REVIEW: Gus Was a Mexican Ghost

Gus Was a Mexican Ghost
Author: Jane Thayer

Every child has a favorite book. A book that always got picked first during bedtime reading. A book that stays on the shelf even when its owner grows up. A book that gets purchased for children, grandchildren, other people's children because it's just a lovely book.  There are three such books** from my childhood that I remember and ALWAYS keep a copy on hand.  The book always at the very tippy top of the list is Gus the Friendly Ghost by Jane Thayer.

Imagine my shock today when I discovered that Gus was actually a SERIES of books!! After his appearance and designation as friendly....he went on to star in 7 more books! I'm nearly 50 years old...but the thought of more adventures with Gus and the lovely illustrations by Seymour Fleishman had me smiling like I was 5 years old again! I had no idea that Thayer wrote several additional Gus books up until the final one (Gus Loved His Happy Home) in 1989.

I immediately went on a mission to read each and every Gus book! The first one I could find is actually the 5th book in the series. Gus Was a Mexican Ghost! Gus lives in a historical museum with a cat, a mouse, a baby ghost, and a cantankerous human named Mr. Frizzle. Mr. Frizzle yells a lot. The museum is closed every winter. One particular winter, Mr. Frizzle leaves to go to Mexico during the off season. Gus misses Mr. Frizzle while he is gone. A postcard arrives from sunny Mexico that says "Wish you were here.''  Gus decides Mr. Frizzle wants to come home, so he decides to go to Mexico and fetch him. What adventures can a cat, a baby ghost and Gus get into in Mexico?
And can they find Mr. Frizzle?

This is an absolutely lovely children's book! The story is cute and the illustrations are colorful! Mr Frizzle's face turns red when he yells....hilarious! :) This book keeps all the charm I love about Gus is a Friendly Ghost. Mouse became his friend in that book....and is in this story, too. I can't wait to read the rest of the series and learn more about Cora the Cat, the baby ghost and Mr. Frizzle.

(For anyone who wants to know the other two children's books that always have a place on my shelf....they are:  The Laughing Dragon by Kenneth Mahood and Frog & Toad Together by Arnold Lobel)