Gustavo, the Shy Ghost (The World of Gustavo)

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When I started making the book, I didn’t notice how much I had in common with Gustavo, but the more I got to understand him, I realised that telling this story was important for me because I wanted to show that being shy doesn’t mean that you don’t enjoy the company of people – or in this case, monsters! – It just means that you find it difficult to reach to others, especially for the first time. Flavia: Learning how to use colour has been a slow process, I remember that on my first illustrations I tended to use all the colours of the rainbow and all the textures at the same time – what a nightmare! As I slowly learned, I realised that you can do wonders with a limited palette because it gives coherence to the illustrations, creates atmospheres, catches the eye, and also, colour conveys meaning, so it’s one of the most valuable tools to master. Flavia: The idea for the book came after a tweet I wrote in 2016, where I said that the reason for ghosts to wear sheets was that they are very shy. I had a little laugh and thought that it could be fun to write a book about a shy ghost, who in the end takes off his sheet and reveals his true self to others. I know that this is not how the story ends – at some point I even considered that Gustavo could be a real boy disguised as a ghost – but as the plot evolved the sheet joke became irrelevant as Gustavo was already showing his true self. This winning debut picture book from Mexican artist Flavia Z. Drago about finding the courage to make friends is perfect for the spooky season — or anytime.

Some of the things that happened to Gustavo were based on some of my own experiences. When I was in kindergarten – just like Gustavo – I sat by myself during lunch breaks, watching children play while being amazed by the fact that they seemed to be completely happy to talk and play with each other. I also remember being very nervous about having to ask for stuff in a shop, or raise my hand in class, or phoning, but even if I have gotten better, big parties still make me nervous. Shy ghost Gustavo loves doing ghostly things like passing through walls and making things fly. He also loves playing the violin. However, poor Gustavo is terribly shy. He struggles to make friends with the other monsters. Although he tries his best to get close to them, they never see him. One day, he musters up the courage and invites them to a violin concert at the Day of the Dead party. Will Gustavo finally be able to show the other little monsters who he really is?Meet Gustavo, he is a very spooky ghost with a lot of ghostly talents, but he has one big problem… he is very very very shy. In this book we see that he does try, but little dude, they are just not going to see you if you aren’t yourself (being a balloon or a lamp is just not something that stands out). I was cheering for him to step up, to be brave, to do something, because it seems that he has some very interesting classmates that may just be the friends he wants. I was so delighted to see him devise a plan that would make him stand out. I won’t tell you what his plan is, but I can tell you this, it was a great plan. It combines something he loves with something he is good at. I have to say when the plan was set in motion that I was a bit saddened… this couldn’t be how it ended, right?? And thankfully it didn’t and instead I just had a big grin on my face.

Amé las ilustraciones, no solo los dibujos sino también los patrones, las texturas y las referencias mexicanas. ¡Ojalá pronto pueda leer más sobre Gustavo! This is a debut novel from Drago, a Mexican author and illustrator, and she deftly weaves in cultural references. The illustrations are bright and detailed. Gentle storytelling and vibrant mixed-media illustrations make for an enjoyable seasonal story.

Mat: With this in mind, another thing that I adored about the book was the celebration of the Day of the Dead. Throughout the whole story, there was an authentic sense of someone knowing and celebrating Mexican culture and the vernacular. Can you tell us a little bit about this? Flavia: This is exactly what happened! at some point during the process, I decided that Gustavo was going to be a ghost, which made me very happy because that meant that he could shapeshift into objects, something that could be visually playful; but also, it meant that I could create a world where Mexican calacas (skeletons) and monsters could happily live together, which meant that I could introduce children to Mexican, and horror cinema culture at the same time!

It hits such an important skill..making friends! So many times, our students and kids at home don’t know HOW to make friends. We spend a lot of time talking about being a good friend, but many students need direct instruction on how to introduce themselves, and how to make connections with those around them. Mexican artist Drago's picture book debut offers a gentle friendship tale and folk-art-style, textural mixed-media pictures. Mexican-born author/illustrator Drago sweetly captures the angst-y little ghost's perpetual perturbation...Iconic images of Mexican culture cleverly pepper the scenery. With the papel picado banners, panes de muerto, and Catrinas, Drago provides a festive environment for Gustavo's laments. Decorated skulls peek out from around every corner; even the family goldfish is a smiling skeleton. This ghostly tale proves that anyone can have a happily-ever-after. Have you read Gustavo the Shy Ghost yet? This is SUCH a sweet book by Flavia Z. Drago. Gustavo is a shy ghost who tries so hard to make friends and get the other monsters to notice him. He does all type of silly things to get them to “see” him, but nothing works. He finally decides to have a violin concert, and sends out invitations to the other monsters. Gustavo “glows” when he plays the violin, and he keeps playing even though he thinks no one is coming to his show. Eventually, the other monsters show up and explained they were late because they got lost. Gustavo’s light helped them find the concert, and he finally has a group of friends to spend his time with. The book ends by sharing all the special ways Gustavo helps and supports his friends. Gustavo the Shy Ghost, by Flavia Z. Drago, is one of the five books on the shortlist for the 2021 Klaus Flugge Prize.This lonely ghost desperately wants to make a friend but he’s too shy to talk to them. Even when he’s near the other monsters, no one sees him. Gustavo is a sympathetic protagonist, and the illustrations are filled with appealing monsters and witty details. Gustavo is good at doing all sorts of ghostly things: walking through walls, making objects fly, and glowing in the dark. And he loves almost nothing more than playing beautiful music on his violin. But Gustavo is shy, and some things are harder for him to do, like getting in a line to buy eye scream or making friends with other monsters. Whenever he tries getting close to them, he realizes they just can't see him. Now that the Day of the Dead is fast approaching, what can he do to make them notice him and to share with them something he loves? With fancifully detailed artwork and visual humor, debut picture-book creator Flavia Z. Drago's vivid illustrations tell a sweet and gently offbeat story of loneliness, bravery, and friendship that is sure to be a treat for little ghouls and goblins everywhere. You might be expecting a children’s book featuring ghosts and monsters to be scary, but it certainly isn’t. Gustavo is exceptionally cute. He loves being helpful, he’s kind, and he adores playing the violin. The monsters in the book do normal things like playing together, eating ‘ice-scream’, and walking their pets.