ALA Booklist (Mon May 08 00:00:00 CDT 2023)

Little Cap, a young red-capped mushroom in glasses and denim overalls, lives a safe and cozy life at home with his parents and pet slug BFF, Gustav. The world outside their gate is intimidating for a shy fellow like Little Cap, but one day he discovers that very gate is open, and Gustav is gone. Tamping down his many anxieties (surprises! chaos! suspect individuals!), Little Cap sets off to find his errant pal. Zuill's ink illustrations, colored in Photoshop, are full of quirky charm and humor as Little Cap determinedly questions his neighbors and critters further afield (via speech-bubble dialogue), while his concern for Gustav's well-being spurs him on past intimidating obstacles. When Little Cap finally finds Gustav (napping on a rock), the pair returns to their house, happy to be home but a little braver than when they left. Zuill's gentle adventure highlights how monumental stepping outside of one's comfort zone is and how doing so can come with unforeseen rewards. A bolstering SEL pick with a light touch.

Horn Book (Thu Sep 07 00:00:00 CDT 2023)

Little Cap is a small, bespectacled, mushroom-like creature who lives with his best friend, Gustav, a rather perky-looking slug. Their house is the essence of cozy -- braided rug, teapot, cuckoo clock, and all. The visual pleasure here lies in the details. One day Gustav goes missing, and Little Cap has to conquer his shyness, his general anxiety, and his reluctance to leave home to begin to search for his pal. The slime trail only takes him so far, and Little Cap encounters setbacks and obstacles on his odyssey. As he journeys, he gradually finds his voice until he finally bursts out with "WHERE IS GUSTAV? WHERE ARE ALL THE SLUGS?!" At this turning point a cornucopia of slugs appears, rainbow-colored and helpful. Gustav is found; everyone gets home safely to cozy beds, baths, and board games. Little Cap has discovered new confidence and a new pleasure in the joys of the open road. Such a story of widening horizons is not new, but the slug element makes it fresh, and Zuill keeps her tongue firmly out of her cheek as she treats her characters, and thus her readers, with dignity and respect. Sarah Ellis

Kirkus Reviews

What wouldn't you do for your bestie?Little Cap, a small mushroom with a spotted red cap and oversized round spectacles, lives a cozy life with Gustav, his slug BFF. One day, Gustav goes missing when the gate around their house is somehow left open. Distraught-and very timid-Little Cap resolves to do whatever it takes to find him. Worrying about Gustav's fate, he ventures out and musters the courage to talk to neighbors, and his fears hasten him over rough terrain and unfamiliar landscapes. Finally, he locates Gustav among a colorful assemblage of slugs. After their joyful reunion, they return home and resume former activities. Not so fast, though: Little Cap has changed. He's grown in life experience, courage, self-confidence, and sociability. He now loves recounting stories of his exploits to neighbors and realizes he wants to have new ones with Gustav. This very sweet, quietly told story will help children understand it's OK to make small forays out of one's comfort zone to make new discoveries-especially about oneself-and that it's most rewarding to have adventures with a friend. The rich, warm, ink-drawn, digitally colored illustrations wonderfully capture the protagonists' textured natural surroundings. Readers can seek out Gustav in the endpapers. (This book was reviewed digitally.)A delightful, sharply observed tale about friendship and taking those first tentative steps toward independence. (Picture book. 4-7)