

What’s for Dinner, MR GUM?

MR GUM and the Cherry Tree

MR GUM and the Secret Hideout

Cover

Title Page

Dedication and Copyright page For Andy, Kathy and Ellie And for Bob, the fattest cat in L.A. What’s for Dinner Mr Gum? First published 2007 by Egmont UK Limited This edition published 2019 by Egmont UK Limited, The Yellow Building, 1 Nicholas Road London W11 4AN Text copyright © 2007 Andy Stanton Illustration copyright © 2007 David Tazzyman The moral rights of the author and illustrator have been asserted First e-book edition 2019 ISBN 978 1 4052 9374 7 Ebook ISBN 978 1 4052 5932 3 mrgum.co.uk www.egmont.co.uk A CIP catalogue record for this title is available from the British Library All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced, distributed, or transmitted in any form or by any means, or stored in a database or retrieval system, without the prior written permission of the publisher. Stay safe online. Any website addresses listed in this book are correct at the time of going to print. However, Egmont is not responsible for content hosted by third parties. Please be aware that online content can be subject to change and websites can contain content that is unsuitable for children. We advise that all children are supervised when using the internet. Egmont takes its responsibility to the planet and its inhabitants very seriously. We aim to use papers from well-managed forests run by responsible suppliers.

Front series promotional page Read all of Andy Stanton’s books! You’re a Bad Man, MR GUM! MR GUM and the Biscuit Billionaire MR GUM and the Goblins MR GUM and the Power Crystals MR GUM and the Dancing Bear What’s for Dinner, MR GUM? MR GUM and the Cherry Tree MR GUM and the Secret Hideout

1 Off to the Seaside! Chapter 1 Off to the Seaside! T his is the story of the Battle of Lamonic Bibber, or as it became known, the Dinnertime Wars or, as it didn’t become known, Ghostbusters III . And know this, my friends – it was a terrible conflict indeed. Like all wars it was full of madness and anger. Like all wars there were courageous heroes and dastardly villains. Like practically all wars there was a dirty little monkey called Philip the Horror. But I know what you’re wondering. You’re wondering how the Dinnertime Wars got started in the first place, aren’t you? ‘How did it all start?’ you say. ‘Where did it begin?’ you ask. ‘What do you mean, a monkey?’ you enquire. ‘Shut up,’ I reply. ‘Stop bothering me with all these questions and I will tell you.’ It all started on a Friday. And not only did it start on a Friday but it started with a Friday – that wonderful old gentleman Friday O’Leary, hero of many an adventure and three times winner of the Lamonic Bibber Women’s Underwater Badminton Championship. And here’s a quick word from Friday himself:

2 Butcher Shop Blues

3 Billy on the Trail

4 Greasy Ian’s House of Slops

5 Billy Sows the Seeds of His Revenge

6 The Incident of Billy and The Flies

7 The Dinnertime Wars

8 The Heroes Return

9 ‘Only Love Can Save Us Now’

10 The Train Down to London

11 Olde London Town

12 Thora Gruntwinkle

13 The Heroes Return. Again. Plus There’s One More of Them This Time

14 The Power of Love

15 All’s Well That Ends Good

What, No Jake the Dog?

Jake Gets a Job

About the Author

About the Illustrator

Praise

T his is the story of the Battle of Lamonic Bibber, or as it became known, the Dinnertime Wars or, as it didn’t become known, Ghostbusters III . And know this, my friends – it was a terrible conflict indeed. Like all wars it was full of madness and anger. Like all wars there were courageous heroes and dastardly villains. Like practically all wars there was a dirty little monkey called Philip the Horror.

But I know what you’re wondering. You’re wondering how the Dinnertime Wars got started in the first place, aren’t you?

‘How did it all start?’ you say.

‘Where did it begin?’ you ask.

‘What do you mean, a monkey?’ you enquire.

‘Shut up,’ I reply. ‘Stop bothering me with all these questions and I will tell you.’

It all started on a Friday. And not only did it start on a Friday but it started with a Friday – that wonderful old gentleman Friday O’Leary, hero of many an adventure and three times winner of the Lamonic Bibber Women’s Underwater Badminton Championship.

And here’s a quick word from Friday himself:

Thanks, Friday.

But hey now, hey now, don’t dream it’s over. This story doesn’t just start with Friday O’Leary. Because along with him were his good friends Polly and Alan Taylor.

Now, Polly was a little girl with the sort of sandy-coloured hair that makes you happy to be alive and the sort of heart-coloured heart which is so brave it would fight a lion if that lion happened to deserve it. For instance, if he had been trying to rob pencils. Polly was only nine but she was a hero through and through.