Gordon's Great Escape: A laugh-out-loud picture book from the creators of Supertato! - Book review - Bibliophiles
#GordonsGreatEscape #ChildrensBooks #PictureBooks #Humor #Adventure #Friendship

Gordon's Great Escape Book Review: A Funny Supertato-Team Story

Sue Hendra and Paul Linnet's funny picture book about Gordon the Balloon, who escapes his toy shop with Colin the Colander and Arnold the Spoon.

Team Zootii Updated · 4 min read

Children are sure their toys get up to something when nobody is watching. This book says yes, they do, and it is even sillier than they imagined.

In this Gordon's Great Escape book review we look at the story, the characters, the pictures and why it is such a good read-aloud.

The short answer Gordon's Great Escape is a funny picture book written by Sue Hendra and illustrated by Paul Linnet, the creators of Supertato. Gordon the Balloon dreams of seeing the world beyond his toy shop, and with his friends Colin the Colander and Arnold the Spoon he plans a daring escape. Life outside turns out to be not quite what he imagined.

Gordon's Great Escape by Sue Hendra and Paul Linnet, book cover

ISBN: 9781471143632

Gordon's Great Escape book review: the story

Gordon the Balloon lives in a toy shop, and he dreams of seeing the world outside.

With help from his friends, he hatches a daring plan to escape and go on the adventure of a lifetime. But as Gordon soon finds out, life outside the toy shop is not quite what he pictured.

It is full of humour, heart and surprises, and young listeners will be giggling and cheering by the end.

Meet the characters

  • Gordon the Balloon: the adventurous hero who dreams of exploring beyond the toy shop.
  • Colin the Colander: Gordon's loyal friend who helps him plan the great escape.
  • Arnold the Spoon: another friend who joins the daring adventure.

Why children and parents like it

Witty humour, colourful pictures and lovable characters have made it a favourite with children and parents.

The imaginative storyline and playful language keep young readers entertained from start to finish. Supertato fans will enjoy the familiar style and the laugh-out-loud moments.

The illustrations

Paul Linnet's colourful artwork is vibrant and expressive, and it matches Sue Hendra's witty text.

Each page is full of energy and personality, and it is hard not to smile as Gordon and his friends set off.

Gordon's Great Escape book for kids: how it helps

It is a picture book for young readers. The large format and sturdy pages make it good for reading aloud, and the lively story suits independent reading too.

Language and humour

Playful text and bright pictures build language skills, comprehension and a sense of humour.

Thinking ahead

Children follow Gordon's adventure and guess what will happen next, which builds creativity and critical thinking.

Friendship and teamwork

Gordon's friends show the value of teamwork and perseverance.

Read-aloud tip Before you open the book, ask your child to pick two kitchen things that could be Gordon's friends. Then see if they guessed a colander and a spoon.

About the author and illustrator

Sue Hendra and Paul Linnet are an author-illustrator duo known for witty children's books. Together they have created many bestselling titles for young readers.

Similar books

  • The "Supertato" series by Sue Hendra and Paul Linnet
  • "Barry the Fish with Fingers" by Sue Hendra
  • "The Dinosaur That Pooped" series by Tom Fletcher and Dougie Poynter

Gift it right: Gordon's Great Escape as a birthday gift

A book that makes the whole room laugh is one of the easiest books as birthday gifts for kids. Add a name label inside the cover so it comes home from school, and a fun name sticker on the wrapping.

See all personalised book labels, or browse our gifts for kids.

Frequently asked questions

Who wrote Gordon's Great Escape?

Sue Hendra wrote it and Paul Linnet illustrated it. They also created Supertato.

What is Gordon's Great Escape about?

Gordon the Balloon plans an escape from his toy shop with Colin the Colander and Arnold the Spoon, and finds the outside world is not what he imagined.

Is Gordon's Great Escape a good read-aloud book for kids?

Yes. Its large format, sturdy pages and funny story make it ideal for sharing aloud.

Found this useful? Send it to the family group.

Written by Team Zootii

We are the parents and makers behind Zootii in Mumbai. We write about what we test with our own kids: school labels, gifting and everyday hacks.

Join the conversation

Comments are checked by Team Zootii before they appear.

Keep reading

Share this post
Your saved posts
    Saved on this device only.