- Illustrated Chapter Books
- Ages 5–8
- Comedy
Gordon Saves the Day
Book 5 of 5 in Gordon the Meanest Goose on EarthView the full series
A forthcoming fifth Gordon book built around a new goose in town and Gordon's ongoing struggle to stay good. It should suit existing fans who want more silly redemption comedy in short, illustrated chapters.
- Best for5–8
- FormatIllustrated
- Length128 pp
- Read aloud~51 min
The vibe
What it’s like.
Style
- Conversational
- Comedic
Tone
- Funny
- Silly
- Exciting
- Heartwarming
Themes
Experience meters
What’s it about?
The story.
Gordon used to be the meanest goose on Earth, but becoming a good goose is still proving much harder than he expected. In this fifth book, a new goose arrives, creating a fresh test for Gordon's patience, kindness and very wobbly good intentions. The setup keeps the series' central joke alive: Gordon wants to do better, but his instincts, temper and old reputation keep getting in the way. Although full plot detail is limited ahead of publication, the book is positioned as another honkingly funny, highly illustrated story for emerging readers, with the same accessible 128-page format as the rest of the series. For children already invested in Gordon, Anthony and the wider animal world, this looks like another short, comic chapter book about whether even the meanest character can keep choosing kindness.
Fit check
Right for your child?
Where it lands by age
- 1
- 3
- 5
- 7
- 9
- 11
- 13
- Best fit · 5–8
- Read aloud · 5–8
- Independent · 6–8
Prose load
Light
Visual support
High
Reluctant-reader friendly
Very
Read-aloud quality
Strong
Works well for
- Reading aloud
- Reading together
- Reluctant readers
Nothing in the book is likely to concern most parents. Safe to recommend without preview.
Bedtime suitability
3 / 5 · Workable
Sensitive-child
4 / 5 · Good fit
Graphic intensity
1 / 5 · None
Best for
- Forthcoming title
- Newly independent readers
- Funny animals
- Naughty humour
- Short chapters
Avoid if
- Needs available now
- Wants full plot certainty
- Prefers realistic school stories
Particularly good for children who are…
- Reluctant reader
- Anger management
- Making friends
In the classroom
How it works in school.
A funny early illustrated series with warmth — a reluctant-reader pick that touches on kindness and getting along.
A book children love that happens to support school — never a stand-in for the texts a class is taught with. Reviewed for the classroom · June 2026.
Why it lands
Why they love it.
Why kids love it
The specific weight is the new goose in town — Gordon still trying to be good, his patience and temper still very much in the way, a fresh arrival testing whether even the meanest character can keep choosing kindness. The fifth Gordon with the central joke kept alive.
- Having a nemesis
- The underdog winning
- Transformation
- Trickery and cleverness
Why parents love it
The fifth Gordon — same dry-as-toast voice, same 128-page illustrated format, same struggle between old instincts and new intentions. Reliable for any reader invested in Gordon, Anthony and the wider animal world.
- Shared humour
- Quick to read
- Conversation starter
- Bedtime appropriate
In the series
Gordon the Meanest Goose on Earth.
5 books · open the series →
About the author & illustrator
Alex Latimer.
If you liked this
Three ways out of this book.
If you liked this, try…
Lateral matches. Same shelf, different texture.
Come into this from…
Easier or preparing reads — perfect lead-ins.
Where to go next…
Escalation reads — a step up in scale, silliness, or stakes.
More like this…
Books that share themes and topics with this one.
Buy or borrow
Pick up a copy.
- Bookshop.org ↗
- Waterstones ↗
- Amazon UK ↗
- Hive ↗
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