Gus Loved His Happy Home

Rating:
Summary: Great Fun! Charming & Sweet!
Review: Gus is a very friendly ghost. He lives in an attic apartment of the Historical Museum. His attic-mates are a cat called Cora, and a mouse, aptly named, well, "Mouse". Cora is refered to by the author as "a very nice person", although she is obviously feline through and through. The reference to her being a 'person' is quite endearing, and not the lest bit odd. Mouse is rather cranky, but he knows his place, as anyone who has read "GUS WAS A FRIENDLY GHOST" would certainly know. Mr. Frizzle runs the museum, and he allows Gus to board there as long as he helps tidy the place and keep burglars away. Mr. Frizzle is a bit cantankerous, but deep down you know he has a good heart, as evidenced in "GUS AND THE BABY GHOST". Gus is generous, patient, funloving, charming and a hard worker as well as a dear friend. He has a positive outlook and loves to try new things. This story begins when Frizzle leaves the museum in Autumn, for vacation, and returns in the Spring. During his absence, Gus is in charge and learns some new things. He tries his hand at various hobbies and passes the time exploring new interests. Sometimes he has a mishap and needs a ghostly bandage on his ghostly finger or toe. The story ends with Gus learning to fly like a kite, (the season is Spring now) and then spotting Frizzle on his way home from his vacation in a jet plane. Gus makes a mad dash home through the clouds, goes into a cleaning frenzy, and barely finishes as Frizzle walks in.

As always, the story ends happily and everybody is satisfied. I love Gus, his gorgeous sheets, his bang clank equipment, and his zest for life! Well, his ghostly life, anyway! I remember fondly the Gus books, mostly looking at the pictures in the waiting room of my pediatrician's office, when I was 7 and had the jitters as any child waiting to see a doctor does. The books were a happy distraction for me, and for others I know. Now I'm 32 and love reading Gus to my own 5 children. It was so nice to see another Gus book in print recently. We never grow tired of reading these happy adventures. Enjoy~!