If your child (or you!) can’t stop giggling over doodles, school disasters, and epic excuses to avoid homework, you’ve probably already fallen in love with Liz Pichon’s bestselling Tom Gates series. With over 20 books (plus extras) and millions of copies sold worldwide, Tom Gates is the king of hilarious middle-grade fiction.
This constantly updated guide lists every Tom Gates book in order – including the main series, brilliant world book day specials, extra activities books, and the brand-new 2025 releases – so you can read them exactly as Liz intended.
Complete List of All Tom Gates Books in Order
The Tom Gates series by Liz Pichon is a delightful collection of illustrated children’s books following the chaotic, doodle-filled adventures of young Tom Gates. As of December 2025, there are 24 main series books published, with the latest release in October 2025. The series is best read in publication order to follow Tom’s evolving school life, family antics, and band escapades.
I’ve organized the complete list into tables for easy reading: one for the main series (narrative storybooks) and separate ones for specials/mini-books, activity books, and other extras (like annuals and drawing guides). All dates are first publication years.
Main Series Books in Publication Order
| # | 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 | 2023 |
| 22 | Book of Everything | 2024 |
| 23 | Too Cool for School | 2025 |
| 24 | Pesky Pets and Parties | 2025 |
World Book Day Specials & Mini Books
These are shorter, themed releases, often tied to special events like World Book Day.
| Title | Publication Year | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Best Book Day Ever! (Sort Of…) | 2013 | World Book Day exclusive |
| Shoe Wars | 2021 | Standalone illustrated novel (related universe) |
| The Music Book | 2019 | Song lyrics and drawing guide for Dude3 band |
| Big Book of Fun Stuff | 2020 | Doodles and activities |
Activity & Extra Books
Perfect for interactive fun alongside the stories—these include doodle prompts, planners, and crafts.
| Title | Publication Year | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| The Brilliant World of Tom Gates Annual | 2014 | Annual with stories and activities |
| Absolutely Brilliant Book of Fun Stuff | 2015 | General activity book |
| Totally Brilliant Activity Book | 2016 | Doodles and games |
| Extra Special Treats Activity Book | 2013 | Tied to Book 6 |
| Everything’s Amazing Activity Book | 2012 | Tied to Book 3 |
| Genius Ideas Activity Book | 2012 | Tied to Book 4 |
| Top of the Class Activity Book | 2015 | Tied to Book 9 |
| Mega Make and Do Activity Book | 2019 | Tied to Book 16 |
| Spectacular School Planner | 2019 | Planner with doodles |
| Brilliant Bands and Doodles | 2018 | Band-themed activities |
Other Extras
| Title | Publication Year | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| You Can Draw Tom Gates with Liz Pichon | 2022 | Drawing tutorial book |
| That’s Me! | 2016 | Journal-style prompt book |
| Five Book Box Set / Various Collections | 2013–2018 | Bundles (not standalone) |
Tom Gates Books in Order: The Ultimate Reading Guide (2025 Updated)
Main Tom Gates Series in Publication Order
(Recommended reading order – each book works as a standalone but the story flows best this way)
- The Brilliant World of Tom Gates (2011) Meet Tom, his annoying sister Delia, his best friend Derek, and the evil Marcus Meldrew.
- Excellent Excuses (And Other Good Stuff) (2011)
- Everything’s Amazing (Sort Of) (2012)
- Genius Ideas (Mostly) (2012)
- Tom Gates Is Absolutely Fantastic (At Some Things) (2013)
- Extra Special Treats (Not) (2013)
- A Tiny Bit Lucky (2014)
- Yes! No (Maybe…) (2015)
- 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)
- 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 in 2025 paperback!
- Book of Everything (2024) – the biggest Tom Gates book ever!
- Too Cool for School (2025) ← Brand-new release October 2025!
World Book Day & Mini Books
- Best Book Day Ever! (Sort Of) – World Book Day 2013
- Shoe Wars (2021) – standalone illustrated novel by Liz Pichon (highly recommended!)
- Tom Gates: The Music Book – song lyrics & how to draw the band Dude3
- Tom Gates: Big Book of Fun Stuff – activities & doodles
Activity & Extra Books (Perfect for holidays or rainy days)
- Tom Gates: Extra Special Treats Activity Book
- Tom Gates: Brilliant Bands and Doodles
- Tom Gates: Everything’s Amazing Activity Book
- Tom Gates: Genius Ideas Activity Book
- Tom Gates: Spectacular School Planner
- Tom Gates: Top of the Class Activity Book
- Tom Gates: Mega Make and Do Activity Book
Why Parents & Kids Love Tom Gates
- Hand-drawn doodles on every page (perfect for reluctant readers)
- Short chapters and laugh-out-loud moments
- Relatable school & family chaos
- Positive messages about creativity, friendship and never giving up
- Winner of the Roald Dahl Funny Prize, Red House Children’s Book Award, and many more
Frequently Asked Questions
Q: Do you need to read Tom Gates books in order? A: Not strictly – each book is a new term/adventure – but reading in order lets you watch Tom, Delia, Marcus, and the band Dude3 grow up together.
Q: What age is Tom Gates for? A: Officially 7–11 years (KS2), but plenty of 6-year-olds love them and adults secretly read them too!
Q: Is there a new Tom Gates book in 2025? A: Yes! Tom Gates: Too Cool for School (book 23) released in October 2025.
Q: Are there Tom Gates TV shows or movies? A: The award-winning animated series is available on Sky Kids (UK) and various platforms worldwide.
Final Tip from a Tom Gates Superfan
Start with book 1 – you’ll be hooked by page 5 (probably because Tom is trying to avoid eating caramel wafers… again). Keep a pencil handy because you’ll want to doodle along!
Happy reading (and doodling)! ✏️😄
Which Tom Gates book is your favourite? Drop it in the comments – let’s see if DogZombies Rule still reigns supreme! 🚀
