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The Bubblegum Tree

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The gum that comes from the wonderful bubblegum trees that grow in the Indian jungle has not been delivered for two months. Without this secret ingredient, there'll be no more Gopal's Best Pink Bubblegum, and even more importantly, no more Bubblegummies - the people who live in the trees and harvest the gum.

It's not an easy mystery to solve - and soon the friends are involved in a bungee-jumping, tiger-trouncing, woodcutter-walloping, bubblegum-blowing adventure!

Audible Audio

First published June 1, 1996

4 people are currently reading
223 people want to read

About the author

Alexander McCall Smith

675 books12.8k followers
Alexander McCall Smith is the author of the international phenomenon The No. 1 Ladies' Detective Agency series, the Isabel Dalhousie Series, the Portuguese Irregular Verbs series, and the 44 Scotland Street series. He is professor emeritus of medical law at the University of Edinburgh in Scotland and has served on many national and international bodies concerned with bioethics. He was born in what is now known as Zimbabwe and he was a law professor at the University of Botswana. He lives in Scotland. Visit him online at www.alexandermccallsmith.com, on Facebook, and on Twitter.

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5 stars
41 (28%)
4 stars
39 (27%)
3 stars
51 (35%)
2 stars
12 (8%)
1 star
1 (<1%)
Displaying 1 - 16 of 16 reviews
Profile Image for Ada Seven.
187 reviews10 followers
February 1, 2021
❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️TAVSİYE EDERİM
Profile Image for Muhajjah Saratini.
289 reviews9 followers
August 22, 2017
Paling tebal di antara buku lainnya.
Kalo nanti Kira sudah bisa baca, saya bakal seneng berdiskusi, dia paling suka yang mana...

Sudah lama selesai baca, tapi g bisa apdet...
Profile Image for Fuzzy Buzzy.
164 reviews7 followers
July 7, 2024
I wasn't impressed with the book.

Owning tigers skins to save the bubblegum trees??? NO WAY!!! - too cruel, in my opinion. I know it was just a story for children but kids are SMART, they would wonder where the skins come from and who killed the tigers and skinned them. And the parents have to explain how cruel and horrible world is. No, thank you very much!
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
Profile Image for Moushumi Ghosh.
433 reviews10 followers
April 12, 2015
Quite liked this book. Very well written - I was constantly taking notes on how a children's book that involves themes such as conservation, exotic places, travel and lots of irreverence should be written. It's got all that British quirkiness without any of the colonial luggage.
Profile Image for Sean Harding.
5,829 reviews34 followers
March 29, 2018
the next McCall Smith book in his bibliography and another book for younger readers and this one about bubble gum! A fun read, but the subtext is definitely environmental and anti-logging and again he does it in a way that is not heavy handed.
He also does characters who are not your typical white Smith and Jones with this one featuring people with Indian descent.
An engaging read for younger readers as I get closer and closer to reaching the ladies detectives in his bibliography.
Profile Image for George.
235 reviews
October 17, 2017
A cute little story about children saving the bubble gum trees of India.
7 reviews
August 25, 2022
This book is simple and enjoyable adventure of some kids and a mid aged man.... Like every child story book it's amazing.
Profile Image for Eylül.
13 reviews
Read
November 8, 2025
i loved this book when i was little
then gave it to a friend and never got it back
Profile Image for Sarah.
91 reviews
December 4, 2025
after finishing this sweet audiobook, all I want is strawberry bubblegum at 2007 prices and my best childhood toy tiger Shakey ❤️
Profile Image for Jen.
6 reviews3 followers
September 6, 2014
a great little story about the destruction of the forest, the home of the 'bubblegummies'.

A quick read, however some of the ways in which the language is used is more complex than the length of the book may suggest. A good book for Lower high school children with a lower reading age or need for a shorter story. Some of the story is a bit scary for younger children, but there is a happy ending.

The country that it is set in is never disclosed so you can assume it is where you are. The characters then travel to India.
Displaying 1 - 16 of 16 reviews

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