Home » Books, Poetry & Writing » Books » Children's Books

The Secret Order Of The Gumm Street Girls

Ranked #2,338 in Books, Poetry & Writing, #94,759 overall | Donates to Room to Read

Welcome to Sherbet ...

Welcome to Gumm Street in the town of Sherbet. A quiet street in a perfect little town where three little girls live. You'd expect they'd be best of friends, but ... no. These little girls greatly dislike each other and that doesn't seem likely to change until a new family moves to Gumm Street and changes their lives forever.

For seven years, bad luck has followed Ivy around like a dog on a leash. Her father disappeared, her mother is a washed-up beauty-pageant winner, and now Ivy and her mother have moved into a ramshackle house on Gumm Street. Ivy's new neighbors - bookish Pru, stuck-up Cat, and wannabe adventurer Franny - are worse than unfriendly. But then a mysterious pair of ruby red slippers turn up, and the four girls are swept away ... not to OZ, but to the jaw-droppingly strange lands of SPOZ, and SPUDZ, and OOZE, pursued by the fashionably mad Cha-Cha Staccato, who bears a frightening resemblance to a certain wicked witch ....

Join us on Gumm Street as the girls begin their adventure one summer, the summer Ivy and her mother move to town, the weather in Sherbet goes wonky and the Jinx doesn't leave.

Gumm Street Girls: My Review

This was a light, fun adventure romp with the girls who live on Gumm Street suitable for girls probably 8-10 and up. There are a few "scary" scenes, but nothing too terrifying so perfectly appropriate for this age. The writing style borrow a little from Lemony Snicket - departing from the story to talk directly to the audience - and the plot is heavily influenced by the Wizard of Oz, the book not the movie. Makes a great tie-in for a next book to read if your child hasn't already discovered the wonders of Baum. Probably not a great story choice for a boy since Fred the dog is the only male main character, but Gumm Street Girls definitely a great "read-aloud" book.

The author, Elise Primavera, is also the illustrator and her pen and ink drawings are rough and more sketch-like than full blown drawings. They complement the story, though, adding a little more chaos into the mix.
No contents yet - please edit this module to customize its settings.Sorry, there are no results available from Amazon.

The Secret Order Of The Gumm Street Girls

Get your own copy today!


The Secret Order of the Gumm Street Girls
Paperback version
Kindle version

Gumm Street Girls: The Characters

Prudence Gumm - lives at #1 Gumm Street. By nature very cautious, likes to read and is constantly quoting safety tips.
  • Class: Tuna-on-Rye, moving to Bacon-Lettuce-and-Tomato

  • Favorite food: Hot dogs with Mustard and Relish

  • Favorite book: The Wizard of Oz

  • Never leaves home without: Safety kit

  • Favorite Safety Tip: "In the case of shark bite, roof collapse, mudslide, earthquake, shipwreck, gastrointestinal disturbances far from bathrooms, or any similar emergency situations, 99.99% of all successful outcomes depend on doing one thing: Staying Calm!"

  • Unique talent: Her cautious nature

Franny Muggs - lives at #3 Gumm Street. Never looks before she leaps and has lots of good ideas.
  • Class: Liverwurst

  • Favorite food: Pizza with extra cheese

  • Favorite candy: Jelly Squirtz (You can never have enough candy.)

  • Never leaves home without: A bag of cookies

  • Favorite quote: "Adventure is worthwhile in itself." -Amelia Earhardt

  • Favorite spot to hang out: Lookout tower at the top of her "wedding cake" house

  • Unique talent: Her great ideas (Cartwheel Class and Zombie Spray)

Cat Lemonjello - lives at #2 Gumm Street. Only daughter of eleven children and believed to possess ESP.
  • Class: Tuna-on-Rye

  • Favorite food: French toast with maple syrup

  • Favorite trick: A one-handed cartwheel

  • Never leaves home without: 3 pennies and a copy of the I Ching

  • Loves to: Play the piano and ride her pony (not at the same time)

  • Lives in: A treehouse

  • Family trivia: Cat's the only daughter of eleven children

  • Unique talent: Her ESP

Ivy Diamond - newly arrived at #5 Gumm Street. Unlucky, uncertain and undistinguished - for a while that is.
  • Class: Liverwurst (moved from Tuna-on-Rye)

  • Favorite food: Fried Chicken

  • Never leaves home without: the Jinx

  • Family trivia: Her mother, Pearl Gale Diamond, won the Miss Venus Constellation of Stars Pageant

  • Favorite pair of shoes: Her secret shiny silver ones

  • Unique talent: Her strength

Fred & Ginger - The beloved canine companions of one Mr. Staccato
  • Color: White

  • Size: Small

  • Weight: Fat

  • Unique talent: They always seem to know exactly what is going on

Gumm Street Girls: Which character are you the most like?

Loading poll. Please Wait...

Gumm Street Girls: Your Thoughts

Write a review, add a comment, or debate someone who disagrees with you.

What did you think?

Loading

I'm an official Gumm Street Girl!

Olivia Swan says:

I am so in love with this book!!! This is my all-time favorite book ever! I really hope a 2nd one comes out... I did my book report on this:)

aynos10( read name backwards) says:

OMG! I love this book! It is my fav book of all times! taste the rainbow, I totally agree with you! I send a email to Elise, on her website! Please email here everyone, so we can get her to make a movie or write a sequel! go to her website, which u cn search on goole, and click on her contacts to email her !!!!!!
thx everyone who emailed her

Taste The Rainbow says:

I Loved The Book!!! It Was Sort Of Iffy In The Beginning But As It Sort Of Got To The Middle I Loved It Even More!

Sabsab 132 says:

I think it's so great, I want it to become a movie. It would be so cool, and I would like to see what Cha Cha, Coco, and Blingbling look like. I really enjoyed the book and wish that if there wasn't a movie, to at least make a sequel. If there wasn't then I would have to stop blogging about this book forever. Now I am going to get some cheese! Bye!

Rebecca Jacoby says:

I LOVED IT!!!!!!!!!!!!

I never want to visit Sherbet again!

JoBroLover says:

its awesum! i hope the 2nd book comes out!!!!! >:3

 
view all 29 comments

Gumm Street Girls: About the Town of Sherbet

The town of Sherbet has a boardwalk, a candy store called the colossal Candy Bar, a five-story silver-and-gold ice-cream parlor called the Arctic Ice Cream Palace, a fabulous amusement park, a riding stable with ponies - you name it.

The weather in Sherbet is particularly marvelous, too. It is polite, only snowing in the winter to make things look pretty. It is predictable, raining in the summer every day at exactly 4 p.m. for exactly 45 minutes, followed by a breathtaking rainbow. In short, Sherbet is about a hundred times more wonderful than where you or I live.

Gumm Street Girls: Rate it, if you dare...

Loading poll. Please Wait...

Gumm Street Girls: The Supporting Cast

Cha Cha - sister to the Wicked Witch of the West and determined to get the shoes Dorothy took from her other sister

Coco and Bling Bling - Cha Cha's nieces, dedicated to staying as young and beautiful as possible

Mr. Staccato - piano teacher who lives at #7 Gumm Street and urges Ivy to discover her unique talent

Pearl - Ivy's sparkly mother, a former beauty show contestant and new owner of #5 Gumm Street

The Jinx - Ivy's not sure that he's such a good thing, but there are times when she wonders ...

Gumm Street Girls: Official Site

Don't miss it!

Gumm Street Girls Club
Sign up to be a member of the club! You can download bookmarks, send e-cards and get the Gumm Street Girls flashlight code to use with your friends.

Don't be afraid to use your unique talent.

Gumm Street Girls: Franny's Great Idea

Franny is just full of ideas, usually underappreciated by those around her. But she has one in this book that proves to be a great one - packing those emergency backpacks. Just in case. Got your pack ready?
Loading

Gumm Street Girls: Packing List

Franny put together a great list of useful things to pack in their backpacks. What do you think was the most important thing Franny included on the packing list? Vote below by clicking the arrows. Click the links to go to Amazon to stock your own pack!





3

Vote Up
Vote Down
Calvin Klein Girl's Happy Hearts Bikini Panty 3-pack - ON SALE

Calvin Klein Girl's Happy Hearts Bikini Panty 3-pack - ON SALE

Classic Calvin Klein cotton bikini panty with comf more...0 points

4

Vote Up
Vote Down
Skechers 6 Pack Socks

Skechers 6 Pack Socks

You'll get six pairs of bright colored Sketchers s more...0 points

5

Vote Up
Vote Down
'GIANT Light - Small Package' Flashlight - 21 LED! Cool Blue

'GIANT Light - Small Package' Flashlight - 21 LED! Cool Blue

This amazing compact flashlight is like a floodlig more...0 points

6

Vote Up
Vote Down
Hershy's Milk Chocolate Bar

Hershy's Milk Chocolate Bar

HERSHEY'S Milk Chocolate bar is the standard for a more...0 points

8

Vote Up
Vote Down
New 2007 Sigg

New 2007 Sigg "It's All in the Details" 0.6 Liter Aluminum Water Bottles - Select From 3 Designs

For nearly 100 years, Sigg has utilized Swiss prec more...0 points

9

Vote Up
Vote Down
bella girl - 1x1 Rib Short Sleeve Crewneck T-shirt - 9001

bella girl - 1x1 Rib Short Sleeve Crewneck T-shirt - 9001

3/8" neck and cuff binding, Pre-shrunk 100% c more...0 points

10

Vote Up
Vote Down
premium sequined bootcut jeans

premium sequined bootcut jeans

Uniquely crafted with special care! In stretch den more...0 points

12

Vote Up
Vote Down
2 Packs of New NATO Water and Windproof Matches

2 Packs of New NATO Water and Windproof Matches

WATERPROOF, WINDPROOF Survival Matches. NATO-appro more...0 points

16

Vote Up
Vote Down
Tuffo Water-Resistant Outdoor Blanket with Carrying Case

Tuffo Water-Resistant Outdoor Blanket with Carrying Case

This generously sized all-weather blanket can mean more...0 points

Gumm Street Girls: Listen to the Story

The Secret Order of the Gumm Street Girls CD

The Secret Order of the Gumm Street Girls CD

by: Elise Primavera

Amazon Price: $4.00 (as of 06/01/2012)Buy Now
List Price: $27.95

Usually ships in 1-2 business days

More by Elise Primavera

Loading

Elise Primavera as Illustrator

Loading

You might also like these related books...

If you loved The Secret Order of the Gumm Street Girls, you might also enjoy:

Gumm Street Girls: Reader Feedback

  • KaraLynnRussell Jun 19, 2009 @ 8:14 pm | delete
    I love L. Frank Baum and I read everything I can find connected with him and/or Oz. I have also enjoyed Elise Primavera's Auntie Claus books. I laughed myself silly over Cha-Cha, Coco and Bling Bling. Thank you for creating this lense.
  • Comfortdoc Dec 10, 2008 @ 12:21 pm | delete
    This looks like a good one for my going on nine-year-old and going on seven-year-old. Thank you for submitting it to the Spirit of the Season Challenge.
  • zephyr Nov 22, 2008 @ 9:57 pm | delete
    I love this book. :x
  • lemonsqueezy Sep 18, 2008 @ 12:58 pm | delete
    I agree. I have a 10 year old daughter at home. We read every night. This will be next for us. I think that she'll love it.
  • Barkely Jan 13, 2008 @ 10:54 am | delete
    Spectangular Squid Lit lens! One of the best ever. I've never read the book, makes me wish I had.
Show All

All My Lenses

Like this lens? Want to see what else I've done? Here's my lensography!
Loading

Postscript of utmost importance


If you buy any of the books recommended above, this page automatically makes a donation to the incredible nonprofit, Room to Read, which partners with local communities throughout the developing world to establish schools, libraries, and other educational infrastructure.

by

SusanVillasLewis

Idea hamster. Design lover. Makes things happen. Random crafter. Voracious reader. Liberty lover. Marginal shooter. Singer. Writer. Marketer.

Me on... more »

Feeling creative? Create a Lens!

Related Tags