Tom Gates: Excellent Excuses (And Other Good Stuff) Chapter Sampler

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
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
12/1/14 5:22 PM
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
12/1/14 5:22 PM
12/1/14 5:22 PM
(Ho
me
wo
rk
sna
cks
12/1/14 5:22 PM
ake up
this morning and
suddenly remember something absolutely
BRILLIANT!
12/1/14 5:22 PM
Ye a h !
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 . . .
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.
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!
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 . . .
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!
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.
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
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
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
12/1/14 5:22 PM
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
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
12/1/14 5:22 PM
om thinks I should go to my room to
sit quietly and concentrate on getting it

done.
(Its not working.)
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
12/1/14 5:22 PM
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
12/1/14 5:22 PM
run downstairs and show it quickly to Mom.
There . . . all done.
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
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
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
12/1/14 5:22 PM
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
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
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
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
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
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
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
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
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
12/1/14 5:22 PM
(I have a
good plan.)
31
12/1/14 5:22 PM
Tom Gates: Excellent Excuses

(and Other Good Stuff)
L. Pichon
www.candlewick.com

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You get THREE

(and oth ecial glossary by TOM!

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

First U.S. edition 2015

this morning and

suddenly remember something absolutely

can forget ALL about lessons

(and irritating things like

(that annoy Delia).

eating caramel wafers.

ating caramel wafers

(whos my best mate and

at his house. Which is easy

ne of the other great things about going to

sister (like I do) . . .

he has a dog called Rooster.

hich I know is a stupid name

for a dog, but Im getting used

ometimes Rooster can be

to shut him up.

ut if that doesnt work, I give him a

It keeps him happy

ight now I can hear

shuffling around outside my

bedroom (which usually means trouble).

on my door to stop her

from barging in.

around the door.

(That doesnt sound good . . . groan.)

hen I see Mom, shes holding a

letter from school.

that might have gotten me into trouble.

. . . cant think of anything.

What have you got

kind of way, I must have forgotten

am trying to explain to Mom what

happened to me by reenacting the

scene in slow motion.

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

impressed. I think she

suspects I might have made up the dog

nstead I have to agree to

o my review homework (AGAIN).

for lack of homework (or any other

kind of creature, for that matter.)

lean my room. (Mom added that one.)

review homework in.

Though I will probably leave it until the last

What do you mean I have to do my homework

TWO WHOLE WEEKS!

Mom says, Theres no time like the present.

review quickly. Mmmmmmmmm.

If I dont think of something

Then, just to add to the

find out what time Im coming over for the

hear Mom saying,

That all depends on how

(Thats ALL I need.)

om thinks I should go to my room to