Gwei the Hungry Ghost
Hardcover – Picture Book, January 13, 2026
Penguin Young Readers Group · Hardcover · January 13, 2026
A picture book about a lonely ghost who learns to share and is finally fulfilled through friendship.
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- Who it’s for
- Picture-book readers interested in Chinese folklore and mythology
- Themes
- Loneliness and friendship, Sharing, Finding fulfillment through friendship
- Genres
- Asian Myths & Legends, Ghost Stories, Cooking & Food
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Start with this bookAbout this book
A picture book about a lonely ghost who learns to share and is finally fulfilled through friendship. Gwei the ghost is absolutely famished, but unlike the other ghosts in the cemetery, he won’t eat just anything. Luckily, it’s Ghost Festival month: the one time a year when ghosts roam the realm of the living. Gwei flutters around the city eating steaming bowls of noodles, hot, hot, HOT chestnuts, and crispy fried fish with chili oil.
Continue reading
Yet no matter how much Gwei eats, his hunger won’t go away. As he searches for the perfect meal, he catches someone following him. It's another hungry little ghost! When he hears her grumbling belly, he reluctantly reaches into his pouch to share. To his surprise, he finally starts to feel full. With charming Chinese folklore–inspired text by Emeline Lee and warm, glowing illustrations by Basia Tran, Gwei the Hungry Ghost is a story about how friendship feeds the soul. Features illustrated backmatter with more information on the real Hungry Ghost Festival and more spirits of Chinese mythology!
Where it sits
| Ghost Stories | 75% |
|---|---|
| Asian Myths & Legends | 48% |
| Cooking & Food | 22% |
Percentages are BookFrontier’s reading of the book.
Publisher categories
- Asian Myths & Legends
- Stories Set in Asia
- Cooking & Food
- Authors
- Emeline Lee
- Publisher
- Penguin Young Readers Group
- Published
- January 13, 2026
- Format
- Hardcover
- Theme
- Loneliness and friendship · Sharing · Finding fulfillment through friendship
- Reading lane
- Asian Myths & Legends