Gustav Gloom and the People Taker #1 - Hardcover

Castro, Adam-Troy

Hardcover

ISBN 10: 0448458330 ISBN 13: 9780448458335

Publisher: Grosset & Dunlap, 2012

Synopsis

Enter an exciting new world of shadows from Hugo Award nominee Adam-Troy Castro. Meet Gustav Gloom.

Fernie What finds herself lost in the Gloom mansion after her cat appears to have been chased there by its own shadow. Fernie discovers a library full of every book that was never written, a gallery of statues that are just plain awkward, and finds herself at dinner watching her own shadow take part in the feast!

Along the way Fernie is chased by the People Taker who is determined to take her to the Shadow Country. It's up to Fernie and Gustav to stop the People Taker before he takes Fernie's family.

Featuring a unique cover and beautifully dark full-page illustrations by Kristen Margiotta, Gustav Gloom is sure to be a hit with fans who love a little darkness in their lives.

About this title

About the Author:

Adam-Troy Castro lives in Miami, Florida.

Kristen Margiotta lives in Newark, Delaware.

From School Library Journal:

Gr 4-6-Here's a great read for fans of dark tales with happy endings, not to mention wonderful graphite illustrations. Ten-year-old Fernie and her 12-year-old sister, Pearlie, have just moved into their brightly painted house on Sunnyside Terrace amid all the other cheery homes, save for the black mansion directly across the street. This is Gustav Gloom's house. Gustav is a soulful looking 10-year-old with an unusual secret: he is neither human nor shadow and cannot leave the confines of his dark, mysterious house. The People Taker and his Beast and a library in Gustav's house figure significantly in the story. In a clever twist on the perplexing question of self (and possibly inspired by the saying "Afraid of his own shadow"), Castro explores how we are defined by our physical bodies, imbuing shadows with personalities and wills of their own. Fernie is a stereotype-bending heroine who gives readers something to consider when defining gender roles. And finally, the eternal theme of friendship is beautifully explored in the relationship that develops between Fernie and Gustav. Castro's well-paced story keeps readers engaged in these relationships and in the mystery that unfolds. This is a satisfying introduction for middle grade readers into the scary and dark themes that resonate so well with teens. Fans of Adam Gidwitz's A Tale Dark & Grimm (Dutton, 2010) can add this to their list of creepy tales.-Mary Beth Rassulo, Ridgefield Library, CTα(c) Copyright 2011. Library Journals LLC, a wholly owned subsidiary of Media Source, Inc. No redistribution permitted.

About this edition

• Publisher: Grosset & Dunlap
• Publication date: 2012
• ISBN 10: 0448458330
• ISBN 13: 9780448458335
• Binding: Hardcover
• Edition number: 1
• Number of pages: 232
• Illustrator: Margiotta Kristen