The Secret Order of the Gumm Street Girls facts for kids

Quick facts for kids
The Secret Order of the Gumm Street Girls

Author	Elise Primavera
Illustrator	Elise Primavera
Country	United States
Language	English
Genre	Children's literature
Publisher	HarperCollins
Publication date	September 26, 2006
Media type	Hardcover
Pages	464
ISBN	0-06-056946-8

The Secret Order of the Gumm Street Girls is an exciting children's novel. It was written by Elise Primavera and published by HarperCollins in 2006. The book tells the story of four unique girls living on Gumm Street. They uncover a big mystery in their seemingly perfect town.

Welcome to Sherbet: A Magical Town

The story takes place in Sherbet, a town that seems just right. The weather is always pleasant. It snows only in winter and rains for exactly 45 minutes in summer. On a special street called Gumm Street, four girls live. They are all about the same age. Their names are Franny Muggs, Pru Gumm, Cat Lemonjello, and Ivy Diamond.

Meet the Gumm Street Girls

Franny Muggs: The Adventurer

• Franny Muggs: Franny lives at #3 Gumm Street. She is full of creative and wild ideas. She once thought of anti-zombie spray! Franny looks up to famous adventurers like Amelia Earhart. She even has a calendar with Earhart's quote: "Adventure is worthwhile in itself." Franny often uses binoculars from her "wedding cake" house. She loves to explore her neighborhood.

Ivy Diamond: The New Girl

• Ivy Diamond: Ivy and her mom, Pearl, move to #5 Gumm Street. Their new house is old and falling apart. Ivy has had a tough time for seven years. This "Jinx" started after a mirror broke and her dad disappeared. She hopes for a fresh start in Sherbet. Ivy dreams of making friends, ending her Jinx, and taking piano lessons. But a strange letter and a new person named Cha Cha change everything.

Prudence Gumm: The Careful Planner

• Prudence Gumm: Pru lives at #1 Gumm Street. She loves making up "Safety Tips." Her favorite is "Look before you leap." Pru enjoys reading books under her cozy covers. At first, she seems a bit scared. But she helps Ivy because she doesn't want to look weak. Pru and Cat Lemonjello have a long history. Pru grows braver and takes charge as the story goes on.

Cat Lemonjello: The Intuitive One

• Cat Lemonjello: Cat lives at #2 Gumm Street in a giant tree house. She has ten brothers! Cat loves doing cartwheels and being outdoors. She also uses the I Ching to get advice. Cat is special because she is the 11th child of an 11th child. People say this gives her ESP, or special senses. She often sees things others don't. Cat can seem like a know-it-all. But her smart ideas help solve Ivy's big problem.

The Secret Adventure Begins

A New Home and a Strange Letter

Ivy Diamond and her mom, Pearl, move into Aunt V's old house at #5 Gumm Street. Aunt V has passed away. Their neighbor, Mr. Staccato, offers Ivy piano lessons. Ivy quickly makes friends with Franny. They find a letter hidden in a picture of Aunt V. The letter says Aunt V faked her death to avoid taxes! Pearl thinks Aunt V was just confused, so Ivy throws the letter away.

Friendships and a Mysterious House

Ivy learns that Franny, Pru, and Cat don't really like each other. Pru and Cat are especially rivals. Ivy tries to be friends with all of them. When Ivy goes to Mr. Staccato's house for her first piano lesson, she meets his strange, human-like dogs, Fred and Ginger. She also sees the famous Ruby-Red slippers from The Wizard of Oz. Ivy learns about Mr. Staccato's past with the movie. She feels safe from her "Jinx" at his house. So, she agrees to clean his house for free piano lessons.

Warnings and a Hurricane

Meanwhile, Cat feels uneasy. She checks her I Ching. It warns her to leave town and beware of "hurricane Cha Cha." Cat thinks this is silly. She also accidentally calls a wizard in a balloon. The wizard tells her to watch out for a "backwards tidal wave." After a bad piano recital, Ivy talks to Mr. Staccato. He tells her her strength is her unique talent. He also reveals that the ruby slippers are hers. He warns her never to give them up.

A Disappearance and a Discovery

Suddenly, Sherbet's first hurricane hits. Ivy rushes home. Mr. Staccato has more to tell her, but she promises to visit him tomorrow. Later, Franny sees Mr. Staccato floating in the sky. He says something strange and then vanishes into the storm. Franny tells Ivy that Mr. Staccato is gone. His dogs, Fred and Ginger, soon arrive at Ivy's house, crying.

The Silver Shoes and a New Enemy

The next day, the storm is over. Ivy and Franny go back to Mr. Staccato's house. Ivy takes one of the Ruby Red Slippers. The other is missing. A glamorous woman named Cha Cha appears. She claims to be Mr. Staccato's relative and demands the shoe. Ivy and Franny escape to Ivy's house. They discover the red paint on the slipper is rubbing off, showing its true silver color! They call Pru for help. Pru reads from The Wonderful Wizard of Oz. They realize Ivy might be related to Dorothy. Fred and Ginger might be related to Toto. They decide to call Cat for more help.

Cha Cha's Plan and a Strange Journey

Cha Cha breaks into Ivy's house. She scares Ivy into giving her the shoe. When she finds the other shoe is missing, she leaves. Cat thinks Cha Cha might be related to the Wicked Witch of the West. Ivy now has a strange eye mark on her hand from touching the shoe. Franny believes a witch is after Ivy. The girls decide to work together to help Ivy. Cha Cha uses her stylish clothes to charm everyone in Sherbet. The Gumm Street Girls try to trick Cha Cha with a fake silver shoe. But their plan fails. Cha Cha traps them in a car filled with jellybeans. She sends them away in a "backwards tidal wave."

Lost in Spoz: An Underground World

Franny, Ivy, Cat, Pru, Fred, and Ginger wake up in an underground world called Spoz. They meet two mean teens, Bling Bling and Coco. They are Cha Cha's nieces. They make the girls work for the whole summer. If they don't obey, they will be sent to a scary place called Spudz.

Escaping Spoz and Finding Friends

One day, Pru finds Coco under her bed. Coco has turned into an old hag! To avoid being thrown into a machine called the Beautyliator, Pru offers to get Coco's vitamins from Spudz. But then, Ivy and Franny go missing. Ivy had hurt her arm and ended up in Spudz. Franny went after her. Cat pushes Coco into the Beautyliator. Pru pushes the "beautify" button. The girls escape and head to Spudz to find Ivy and Franny.

Mysteries in Spudz and the Ooze

In Spudz, Ivy meets Dr. Iznotz, a giant potato with many eyes. He gives her a witch vanishing potion. He thinks Ivy is a witch. Ivy asks about the other silver shoe. He tells her to find Maz in Wormz Pock. On her way, she meets Maz and Franny. Maz gives them a warm, healing drink. Maz tells them the history of the silver slippers. The shoes can travel through time and have unknown power. Ivy asks about her Jinx. Maz says it will always be with her.

Aunt V's Return and a Shocking Reunion

Franny and Pru go through a gooey place called the Ooze. They meet Aunt V's "zombie." Aunt V says she died by accident. She electrocuted herself with a fork and toaster. Like Cha Cha, Aunt V asks for the shoes. Ivy refuses. Aunt V suggests they could be a good team. Before Ivy and Franny can run, the Jinx grabs Ivy and pulls her into the ooze. Franny dives in after her.

A Secret Passage and a Safe Discovery

Cat and Pru climb a potato mountain with Fred and Ginger. They are looking for their friends. Pru finds a hole in the "sky" of Spudz. They set aside their rivalry and go through the tunnel. They reunite with Ivy and Franny as they shoot out of the ooze. The group finds a gingerbread cottage. Inside is a picture of Heironymous Gumm. They talk about their adventures and remember Mr. Staccato. They name the cottage "Middle C Cottage" in his honor. The next day, they find a secret passage behind the picture. At the end is a safe, just like Mr. Staccato's. Ivy asks Franny what Mr. Staccato said to her. Franny replies, "You make a better door than a window." With those words, the safe opens. Inside is the missing silver shoe!

The Final Showdown and a Happy Ending

The Gumm Street Girls find themselves in Mr. Staccato's museum room. Pru finds a newspaper article. It says Cha Cha made up a story that the girls went to a special music school. Cha Cha then appears and demands the shoes. The girls have the witch vanishing potion ready. But Cha Cha throws Franny across the room and pours the potion down the drain. Fred, Ginger, and the girls run to #5 Gumm to escape Cha Cha. They smell something burning. The house is on fire! The girls barely escape. The burning house falls on Cha Cha. The Jinx tries to attack Ivy. Ivy puts on the silver shoes. Instead of hurting her, the Jinx hugs her. The Jinx changes into someone Ivy hasn't seen in seven years: her father!

Life After the Adventure

Back in Sherbet, the Gumm Street Girls rest. They get ready for the first day of school. The Diamond family is reunited. They find Mr. Staccato's will. He left his home and everything he owned to them. Now, the Diamonds, Fred, and Ginger live at #7 Gumm Street. Ivy keeps the two silver shoes hidden, just like Mr. Staccato did. The story ends with a hint that Bling Bling might return. And the suspicious Aunt V reappears! Franny sees Aunt V with her binoculars. She immediately calls a meeting for the Secret Order of the Gumm Street Girls for the next day.