Finding Ourselves in the Stories We Read and Write:
A Halloween Edition
“I have to be brave. I have to let the others see me!” – Gustavo the Shy Ghost, by Flavia Z. Drag
Halloween is not my holiday. I don’t like creepy or crawly or ghosts or masks. I am already scared enough in life without needing to see limbs scattered on my neighbor’s lawn. Out in front of my house right now are four moderately sized pumpkins—my concession to societal demands for holiday décor.
But this year I have started to see the holiday through new eyes—two-year-old eyes. And that open-mindedness led me to GUSTAVO THE SHY GHOST and through him, a reminder of the still, quiet dawn that comes over us when we find ourselves in a story.
Given my feelings about this time of year, it’s only fitting that my two-year-old daughter has an unbridled love of all things Halloween. She reads Halloween books throughout the year. She decided on her costume (a ghost) and ours (skeletons) months ago, and her enthusiasm has never wavered. For the last month, she has worn ghost bows and ghost necklaces and ghost pajamas and a ghost bag with her name on it (none purchased by me) on an almost daily basis. She loves a full moon. Her current favorite activity is going on walks to look for skeletons and ghosts and spider webs adorning other people’s houses. Seeing Halloween through her eyes is a joy.
Sparked by that unexpected joy and the recommendation of a good friend, I purchased my first ever Halloween-themed kids book a month ago. This book, GUSTAVO THE SHY GHOST by Flavia Z. Drago, tells the story of a ghost who finds making friends terrifying. He tries to get close to others, but they never see him (being a ghost doesn’t help). Then, on my favorite page, he sits alone on a teeter-totter in the red setting sun and decides he has to be brave. He has to let others see him.
In a book with a decidedly Halloween color scheme and dismembered skeleton heads on the floor of nearly every page, I found a story that spoke to my experience as a kid—and, my experience as an adult. It speaks to my daughter too. She lingers over the pages. And now when we prepare to see new people, we can talk about Gustavo being scared and being brave.
One of the reasons we read stories is to find ourselves in them. To feel less alone. This is one of the main reasons I write stories too. Gustavo reminded me of that simple purpose and simple pleasure.
He also reminded me not to judge a story by the skeleton on its cover.