Gustav Is Missing!: A Tale of Friendship and Bravery (Hardcover)
May/June 2023 Kids Indie Next List
“Little Cap overcomes his fears when he has to go and find his best friend Gustav. Zuill’s last book Sweety captured our imaginations because it was quirky and cute. Little Cap will make readers smile as they explore his world.”
— Margaret Neville, The King's English Bookshop, Salt Lake City, UT
Staff Reviews
A tale of friendship and bravery indeed! Andrea Zuill touches my heartstrings once again with this sweet, adorably illustrated picture book about a super cute mushroom and his best friend: Gustav the slug. When Gustav gets out of their safe, cozy home, our heroic mushroom main character puts himself out of his comfort zone to find his beloved invertebrate and finds the beauty of adventure along the way.
— Tori, Wild Rumpus
A tale of friendship and bravery indeed! Andrea Zuill touches my heartstrings once again with this sweet, adorably illustrated picture book about a super cute mushroom and his best friend: Gustav the slug. When Gustav gets out of their safe, cozy home, our heroic mushroom main character puts himself out of his comfort zone to find his beloved invertebrate and finds the beauty of adventure along the way.
Tori
— From Staff Picks: Picture Books
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.
“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