If your child (or you!) can’t stop giggling over doodle-filled pages, epic school excuses, and a boy called Tom Gates, you’re in the right place. Liz Pichon’s hilarious Tom Gates series has sold over 14 million copies worldwide, won multiple awards (including the Roald Dahl Funny Prize), and turned reluctant readers into book devourers.
Here’s your complete, up-to-date guide to reading the Tom Gates books in order – including the brilliant new releases for 2025!
Complete List of Liz Pichon Books in Order
Liz Pichon’s bibliography is dominated by the beloved Tom Gates series, a hilarious illustrated collection that’s perfect for young readers (and sneaky adults). Below, I’ve organized all her books into tables for clarity: the main Tom Gates narrative series (in publication order, which is the recommended reading order), spin-offs and specials, activity books, and her standalone works outside the series. This list is up-to-date as of December 2025, with over 16.5 million copies sold worldwide.
Tom Gates Main Series (Narrative Books)
These are the core stories following Tom’s chaotic school life, family antics, and doodle-filled adventures. There are 24 books total.
| # | Title | Publication Year |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | The Brilliant World of Tom Gates | 2011 |
| 2 | Excellent Excuses (And Other Good Stuff) | 2011 |
| 3 | Everything’s Amazing (Sort Of) | 2012 |
| 4 | Genius Ideas (Mostly) | 2012 |
| 5 | Tom Gates Is Absolutely Fantastic (At Some Things) | 2013 |
| 6 | Extra Special Treats (Not) | 2013 |
| 7 | A Tiny Bit Lucky | 2014 |
| 8 | Yes! No (Maybe…) | 2015 |
| 9 | Top of the Class (Nearly) | 2015 |
| 10 | Super Good Skills (Almost…) | 2016 |
| 11 | DogZombies Rule (For Now) | 2016 |
| 12 | Family, Friends and Furry Creatures | 2017 |
| 13 | Epic Adventure (Kind Of) | 2017 |
| 14 | Biscuits, Bands and Very Big Plans | 2018 |
| 15 | What Monster? | 2018 |
| 16 | Mega Make and Do and Stories Too! | 2019 |
| 17 | Spectacular School Trip (Really…) | 2019 |
| 18 | Ten Tremendous Tales | 2021 |
| 19 | Random Acts of Fun | 2021 |
| 20 | Happy to Help (Eventually) | 2022 |
| 21 | Five Star Stories (Hooray!) | 2023 |
| 22 | Book of Everything | 2024 |
| 23 | Tom Gates Is Ha! Ha! Hilarious! | 2024 |
| 24 | Pesky Pets and Parties (Hopefully) | 2025 |
Tom Gates Spin-Offs & Specials
These are shorter, themed tie-ins or holiday editions that expand the universe without being essential to the main plot.
| Title | Publication Year | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Best Book Day Ever! | 2013 | World Book Day special |
| Extra Special Treats (World Book Day 2014) | 2014 | World Book Day special |
| The Mubbles: When Berry Met Terry | 2025 | Graphic novel spin-off |
Tom Gates Activity & Annual Books
Fun, interactive books packed with doodles, crafts, and games—ideal for fans who want to get creative like Tom.
| Title | Publication Year |
|---|---|
| The Brilliant World of Tom Gates Annual | 2014 |
| Absolutely Brilliant Book of Fun Stuff | 2015 |
| Totally Brilliant Activity Book | 2016 |
| Tom Gates: The Music Book | 2019 |
| Tom Gates: Big Book of Fun Stuff | 2020 |
| You Can Draw Tom Gates with Liz Pichon | 2022 |
Standalone Books by Liz Pichon
These are non-Tom Gates works, showcasing her versatile style in novels and graphic formats.
| Title | Publication Year | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Shoe Wars | 2020 | Illustrated middle-grade novel |
| Meet the Mubbles | 2025 | First graphic novel series |
This covers every published book by Liz Pichon as of December 11, 2025. If you’re new to her work, dive into the Tom Gates main series—each one stands alone but builds hilariously on the last. Got a favorite? Share in the comments! 📖✏️
Liz Pichon Books in Order: The Ultimate Reading Guide for Tom Gates Fans (2025 Updated)
Tom Gates Main Series in Publication Order (Best Reading Order)
- The Brilliant World of Tom Gates (2011) Where it all begins! Meet Tom, his annoying sister Delia, his best friend Derek, and the dreaded Mr Fullerman.
- Excellent Excuses (And Other Good Stuff) (2011)
- Everything’s Amazing (Sort Of) (2012)
- Genius Ideas (Mostly) (2012) Winner of the Red House Children’s Book Award!
- Tom Gates Is Absolutely Fantastic (At Some Things) (2013)
- Extra Special Treats (Not) (2013)
- A Tiny Bit Lucky (2014)
- Yes! No (Maybe…) (2015) Winner of the Blue Peter Best Story Award
- Top of the Class (Nearly) (2015)
- Super Good Skills (Almost…) (2016)
- DogZombies Rule (For Now) (2016)
- Family, Friends and Furry Creatures (2017)
- Epic Adventure (Kind Of) (2017)
- Biscuits, Bands and Very Big Plans (2018)
- What Monster? (2018) Halloween special with glow-in-the-dark cover!
- Mega Make and Do and Stories Too (2019)
- Spectacular School Trip (Really…) (2019)
- Ten Tremendous Tales (2021)
- Random Acts of Fun (2021)
- Happy to Help (Eventually) (2022)
- Five Star Stories (2023) – NEW for 2023!
- Book of Everything (2024) – The biggest Tom Gates book ever!
- Tom Gates: The Music Book (2024) – Interactive song & doodle book
- **Big Book Coming 2025! (Title TBC – expected September 2025)
Tom Gates Spin-Offs & Activity Books (Perfect for Holidays)
- Tom Gates: Best Book Day Ever! (World Book Day 2013)
- Tom Gates: Extra Special Treats World Book Day 2014
- Shoe Wars (2020) – Standalone illustrated novel by Liz Pichon (highly recommended!)
- Tom Gates: Random Acts of Fun Activity Book
- Tom Gates: Big Book of Fun Stuff (doodling heaven)
Why Parents & Teachers Love the Tom Gates Series
- Hand-lettered text and doodles on every page – perfect for visual learners and kids with dyslexia Laugh-out-loud funny (even adults steal these books!) Relatable school and family situations Encourages creativity – kids start drawing their own comics after reading
Frequently Asked Questions
Q: Do you need to read the Tom Gates books in order? A: Not strictly – each book works as a standalone, but reading in order lets you follow Tom’s ongoing stories (like his band DogZombies) and family dramas.
Q: What age is Tom Gates for? A: Officially 7–12 years, but plenty of 6-year-olds love them and teens/adults secretly read them too!
Q: Is Shoe Wars part of the Tom Gates series? A: No, it’s a brilliant standalone story about sibling inventors and flying shoes – same hilarious style though!
Final Tip from a Tom Gates Superfan
Start with Book 1 – your child will be begging for the next one before you finish chapter 3. Many schools now use them as class readers because they turn “I hate reading” into “Just one more chapter!”
Which Tom Gates book is your favourite? Drop it in the comments – let’s see if DogZombies Rule still reigns supreme! 🎸✏️
Happy reading (and doodling)! #TomGates #LizPichon #KidsBooks #ReluctantReaders
(Last updated: December 2025 – bookmark this page, we’ll update it the second a new book drops!)
