The Gumdrops Quest for Bravery

A little girl has written to the Gumdrops, the guardians of magic land, asking for their help with finding an imaginary friend. The reader is brought on an adventure with the Gumdrops to fulfil their quest with the characters seeking the reader’s active participation in the story; the reader is asked for example to ‘say silly words, scary words, any words you like!’ and at another point in the story to ‘shake the book’. Suspense builds throughout the story and just when the reader thinks the Gumdrops have succeeded in their quest, an obstacle is thrown in their way.

This graphic novel is particularly accessible for children who may be hesitant to read full chapter books. The illustrations are colourful, fun and engaging and the faces of the Gumdrops are expressive and friendly. This is a fun story with engaging characters. including the Gumdrops themselves, Hope, Bubbles, Rainbow and Sparky. Even the enemy of the Gumdrops, Evilee, who cannot stand being told she is cute and tries to thwart the Gumdrops at every turn on their quest, is appealing in a way. There is a colourful map included which depicts all the places that the Gumdrops travel to on their quest, including the Library and the Story Swamp. 

The story explores important themes of friendship, perseverance and teamwork against the backdrop of a thrilling quest.