The Gumazing Gum Girl! Chews Your Destiny and Gum Luck by Rhode Montijo, with Luke Reynolds, illustrated by Rhode Montijo, 128 pp, RL 2
I put a paperback copy of The Gumazing Gum Girl: Chews Your Destiny by Rhode Montijo on the shelves of my library a couple of years ago and it became a fast favorite, so much so that I ordered three library bound copies to keep up with the interest, wear and tear. I spent last year being asked, "When is the next Gum Girl book coming?" Happily, book 2, Gum Luck, is here!

There are so many great things about Gum Girl, I almost don't know where to start. With Chews Your Destiny, Montijo hits three important points for my students, the majority of whom are Latinx, English language learners, and reading below grade level: high interest, low reading level, a Latina main character (as well as Spanish words and phrases sprinkled throughout) who gets superpowers and, of course, that thing all kids love - gum. In book one, Chews Your Destiny, Gabby Gomez loves chewing gum so much that she falls asleep chewing it, only to wake up covered in gum. Of course her mom bans the bubble gum, but when Gabby finds a piece of MIGHTY-MEGA ULTRA-STRETCHY SUPER-DUPER EXTENDA-BUBBLE GUM, she just has to have a chew. The amazing gum creates the biggest bubble Gabby has ever blown, and when it pops (all over her, as seen above) she discovers that, not only is she very sticky, she has super powers!

Source: Review Copies & Purchased, Library Bound Copies