A fantastic journey in a magic umbrella to find the obscure ingredients of a fabled gloom cake! Jack is nine and he definitely has a gloomy side! On the surface, he seems to have a lot to be happy about. He has many friends, he is good at football, he has a fast bike and he doesn’t have too much trouble with his school work. His parents are successful professionals... Jack has lots of possessions, but his parents work so very hard and have little time to spare for him. Perhaps this is a clue to Jack’s gloominess. One boring afternoon, something strange happens to Jack. Something that is destined to change his life forever. On the last day before the holiday, Jack (taught to avoid strangers) can't overlook the sadness of an oddly dressed older man - Mr. Red. Mr. Red needs a ‘gloom cake’ to get back home to his star, far out in the universe. A gloom cake is potent and powerful and will grant a wish of anyone who eats it. But a gloom cake has weird, wonderful and very rare ingredients. What is a Giggle Cherry? Ever heard of monkeybread nuts? Or wonder apples? Read more to discover the adventures which befall Jack and Mr. Red on their quest to find the obscure ingredients of the fabled gloom cake. Will they be able to prepare the strange cake? And is Mr. Red able to return back home?