Posted by Gustavo, The Shy Ghost by Flavia Z. Drago (2020)
Summary: Gustavo is a super shy ghost who wants to make friends. Despite being scared of being seen, he invites the other monsters to his violin concert where he is center stage!
What I Enjoyed
- Big Feelings: Gustavo may be a quiet character but he has a lot of feelings. Flavia writes and illustrates his feelings in an authentic way so that even the youngest readers can understand and find relatable.
- Big World: Gustavo’s spooky world is full of characters and details that invite plenty of rereads. My youngest was especially excited by Gustavo’s photos on the endpapers.
- Big Surprises: There were a lot of surprises in Gustavo’s story. Some were unexpected lines like when we first meet Alma and unexpected illustrations like the art studio scene.
Mentor Text Moments
- For Writers: If you are looking for a book with varied emotional pacing, Gustavo has plenty of highs and lows. This book is another example of a non-traditional narrative structure. I love those because if it were that way, the readers would be able to anticipate the end. Instead, the story unfolds in a surprising way that still manages to give Gustavo what he wants and what he really needs.
- For Illustrators: Flavia’s character designs are magical. Gustavo is simple, but made interesting with textures and big expressive eyes. She uses his fluid shape in interesting ways like when trying to get attention of new friends. She also plays with the idea of him blending into the background. But even though he is a ghost, his bright white color shines when needed, especially in comparison with the muted palettes or dark backgrounds.
- For Illustrators: Flavia draws inspiration from her life in Mexico throughout the book. Even the dust jacket is inspired by papel picado banners used as decorations. As a BIPOC creator too, it’s encouraging to see stories like these that are steeped in Latinx culture without having to be about Latinx culture.