Mr. Gum and The Cherry Tree    by Andy Stanton & David Tazzyman Order:  USA  Can Egmont, 2014 (2014) Softcover, e-Book     Reviewed by Jessica Maguire Mr. Gum is back in book seven of this series. This time the elusive Runtus is wreaking havoc on the townfolk of Lamonic Bibber. Join Old Granny, Martin Launderette, the little girl called Peter, and the other townspeople as they are drawn to the forest to pay heed to the desires of the mysterious Runtus. But not all of the crazy townsfolk of Lamonic Bibber are entranced by the return of Runtus and the old ways. Young Polly, along with her friends Friday O'Leary and Alan Taylor, are skeptical of Runtus. They don't even think the old ways have returned! The trio sets out to solve who, or what, Runtus is and why he is making the townsfolk go even more cuckoo than they already are. But they run into many snags as Friday O'Leary joins those following Runtus. And if everything is not crazy enough already, the teacher, Alan Taylor, is a gingerbread man! On their own, the girl, the gingerbread man, and their pets with pets that breed even more abundantly than bunnies, set out to prove Polly's hunch that Runtus is really greedy old Mr. Gum who is hiding in a cherry tree. Is Polly right? And how in the world will a girl and a gingerbread man save everyone and put an end to Mr. Gum's evil ways? You will find out when you start reading, and laughing, your way through this hilarious chapter book. Perfect for readers aged eight to thirteen, the fun sketches by David Tazzyman and funny story by Andy Stanton are sure to delight. Note: Opinions expressed in reviews and articles on this site are those of the author(s) and not necessarily those of BookLoons. Find more Kids books on our Shelves or in our book Reviews