Andy Stanton
Stanton in Waterstones, Piccadilly, London, 2018
Stanton in Waterstones, Piccadilly, London, 2018
BornAndy Joel Stanton
(1973-11-14) 14 November 1973[1]
London, England[1]
OccupationChildren's author
LanguageEnglish
EducationOxford University
Notable worksMr Gum series
Notable awards
Red House Children's Book Award (Overall)
2007 You're a Bad Man, Mr Gum! – author

Red House Children's Book Award (Younger Readers)
2007 You're a Bad Man, Mr Gum! – author
Blue Peter Book Award for Most Fun Story with Pictures
2007 You're a Bad Man, Mr Gum! – author
Roald Dahl Funny Prize
2008 Mr Gum and the Dancing Bear – author

Website
www.mrgum.co.uk

Andy Joel Stanton (born 14 November 1973) is an English children's writer. He is best known for writing the Mr Gum series (illustrated by David Tazzyman), through which he made a popular contribution to children's literature.[2] Stanton's writing is influenced by Roald Dahl and Enid Blyton.[1]

Life

Stanton grew up in the London suburbs of Harrow and Pinner and attended the Latymer School in Hammersmith.[3] He studied English at Oxford University, but was "kicked out".[3] He has worked as a film script reader, a cartoonist, and as a temporary medical secretary for the NHS.[4][3]

Works

Mr Gum

Books

The Mr Gum books are set in the fictitious town of Lamonic Bibber. The town has its own fictional newspaper, The Lamonical Chronicle, which features on the Mr Gum website as "Lamonic Bibber's second best and only paper".[3] Characters in the books include Old King Thunderbelly and Polly.[2] The books have won numerous prizes including the 2007 Red House Children's Book Award, two Blue Peter Book Awards for Best Book With Pictures,[5] and the inaugural Roald Dahl Funny Prize in 2008 for Mr Gum and the Dancing Bear.[5]

Stanton has written nine books in the Mr Gum series, published by Egmont Books in the UK and illustrated by Tazzyman:

  • You're a Bad Man, Mr Gum! (2006)
  • Mr Gum and the Biscuit Billionaire (2007)
  • Mr Gum and the Goblins (2007)
  • Mr Gum and the Power Crystals (2008)
  • Mr Gum and the Dancing Bear (2008)
  • What's for Dinner, Mr Gum? (2009)
  • Mr Gum and the Cherry Tree (2010)
  • Mr Gum and the Secret Hideout (2011)
  • Mr Gum and the Hound of Lamonic Bibber (2011)

You're a Bad Man, Mr Gum! and Mr Gum and the Hound of Lamonic Bibber were later rereleased as special editions, featuring stickers.

Audiobooks

The eight main books in the Mr Gum series were recorded as audiobooks produced and directed by David Tyler for BBC Audio, with the author himself reading. Additionally, the first four books in the series were recorded, with Kate Winslet narrating, in 2012.

Stage

Stanton wrote the book and lyrics for Mr Gum and the Dancing Bear - The Musical! which premiered at the National Theatre in July 2019.[6]

In 2022, the Magdeburg Theater staged a stage version of "Mr Gum and the Cherry Tree",[7] followed in 2023 by "Mr Gum and the Secret Hideout".[8]

Other books

Additionally, Stanton has written several other books published by various publishers:

  • Danny McGee Drinks the Sea (2016)
  • Natboff! One Million Years of Stupidity (2018)
  • When I Was a Child (2019)
  • The Paninis of Pompeii (2019)
  • Going to the Volcano (2020)
  • The Story of Matthew Buzzington (2021)
  • Sterling and the Canary (2021)

Personal life

Stanton is Jewish.[9]

References

  1. 1 2 3 Ingström, Pia (17 September 2015). "Sluka, kladda, läs!". Hufvudstadsbladet (in Swedish). p. 24.
  2. 1 2 Chilton, Martin (26 September 2011). "Andy Stanton and why the truth is a lemon meringue". www.telegraph.co.uk. Retrieved 11 October 2022.
  3. 1 2 3 4 Pauli, Michelle. "Andy Stanton's 'cult humour for kids'". The Guardian. Retrieved 15 January 2015.
  4. ↑ Jacques, Adam (11 August 2012). "How We Met: Marianne Levy & Andy Stanton". The Independent. Retrieved 11 October 2022.
  5. 1 2 Farry, Elthne (16 March 2008). "Rising star: Andy Stanton, Children's writer". the Guardian. Retrieved 11 October 2022.
  6. ↑ Bennion, Chris. "Mr Gum and the Dancing Bear review — inventive, mischievous and thrilling". ISSN 0140-0460. Retrieved 11 October 2022.
  7. ↑ "Mr Gum und der sprechende Kirschbaum - Theater Magdeburg". www.theater-magdeburg.de. Retrieved 27 November 2023.
  8. ↑ Rieß, Martin. "„Mr. Gum und das geheime Geheimversteck" im Theater Magdeburg". www.volksstimme.de (in German). Retrieved 27 November 2023.
  9. ↑ Kolirin, Lianne (26 January 2014). "What next for Andy Stanton, much-loved children's author?". www.thejc.com. Retrieved 11 October 2022.
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