Gustav Is Missing! - by Andrea Zuill (Hardcover)

About the Book

Little Cap, a shy mushroom, sets off into the scary world to find his best friend, slug Gustav.

Book Synopsis

From the author of Sweety comes a heartwarming story of friendship and bravery, featuring a little mushroom who sets off into the scary world to find his missing pet slug.

Oh, no! When mushroom boy Little Cap's pet slug, Gustav, goes missing, Little Cap is beside himself. How can he summon the courage to leave his cozy home to find him? But summon he does. There are many suspicious characters just outside his door and--gasp!--he has to talk to his neighbors, but Little Cap can't be stopped.

After much perilous searching--up sheer cliffs and into deep canyons and even stepping in something really, really gross--Little Cap finally finds his very best friend, and he's changed for the better along the way. Here is a story that celebrates friendship, perseverance, and bravery, told with Andrea Zuill's signature heart and humor.

Review Quotes

"Elegant, digitally colored ink illustrations from Zuill (Donut) provide plenty of quirky details while remaining deeply sympathetic to the story's offbeat protagonist, which makes his newfound, internally identified confidence endearing and inspiring." --Publishers Weekly

"A delightful, sharply observed tale about friendship and taking those first tentative steps toward independence." --Kirkus Reviews

"Read this picture book to kids not ready to take on The Hobbit just yet." --The Bulletin

"Zuill's gentle adventure highlights how monumental stepping outside of one's comfort zone is and how doing so can come with unforeseen rewards." --Booklist

About the Author

ANDREA ZUILL is the author-illustrator of Regina Is NOT a Little Dinosaur, an Indie Next List selection; Sweety, a Booklist Best Book of the Year; and Wolf Camp, a Children's Choice Award finalist. She is also the creator of Business Pig, Dance Is for Everyone, and Marigold & Daisy. Andrea is the illustrator of Cat Dog Dog by Nelly Buchet, an American Library Association Notable Book, which was called "a clever, winning read-aloud for modern families" in a starred review from Kirkus Reviews. Her work has been exhibited in galleries in California, Texas, and New York.