# Liz Pichon credits timeless childhood themes for Tom Gates’s enduring appeal

- URL: https://talkfuse.com/story/no-tech-no-texts-just-childhood-author-liz-pichon-on-the-secrets-behind-her-multi-million-selling-tom-gates-series/
- Published: 2026-11-08T12:00:39+00:00
- Updated: 2026-11-08T12:47:25+00:00
- Original publisher: The Guardian (publisher lean: Left)
- Original article: https://www.theguardian.com/books/2026/nov/08/no-tech-no-texts-just-childhood-author-liz-pichon-on-the-secrets-behind-her-multi-million-selling-tom-gates-series
- Topics: Culture, Entertainment, TV

## Key points

- Tom Gates marks 15 years with its 25th book.
- The series has sold 16.5 million copies in 47 languages.
- Pichon credits familiar childhood experiences for its appeal.

## Summary

Liz Pichon says the lasting appeal of her Tom Gates books comes from focusing on familiar parts of childhood, such as family life and school, rather than current technology. The series has reached its 15th anniversary with a 25th instalment, and continues to find new readers as earlier fans grow up.

Pichon has sold 16.5 million books in 47 languages, with the series adapted for stage and screen. Now 63, she began writing in her mid-40s after working in design and illustration, and says childhood insecurity about her dyslexia contributed to her late start. The latest story draws on an episode involving her husband, who once got into a concert with help from U2.

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Summarised by TalkFuse (https://talkfuse.com/). Quote the original publisher for the reporting and link this page for the summary and discussion.