Gustav Is Missing! A Tale of Friendship and Bravery

Shown wearing overalls and big spectacles, Little Cap is an adorably grave-looking red-capped mushroom who believes that the outside world is “chaos.” Emotionally honest vignettes show him knocked flat by cries of “SURPRISE!” and distrustful of various anthropomorphized animals and vegetables. The one place where Little Cap feels safe is the snug, cozily appointed cottage he shares with pet slug Gustav. But when Gustav nudges past the front gate and disappears, Little Cap must go forth to find him. Slowly, the protagonist gathers a critical mass of helpers, and what he perceives as a physically challenging landscape yields to a little grit and bravery. Back home with Gustav (revealed by a fellow slug as snoozing on a rock), Little Cap feels more open and connected, becoming something of a raconteur and embracing new adventures. 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. Ages 4–8. (Apr.)