Gwei the Hungry Ghost

PreS-Gr 3–Lee celebrates her Chinese heritage in this sweet picture book about how friendship feeds the soul. Gwei is a hungry ghost, but no matter how much he eats, he is never full. One year while stuffing his face at the annual Ghost Festival, he meets another hungry ghost who needs help finding food. As he steps away from his own hunger to aid his new friend, he begins to feel full for the first time. Four pages of background info about the Hungry Ghost Festival, various ghost types in Chinese folklore, and a glossary of Chinese terms follow the story, adding depth to the tale and opening up this world of belief and tradition. The text is simple and effective; illustrations, done in digital watercolor and graphite, are inviting and immersive. Tran makes excellent use of light, showing contrast between the night sky, the lights of the festival, and the glowing, transparent ghosts.