Written and Illustrated by Flavia Z. Drago
Gustavo is a ghost who loves doing all the normal ghost things – glowing in the dark, making objects fly, and passing through walls. Unlike other ghosts, though, Gustavo loves to play the violin. But he also has a big problem – he is very, very shy. This makes it hard for Gustavo to make any friends. He longs to hang out with the other monsters in his town, especially with the Day of the Dead feast coming up. With help from his violin, Gustavo comes up with a plan to finally make friends. But will it work? As the plan unfolds, it looks like things aren’t turning out like Gustavo thought they would. But that doesn’t stop him from enjoying his violin music. And that leads to a happy ending anyway!
I love the striking, colorful cover on this book, along with all the illustrations from author Flavia Drago. This book would support many content areas, like Latinx culture, Day of the Dead /Halloween collections, and also friendship and fitting in. Although there are skulls and ghosts throughout, the book has a very friendly, celebratory vibe, perfect for elementary schools. I’m looking forward to displaying this book every October.
Reviewed by Andrea LeBaron, Media Clerk, Upland Terrace Elementary
Rating: ★★★★★ (5 stars)
Interest Level: Grades K-5
Author/Illustrator Website: https://www.flaviazdrago.com/
Gustavo, the Shy Ghost
Written and Illustrated by Flavia Z. Drago
Candlewick Press
40 pages
Release Date: July 14, 2020
ISBN: 9781536211146
A review copy was provided by the publisher.
