‘Something profound and utterly brilliant is going on? hilarious.’  THE TIMES

Is ChatGPT the end of creative industries as we know them? An ethical quagmire from which there is no return? A threat to all our jobs, as we keep hearing on the news?  

Bestselling children’s author Andy Stanton has made a career out of writing differently – from the unconventional ‘hero’ of his bestselling Mr Gum series to his penchant for absurdist plots, his children’s books are anything but formulaic.

When a friend introduces him to ChatGPT, the new large language chatbot, Andy is as sceptical as he is curious. Can this jumble of algorithms really mimic the spontaneity of human thought? Could it one day replace human authors like him for good? And are we soon to be ruled over by despotic robot overlords?

He decides there’s only one thing for it – he must test this bot’s capabilities. Eventually, he settles on a prompt that will push the algorithm to its creative limits: ‘tell me a story about a blue whale with a tiny penis.’  

Chaos ensues.

What follows is a surprising and illuminating battle between Andy and ChatGPT that maybe, just maybe, might help us all understand AI a little bit better. Join Andy and his beleaguered AI lackey on a rollicking metafictional journey through the art of storytelling. Presenting his prompts and the AI-generated narrative alongside extensive commentary, Stanton provides a startling paean to the art of a good story and boundless human creativity. Hopeful and hilarious, Benny the Blue Whale provides a joyfully anarchic meditation on AI, literature and why we write.

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A WATERSTONES AND NEW SCIENTIST  BEST BOOK OF 2023

‘There’s no book like it. Scholarly, childish, fascinating and hilarious – one of our funniest writers dissects what it takes to build a story and what that tells us about being human. It’ll really make you think, if you can stop laughing.’ Chris Addison, co-creator of BREEDERS

‘Entertaining and alarmingly relevant, provocative and philosophically satisfying, it’s ultimately a profoundly human text.’  OBSERVER

‘A magnificent experiment by a perfect fool – deep and shallow and stupid and clever – the perfect use of AI (Andy Intelligence).’ Robin Ince, author of  THE IMPORTANCE OF BEING INTERESTED

‘Benny the Blue Whale is many things. It’s a fascinating discourse on the nature of language and storytelling. It’s a philosophical treatise on the possibilities of artificial intelligence. It’s a receptacle for obscenely hilarious jokes… A brilliant and beautiful cyborg: part human brain, part computational muscle. It’s a post-post-modern work of genius.’ Anthony McGowan, Carnegie Medal-winning author of  LARK

A brand new edition of this laugh-out-loud story of young love from  Mr Gum  author and King of Funny Andy Stanton, now with a lowered reading age of 7.

A brand new edition of this ruckus, laugh-out-loud adventure from  Mr Gum  author and King of funny Andy Stanton, now in at a lowered reading age of 7.

Welcome to the last days of Pompeii as you’ve NEVER imagined them before! Join fart-trader Caecilius, his wife, Vesuvius, and their ten-year-old son, Filius, in a bizarre world of accidental gladiators, pizza-emitting volcanoes and the legendary Ma-wol-n-f.

You’ll meet the household servant, Slavius; thrill at the misadventures of Barkus Wooferinicum and generally have an uproariously hilarious time of it all.

Full of ludicrous characters, surreal escapades and outrageous word play – if you thought Mr Gum was weird, then get a load of the Ancient Pompeiians!

A hilarious new series from the funniest that will have 7+ readers howling with laughter.

Did you know that rotten old villain, Mr Gum, has sold 3.6 million books in the UK alone?

Praise for Mr Gum:

‘Completely hilarious ? Kind of the League of Gentlemen for kids’ Zoe Ball

‘They’re the funniest books ? I can’t recommend them enough’ Stephen Mangan

Read all Andy Stanton’s well brilliant books:

NATBOFF! One Million Years of Stupidity

You’re a Bad Man, Mr Gum!
Mr Gum and the Biscuit Billionaire
Mr Gum and the Goblins
Mr Gum and the Power Crystals
Mr Gum and the Dancing Bear
What’s for Dinner, Mr Gum?
Mr Gum and the Cherry Tree
Mr Gum and the Secret Hideout

Shabba me whiskers! It’s a bold new look for Mr Gum, the best-selling cult classic, ready for a new generation of nibbleheads.

Well, that old roo-de-lally Mr Gum and the hideous Billy William the Third are once more mucking things up for everyone. They’re a-schemin’ and a-hatchin’ an’ making their bad plans up on Goblin Mountain. And why? Because they’re raising up an army of goblins to stink up the town of Lamonic Bibber once and for all! Can the brave travellers (the wise old man Friday O’Leary and the small girl Polly) make it past the Three Impossible Challenges of Goblin Mountain and save the town from a fate worse than something very bad indeed? In an epic tale of courage, valour and plain idiocy only one thing is sure: the truth is a lemon meringue!

Mr Gum andthe Goblins is the third book in the internationally best-selling series by Andy Stanton, which has won everything from the Blue Peter Book Award (twice) to the Roald Dahl Funny Prize and the Red House Children’s Book Award.

Don’t miss Mr Gum’s other villainously brilliant adventures?

You’re a Bad Man, Mr Gum!
Mr Gum and the Biscuit Billionaire
Mr Gum and the Goblins
Mr Gum and the Power Crystals
Mr Gum and the Dancing Bear
What’s for Dinner, Mr Gum?
Mr Gum and the Cherry Tree
Mr Gum and the Secret Hideout

Andy Stanton studied English at Oxford but they kicked him out. Before becoming a children’s writer he was a film script reader, a market researcher, an NHS lackey, a part-time sparrow and a grape. He is best known for the hilarious, bestselling and award-winning Mr Gum series and has also written picture books, including Danny McGee Drinks the Sea. Andy lives in North London and likes cartoons, books and music (even jazz).

David Tazzyman studied illustration at Manchester Metropolitan University. As well as illustrating the Mr Gum series, he has illustrated many picture books Eleanor’s Eyebrows, You Can’t Take an Elephant on the Bus, Michael Rosen’s Jelly Boots, Smelly Boots and My Mum’s Growing Down by Laura Dockrill. He lives in Leicester with his wife and three sons

Shabba me whiskers! It’s a bold new look for Mr Gum, the best-selling cult classic, ready for a new generation of nibbleheads.

Mr Gum is back in this second hilarious book and he’s as nasty as ever! In fact, he’s absolutely grimsters. But this book’s not just about him. Meet a gingerbread man named Alan Taylor who has electric muscles! Plus, all our favourite characters are also back: the little girl called Polly, the evil butcher called Billy William The Third, and the very wise man, Friday O’Leary. And, who could forget loveable Jake the dog, or the angry fairy who lives in Mr Gum’s bathtub and whacks him on the head with a frying-pan?

Mr Gum and the Biscuit Billionaire is the second book in the internationally best-selling series by Andy Stanton, which has won everything from the Blue Peter Book Award (twice) to the Roald Dahl Funny Prize and the Red House Children’s Book Award.

Don’t miss Mr Gum’s other villainously brilliant adventures?

You’re a Bad Man, Mr Gum!
Mr Gum and the Biscuit Billionaire
Mr Gum and the Goblins
Mr Gum and the Power Crystals
Mr Gum and the Dancing Bear
What’s for Dinner, Mr Gum?
Mr Gum and the Cherry Tree
Mr Gum and the Secret Hideout

Andy Stanton studied English at Oxford but they kicked him out. Before becoming a children’s writer he was a film script reader, a market researcher, an NHS lackey, a part-time sparrow and a grape. He is best known for the hilarious, bestselling and award-winning Mr Gum series and has also written picture books, including Danny McGee Drinks the Sea. Andy lives in North London and likes cartoons, books and music (even jazz).

David Tazzyman studied illustration at Manchester Metropolitan University. As well as illustrating the Mr Gum series, he has illustrated many picture books including Eleanor’s Eyebrows, You Can’t Take an Elephant on the Bus, Michael Rosen’s Jelly Boots, Smelly Boots and My Mum’s Growing Down by Laura Dockrill. He lives in Leicester with his wife and three sons.

Shabba me whiskers! It’s a bold new look for Mr Gum, the best-selling cult classic, ready for a new generation of nibbleheads.

‘It’s time for action,’ said Mr Gum to nobody in particular. ‘Nasty action.’

Good evening. Mr Gum is a complete horror who hates children, animals, fun and corn on the cob. This book’s all about him. And an angry fairy who lives in his bathtub. And Jake the dog, and a little girl called Polly. And there’s heroes and sweets and adventures and EVERYTHING.

You’re a Bad Man, Mr Gum! is the first book in the internationally best-selling series by Andy Stanton, which has won everything from the Blue Peter Book Award (twice) to the Roald Dahl Funny Prize and the Red House Children’s Book Award.

Don’t miss Mr Gum’s other villainously brilliant adventures?

You’re a Bad Man, Mr Gum!
Mr Gum and the Biscuit Billionaire
Mr Gum and the Goblins
Mr Gum and the Power Crystals
Mr Gum and the Dancing Bear
What’s for Dinner, Mr Gum?
Mr Gum and the Cherry Tree
Mr Gum and the Secret Hideout

Andy Stanton studied English at Oxford but they kicked him out. Before becoming a children’s writer he was a film script reader, a market researcher, an NHS lackey, a part-time sparrow and a grape. He is best known for the hilarious, bestselling and award-winning Mr Gum series and has also written picture books, including Danny McGee Drinks the Sea. Andy lives in North London and likes cartoons, books and music (even jazz).

David Tazzyman studied illustration at Manchester Metropolitan University. As well as illustrating the Mr Gum series, he has illustrated many picture books Eleanor’s Eyebrows, You Can’t Take an Elephant on the Bus, Michael Rosen’s Jelly Boots, Smelly Boots and My Mum’s Growing Down by Laura Dockrill. He lives in Leicester with his wife and three sons.

‘They’re the funniest books ? I can’t recommend them enough’ Stephen Mangan

‘They are brilliant’ Zoe Ball, BBC Radio 2

‘It’s hilarious, it’s brilliant?Stanton’s the Gov’nor, the Boss‘ Danny Baker, BBC Radio London

Good evening. Mr Gum is a complete horror who hates children, animals, fun and corn on the cob. This book’s all about him.

And an angry fairy who lives in his bathtub. And Jake the dog, and a little girl called Polly and an evil, stinky butcher all covered in guts. And there’s heroes and sweets and adventures and EVERYTHING.

You’re a Bad Man, Mr Gum! is the first in the internationally bestselling series by Andy Stanton, which has won everything from the Blue Peter Book Award (twice) to the Roald Dahl Funny Prize and the Red House Children’s Book Award. The books have been translated into over 25 languages worldwide, and have sold over 4 million copies.

“Good evening. This is Andy Stanton, professional children’s author and part-time marshmallow. Hey, do you like hearing ‘Mr Gum’ read out loud by a complete idiot? Well, then, you’re in luck, because – for your entertainment, amusement and annoyance – every single word of these audio books is spoken by ME! And not only that, but these recordings are absolutely JAM-PACKED with silly voices, weird sound effects and utterly ridiculous songs (sorry about my singing, by the way, it’s appalling). So there you have it – what are you waiting for? GET LISTENING, YOU NIBBLEHEADS!”