"Who likes bears? Everyone likes bears. I likes bears, you likes bears, this guy I know called Will Bulman likes bears. Everyone likes bears. They are truly the king of the jungle. They are nature's way of saying, 'here's what bears look like'. They are the best. They are the bears.

And guess what, bear-likers? You're in luck, because this story is all about a bear. Not just any bear, mind you, but a startlingly big and handsome specimen that came strolling into the little town of Lamonic Bibber one fine autumn morning. He was a proper fat shaggy rumble-me-tumble sort of a roly-poly flip-flap-flopper of a big brown bear, not like some of these cheap bears you see nowadays who have hardly got any legs and need batteries.

He was as tall as two men, or about forty hamsters if you could only manage to glue them on top of each other to prove it. And he weighed as much as two hundred watermelons, or roughly nineteen thousand grapes.

But what about his fur? Well, I am glad you asked me that because he was covered from head to foot in the most gorgeous, chocolate-coloured fur you have ever seen. It was a soft and deep and long, and it was glossy with healthy goodness, just like a bear's fur should be. And his eyes, oh his eyes, his precious hazel eyes! One look into those big beautiful blinkers and that was it, you were in love forever."

We finished this book 32 days ago.

It took us 3 nights to read, and it took this particular bear 789 words to walk into town.

That's about 500 words longer than my attention span.

And guess what? My distractible 6-year-old loved it.

He wants to read the sequel

These books are a joy to read. They have a a really quirky sense of humour that appeals to both children and adults alike. Mr Gum is such a hideous villain and the heroine Polly is only a young child. This time the main other lead is Padlock the Bear. The captain and crew of the Nantucket Tickler are a really key part of the action and comedy in this one too.

I love all the characters in Lamonic Bibber an can't wait to read the next one.

heart warming

2.5/5 This quirky & heartwarming, short chapter book, suitable for children aged 7+ has just enough adventure, mild peril and humour to engage even the most reluctant readers! While this is the 5th book in the Mr Gum series it worked well as a standalone story.

I dislike the idea of animal cruelty, in bear dancing - I don't find Mr. Gum very suitable for children at all on many accounts. I would reluctantly rate this book suitable for 10 year olds and upwards, but to read other reviews that state 7yr olds have read this, is shocking!

This is one of the funniest, feel-good, escapist reads I’ve read in a while and would recommend it to anyone trying to get out of a reading slump as it did just that for me. This story is part of a series, but the first of which I have read. In Mr Gum and the Dancing Bear, we are taken on a unique and often random journey. There were so many times I literally laughed out loud, as the weird humour appealed to my own. The illustrations were quirky and added something to the book too.