The Books of Grubtown

You won’t find Grubtown on any maps. The last time any map-makers were sent anywhere near the place they were found a week later wearing nothing but pages from a telephone directory, and calling for their mothers. It’s certainly a town and certainly grubby -- except for the squeaky clean parts -- but everything else we know about the place comes from Beardy Ardagh, town resident and author of these tales . . . Find out more about all of the Grubtown Tales on the Faber website.

Splash, Crash and Loads of Cash
When a yachting trip turns to disaster and the shipwrecked crew, including Mango Claptrap, ends up using the impressively large Flabby Gomez as a man-made floating island, they need help. Who better to rescue them than the exceedingly useless lifeboat crew over at Limp, assisted by Grubtown's very own chief of police Grabby Hanson? But they have problems of their own. Can Jilly Cheeter save the day? And what about those hungry sharks ...? more
 

Stinking Rich and Just Plain Stinky
According to Beardy Ardagh, Grubtown is full of oddballs - from the singing Grumbly girls to a family of duck-haters, and an out-sized major who's knitting a new house - but Manual Org is too repulsive even for them. Getting him to leave town is top priority, until the discovery of a humongous diamond changes everything... more
 

The Year that It Rained Cows
The way Beardy Ardagh tells it, a startled cow falling out of nowhere onto Limbo Goulash marks the start of a chain of events strange even by Grubtown's standards. Soon damaged property includes PURPLE OUTINGS MUSIC SHACK and Minty Glibb's attempt at a record-breaking jelly-trifle. With Grubtown's the cow-fearing townsfolk watching the skies, there's another big surprise waiting under their feet. more
 

The Far from Great Escape
As Beardy Ardagh reports, when the local lighthouse is plunged into darkness and a ship runs aground - flattening THE RUSTY DOLPHIN - it's hard to imagine things can get much worse in Grubtown. But then there's a jail-break and the Police Department (all three of them) needs all the help it can get from the (often bonkers) townsfolk. No wonder more trouble is waiting just around the corner. more
 

The Wrong End of the Dog
As eye-witness Beardy Ardagh reports, when famous film star Tawdry Hipbone visits Grubtown for the world premiere of her latest movie, For the Love of Ducks II, Mayor Flabby Gomez couldn’t be more excited but, as usual, nothing goes to plan. Miss Hipbone’s dog, Snooks, is snatched by a flow-flying pelican, and it’s a race against time to find him, in a rescue attempt involving Grubtown’s usual ragbag of bungling buffoons. more
 

Trick Eggs and Rubber Chickens
The word from Beardy Ardagh is that everything in Grubtown should be very lovely Flabby Gomez has finally finished knitting his new house, and the brand new GRUBTOWN AQUARIUM AND CARWASH is about to open its leaky doors . . . but with the duck-hating Fox family out for revenge and some seriously dodgy dealings, things are about to get about as crazy as the townsfolk! more
 

The Great Pasta Disaster
As Beardy Ardagh’s special report for World Book Day tells, things get messy when Farflung Heaps, self-appointed leader of the Angry Mob, is served floppy lettuce at UPSTAIRS AT AMPLE SAKI’S and furiously challenges the restaurant to a ‘pasta taste-off’. The results are truly explosive and, as the tomato sauce and meatballs start flying, it’s up to Jilly Cheeter and Mango Claptrap to save the day.