History Literature / MrGum

* FridgeHorror: The song at the end of Mr. Gum and The Power Crystals - "The Ballad of Barry Fungus" - where the titular character, a soldier, shoots a hundred men on his own side on his first day, claims after his service in the war, that he doesn't deserve to be a man, but rather a chaffinch. Fighting in the war probably made him insane!

* NoOntoligicalInertia:{{Zigzagged|Trope}} in ''Secret Hideout'': after the incinerator producing very rapid, localised climate change is switched off, all the nasty tropical insects and the like that had appeared die off, but the parrots remain, because everyone likes parrots.

* WealthyPhilanthropist: Alan Taylor becomes this in the heartwarming ending to the second book, after he uses all his money, which, judging by his title as "The Biscuit Billionare", must be a LOT, to turn his mansion into a school for orphaned children, after Polly teaches him that friendship is more important than wealth.
* WidgetSeries: Pretty much a Wabbit.

* MeaningfulName: Oh, so many. Martin Launderette runs the launderette, Johnathan Ripples is very fat, and therefore probably has ripples on his body, Old Granny is old, the name of the bear enslaved by Mr. Gum and Billy William III is "Padlock", Beany McLeany's name rhymes, so of course, he speaks in rhymes, Miss Lovely has a sweet personality... etc.

* RhymesOnADime: Beany McLeany not speaks like this, but everything he does rhymes too. For example, in book 2, at the funfair, he does a showbiz quiz on a girl named Liz, and in book 1, the flowers in his garden grow like towers.

* ShoutOut: Alan Taylor's name sounds a little like that of Hollywood star Aaron Taylor-Johnson. Also, one of the books features a Dancing Bear. (The Dancing Bear is a book by Michael Morpurgo.) And one to a song by CrowdedHouse in "What's For Dinner, Mr. Gum?", where it says: "hey now, hey now, don't dream it's over."

* ArsonMurderandJaywalking: The website describes Mr. Gum and the Cherry Tree as "a tale of forests! Of legendary beasts! Of dreadful villains! Of caterpillars called Graham!"

* GenderBlenderName: There's a little girl called Peter, whose father is called Rachel.

* BaitandSwitch: Combined with ExactWords in "What's For Dinner, Mr Gum?". In chapter one, we are introduced to "a quick word from Friday O'Leary himself". Any Mr. Gum superfan would expect him to say his catchphrase: "The truth is a lemon Meringue!", but instead he just says "BREADBIN."

* ArtisticLicenscePhysics: In Chapter 2 of book 8, Polly and Friday O' Leary watch clouds fall out of the sky. One of them crushes a hen, causing it to lay an egg out of its mouth!

* ArtisticLiscencePhysics: In Chapter 2 of book 8, Polly and Friday O' Leary watch clouds fall out of the sky. One of them crushes a hen, causing it to lay an egg out of its mouth!

* ArtisticLiscence-Physics: In Chapter 2 of book 8, Polly and Friday O' Leary watch clouds fall out of the sky. One of them crushes a hen, causing it to lay an egg out of its mouth!

* PretentiousPronounciation: Billy Williams III believes that he is related to royalty, so it makes sense that he uses this trope. However, his use of it is not very posh, and is as simple as saying "funty" instead of "funny", "mittersy" instead of "mystery" and an unknown word instead of "fountain". (No-one knows that word because they've never heard him say the word "fountain".)

* ShowDon'tTell: At the start of "The Power Crystals", a bumblebee does "that thing where it goes near your ear and makes you jump in astonishment". Also, Mr. Gum's garden in summer is full of those little blue plants that kind of look like dinosaurs.

* NamesakeGag: Once again, Martin Launderette owns the launderette. And the inventor of the saxophone is named Mr. Violin.

* GenderBenderName: There's a little girl called Peter, whose father is called Rachel.

* Arson,Murder,andJaywalking: The website describes Mr. Gum and the Cherry Tree as "a tale of forests! Of legendary beasts! Of dreadful villains! Of caterpillars called Graham!"

* Bait-and-Switch: Combined with ExactWords in "What's For Dinner, Mr Gum?". In chapter one, we are introduced to "a quick word from Friday O'Leary himself". Any Mr. Gum superfan would expect him to say his catchphrase: "The truth is a lemon Meringue!", but instead he just says "BREADBIN."

* ArsonMurderandJaywalking: The website describes Mr. Gum and the Cherry Tree as "a tale of forests! Of legendary beasts! Of dreadful villains! Of caterpillars called Graham!"

* Arson,MurderandJaywalking: The website describes Mr. Gum and the Cherry Tree as "a tale of forests! Of legendary beasts! Of dreadful villains! Of caterpillars called Graham!"

* GenkiGirl: Polly. Combined with OnlySaneMan.

* ShoutOut: Alan Taylor's name sounds a little like that of Hollywood star Aaron Taylor-Johnson. Also, one of the books features a Dancing Bear. (The Dancing Bear is a book by Michael Morpurgo.)