GWEI THE HUNGRY GHOST

A gluttonous ghost seeking satiety finds a friend.

An enormous appetite haunts Gwei, a blue ghost. He eschews cemetery visitors’ pedestrian offerings—a pile of oranges disappoints; a bowl of rice is beneath him. When the Ghost Festival arrives, he floats into the human world to fill his spectral belly with earthly delights—whole fish, hand-pulled noodles, custard tarts. But no matter how much he consumes or hoards in his takeaway pouch, he still feels empty. When a small orange ghost starts tailing him, begging for a bite, he hesitates. But ultimately he acquiesces and allows the newcomer to share his bounty; in doing so, he’s finally able to feel satisfied by his feasting. The story simply expresses the ideas that pleasures are best enjoyed in company and that giving can be a gift to the giver. Paired with this message are sumptuous visuals of mouthwatering Chinese cuisine, a buzzing night market, and a river flowing with ceremonial lanterns floating souls to the afterlife. Both story and illustrations are more culturally suggestive than specific and could serve as an introduction to the autumn holiday for readers new to Chinese traditions. This book could easily be discussed in tandem with other ancestor-focused holidays like the Day of the Dead. Illustrated backmatter dives deeper into Ghost Festival celebrations and the spectral pantheon of Chinese folklore.

A feast for the senses with a sweet message of sharing.