You get THREE

GOLD STARS

for reading
this book
(good choice).

TOMGATES2_BGI_US.indd 1

12/1/14 5:22 PM

Sm

spare
boots

eHom
work

e
ir P
p
m
V a W A Mt e r
S ns
mo

TOMGATES2_BGI_US.indd 2

12/1/14 5:22 PM

!
e
l
mi

t
n
e
l
l
e
c
Ex
s
e
s
u
c
x
E er good stuff)

(and oth ecial glossary by TOM!

p
Includes a s

on
h
c
i
P
z
i
L
y
B

TOMGATES2_BGI_US.indd 3

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This is a work of fiction. Names, characters, places,

and incidents are either products of the authors
imagination or, if real, are used fictitiously.
Copyright 2011 by Liz Pichon
All rights reserved. No part of this book may be
reproduced, transmitted, or stored in an information
retrieval system in any form or by any means,
graphic, electronic, or mechanical, including
photocopying, taping, and recording, without
prior written permission from the publisher.

Tree
graph
photo
sy
courte
P. 21
of
ichon
y
l
i
L P
ery.
Flann

First U.S. edition 2015

Library of Congress Catalog Card Number 2014944793
ISBN 978-0-7636-7474-8
14 15 16 17 18 19 BVG 10 9 8 7 6 5 4 3 2 1
Printed in Berryville, VA, U.S.A.
This book was typeset in Pichon.
The illustrations were done in mixed media.
Candlewick Press
99 Dover Street
Somerville, Massachusetts 02144
visit us at www.candlewick.com

TOMGATES2_BGI_US.indd 4

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TOMGATES2_BGI_US.indd 5

12/1/14 5:22 PM

(Ho

me
wo

rk

sna
cks

TOMGATES2_BGI_US.indd 6

12/1/14 5:22 PM

ake up

this morning and

suddenly remember something absolutely

BRILLIANT!

TOMGATES2_BGI_US.indd 1

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Ye a h !

TOMGATES2_BGI_US.indd 2

12/1/14 5:22 PM

can forget ALL about lessons

(and irritating things like

Marcus Meldrew). And concentrate
on

GOOD

stuff like:

my sister, Delia.

nventing

D
W
E

new

ways to annoy
(So many!)

rawing pictures

Ha! Ha!

(that annoy Delia).

atching

TV

and

eating caramel wafers.

ating caramel wafers

TV

and watching

And

most

important . . .

TOMGATES2_BGI_US.indd 3

12/1/14 5:22 PM

-Band practice

with Derek

(whos my best mate and

next-door neighbor.)

z
zzzzzz
onight were planning a sleepover

at his house. Which is easy

for

zz

to do

as hes so close.

OK!

Excellent
choice.

TOMGATES2_BGI_US.indd 4

12/1/14 5:22 PM

ne of the other great things about going to

Dereks is he

doesnt

have an annoying

sister (like I do) . . .

AND

he has a dog called Rooster.

Wo o f

hich I know is a stupid name

for a dog, but Im getting used

to it (sort of).

almost

ometimes Rooster can be

as annoying as Delia. Especially when

he wont stop

BA R

KING !

Occasionally Derek
Doggy

throws him a
Treat

to shut him up.

Yu m!

TOMGATES2_BGI_US.indd 5

12/1/14 5:22 PM

ut if that doesnt work, I give him a

pair of

D elias sunglasses

to chew on.
for

It keeps him happy

HOURS .

ight now I can hear

Delia

shuffling around outside my

bedroom (which usually means trouble).

So I

LEAN

on my door to stop her

from barging in.

omehow she

still

manages to

stick her

head

around the door.

She says . . .

TOMGATES2_BGI_US.indd 6

12/1/14 5:22 PM

Ha! Ha!

trouble.

Youre in

om wants to see

you

RIGHT NOW,

(That doesnt sound good . . . groan.)

I wish I could shut Delia up with a doggy
treat. How good would that be?

DELIA
TREATS
SHUTS
HER UP!

TOMGATES2_BGI_US.indd 7

12/1/14 5:22 PM

hen I see Mom, shes holding a

letter from school.

Im trying

really hard to
remember

ANYTHING

Ive done

that might have gotten me into trouble.

No

. . . cant think of anything.

Nothing at all.
(I am innocent.)

ut by the way

in that

om is looking at me,

What have you got

to say for yourself?

kind of way, I must have forgotten

something. She gives me the letter to read.

TOMGATES2_BGI_US.indd 8

12/1/14 5:22 PM

OK,

just remembered.

tes
Mrs. Ga
d
n
a
.
r
tack
To M
s Dog At
e
t
a
G
m
R E : To
a te s ,
d Mrs. G
n
a
r.
M
r
v ic io u s
Dea
f r o m th e
d
e
r
e
v
o
c
te r m
om has re
y o f th e
T
a
t
d
a
t
s
th
la
e
p
e
o n th
I do ho
a c k e d h im
tt
a
t
a
th
dog
c h o o l.
lk e d to s
efend
as he wa
o o k to d
lb
o
o
h
c
s
a d h is
th a t h e h
k
c
lu
t
a
Wh
it h .
t was
h im s e lf w
w o r k th a
e
m
o
h
is
h
py
THER co
w a s o n ly
O
it
N
A
d
la
is
g
ook/
Im SO
E n c lo s e d
a f il m /b
n o t To m .
w
d
ie
n
v
a
e
r
d
e
chew
r in g h is
R K t o
a g a in d u
OMEWO
te
H
le
p
e
m
th
o
c
of
m to
f o r To
TV show
a s ts
h o li d a y.
G RY b e
N
A
r
e
n o o th
th e r e a r e
e
p
o
h
s
u tu r e !
L e t
e in th e f
c
n
u
o
p
r e a d y to
r h e lp .
s for you
k
n
a
th
y
Man
ards,
K in d r e g

rman
M r . F u Tl leea c h e r
C la s s 5 F

TOMGATES2_BGI_US.indd 9

12/1/14 5:22 PM

am trying to explain to Mom what

happened to me by reenacting the

whole

scene in slow motion.

G

rr

rr

(There was no choice. . . . It was me or the

homework.)

ut shes

not

impressed. I think she

suspects I might have made up the dog

attack (I did.)

I
1. D
2.N

nstead I have to agree to

o my review homework (AGAIN).

ot use vicious dogs as an excuse

for lack of homework (or any other

r
Gr

rr

TOMGATES2_BGI_US.indd 10

10

12/1/14 5:22 PM

kind of creature, for that matter.)

Hand
over your
homework.

Got
it.
Homework

If you
insist.

Alien

3. C

lean my room. (Mom added that one.)

till, at

least I have

to do the

review homework in.

Though I will probably leave it until the last

possible moment, like the night before school.
That works for me.
11

TOMGATES2_BGI_US.indd 11

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 NOW?

What do you mean I have to do my homework

right now? Ive still got

TWO WHOLE WEEKS!

Mom says, Theres no time like the present.

Then she adds, No sleepover at Dereks until
youve done your homework.
Which is a

disaster!
12

TOMGATES2_BGI_US.indd 12

12/1/14 5:22 PM

I have

to think of something to

Think . . .

review quickly. Mmmmmmmmm.

think . . . think . . . think . . .

think. . . .

fast

If I dont think of something

Mom will keep me in the house

Then, just to add to the

Derek phones up to

find out what time Im coming over for the

sleepover and band practice.

when

hear Mom saying,

That all depends on how

long it takes Tom to do

his review homework,
Derek.

(Thats ALL I need.)

13

TOMGATES2_BGI_US.indd 13

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om thinks I should go to my room to

sit quietly and concentrate on getting it

done.
(Its not working.)

14

TOMGATES2_BGI_US.indd 14

12/1/14 5:22 PM

So I do some drawing instead.

Its a lot more fun inventing my own
characters. . . .

Ha, Ha!

BODGE
THE

BROTHERS

Straw?

Rubbish at EVERYTHING
The

ONLY thing I can think of that I

could review is the

concert that

Dad took me to. Its actually a BRILLIANT idea

because

is amazing.
(Even Mr. Fullerman is a fan.)

Suddenly my review will be no problem at all.

Dereks house, here I come.

15

TOMGATES2_BGI_US.indd 15

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REVIEW HOMEWORK

by Tom Gates
went to see the

concert.

They are the

and anyone who doesnt think so is

a total

idiot.

The End

16

TOMGATES2_BGI_US.indd 16

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run downstairs and show it quickly to Mom.

There . . . all done.

17

TOMGATES2_BGI_US.indd 17

12/1/14 5:22 PM

am busy packing a few essentials

for Dereks house when

ROCK WEEKLY

Dad comes up

SNA

to see me.

Apparently

CKS
RO CK

WEEK LY

Mom

doesnt think I am taking my review homework

seriously.

Dad

says I have do it again

properly .
Which is a bit

HARSH .

review was short,

(OK, I admit my

but true.)

ad suddenly holds up a packet of

wafers.

WA F E

For the sleepover,

when youve done your

RS

homework again, OK?

18

TOMGATES2_BGI_US.indd 18

12/1/14 5:22 PM

Su ddenly
I

n fact I have a

I am

very

.
TOTAL

BR A I N

WA V

to get my homework done in double-quick time.

(I am a genius.)
I run d

o

w

n stairs and grab
the first book from the shelf that
looks thick (but not TOO thick.)

Mom

sees that I am holding a book and

assumes that:
SERIOUS ATTEMPT
AT HOMEWORK.

THIC
K
BOOK

TOM

(She looks pleased with me.)

SI

GH . . .

19

TOMGATES2_BGI_US.indd 19

12/1/14 5:22 PM

he book Ive got is about . . .

let me see . . .

t ree s

Never mind, that will have to do. I can see

theres a lot of good stuff written on
the back of this book (and inside!) that
will help make my
impressive indeed.

re v ie w

seem very

Here goes.

20

TOMGATES2_BGI_US.indd 20

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TOMGATES2_BGI_US.indd 21

12/1/14 5:22 PM

Homework FINISHED.

Y EAH!

I tell Mom and Dad, and they want me to

READ
What,

it to them.

NOW?

Yes, Tom, now. Wed love to hear it.

(Which actually means just checking youve
really done it this time.)

22

TOMGATES2_BGI_US.indd 22

12/1/14 5:22 PM

elia is lurking in the kitchen, trying to

s l a
m

listen. So I shut the kitchen

door (in her face), then read

it as

quickly as I

can.

Luckily, my homework is
EXCELLENT

(if I do say so myself).

Mom and Dad are pleased

and slightly

surprised Ive managed to write

such

good review SO quickly. I let them see it

by wafting it under their noses . . .
super fast.

WA

FT

(Must remember to hide the book on trees.)

23

TOMGATES2_BGI_US.indd 23

12/1/14 5:22 PM

om and

say, It's all due to

so

ad say well done for being

FOCUSED .

."
(Which is something Ive heard my teachers say.)
Then I add, Im actually VERY interested
in

TREES.

(Im not.)
so

Sw eet

This goes down really well

and

stops Mom and Dad from asking me any more

difficult questions.

GREAT!
(I should say nice stuff like that more often.)
24

TOMGATES2_BGI_US.indd 24

12/1/14 5:22 PM

hey are both in a good mood

now, so I

suggest that another sign of

would be to reward my hard work and

effort

with some

extra
p o c k e t m o n ey ?

Which doesnt go down quite so well.

No chance.

(Worth a try, though.)

25

TOMGATES2_BGI_US.indd 25

12/1/14 5:22 PM

S LEEPOV E R
AT D E R E K S .

Yeah!

erek is happy

Ive brought
But stupidly,
guitar

snacks.

Ive forgotten to bring my

for band practice.
more

my special teddy

A nd

important ,

far
Ive left

at home. (I dont tell

Derek because we agreed that Special Teddies

were probably a bit
were in a band.)

TOO babyish now that

WR

ONG

26

TOMGATES2_BGI_US.indd 26

12/1/14 5:22 PM

L
D

uckily Dereks house is right next door

to mine. So I run back home to get them both.

elia

is sitting in the front

garden
boyfriend,

Ed

with her dodgy

(or Ted

name is). He says,

or whatever his
All right, Tom?

D
Get lost idiot.

(Which is nice and takes

me by surprise.) Then

elia shouts,

(Which is not a surprise at all.)

hats when I notice Ed and Delia are

H!

UG
actually

holding hands.

27

TOMGATES2_BGI_US.indd 27

12/1/14 5:22 PM

It

I feel a bit sick

and have to run into

the house quickly.

grab my guitar, teddy,

AND a selection of

embarrassing photos of Delia that Ive been

saving for a

very

special occasion.

I think this might be the

special

occasion Ive been waiting for.

28

TOMGATES2_BGI_US.indd 28

12/1/14 5:22 PM

Delia with a potty on

her head

Delia after cutting

her own hair with
play scissors

Delia with scary

smile

Delia after I pushed

her into the mud (my
personal favorite)

Delia with more bad

hair and zits
TOMGATES2_BGI_US.indd 29

12/1/14 5:22 PM

erek cant stop laughing at Delias

photos.

Ha!Ha!Ha! Ha!Ha!Ha

e both agree that

photos

this

funny need to be shared with

other people.
Other people like

elias boyfriend,

Ed.

30

TOMGATES2_BGI_US.indd 30

12/1/14 5:22 PM

(I have a

good plan.)

31

TOMGATES2_BGI_US.indd 31

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Tom Gates: Excellent Excuses

(and Other Good Stuff)
L. Pichon

www.candlewick.com