The Gumazing Gum Girl: Popped Star

The third book in the Gum Girl series by Rhode Montijo with Luke Reynolds, The Gumazing Gum Girl: Popped Star, addresses the concerns readers and parents may have had around the girl hero hiding her abilities from her family.

Previously, Gabby Gonzalez became a stretchy superhero when she chewed bubblegum, but her love of gum concerned her father, a dentist. Now, he’s going to fill a cavity in her tooth, and she’s resolved to reveal her secret identity to her parents. She’s also going to try sugar-free gum to prevent any more teeth problems.

But first, there’s a new superhero in town, the ballet-powered Ninja-Rina, whose motives for helping people might be suspect. Still, when crisis comes, anyone can be a hero if they’re willing to work together to help people. And Gabby feels much better after telling the truth to her family and helping others with their support.

This isn’t a comic, but there’s a cartoony illustration on every page, making for a fun read with plenty of exaggerated images to capture the humor and adventure, all under a bubblegum-scented cover. My favorite part is how Gum Girl changes back into Gabby — as any parent might have guessed, it involves peanut butter. (The publisher provided a review copy.)