I remember this book from when I was little. I can’t remember, author, title, country of origin, date published, etc. But I know it exists because recently I saw a sign for a paint store in Mexico that had the main character of the book as the logo. So of course now I’m on a mission to find it.
The book had a color scheme of only black, white and red, similar to ‘Harold and the Purple Crayon’, but red instead of purple. The main character was in the shape of a star. Could’ve been a ghost? It lived in a big lonely mansion. It discovers a paintbrush and a can of red paint. It begins painting red spirals. First on the walls, the curtains, the furniture and then on animals and trees. So it gives a deer longer spiral red horns and a bird longer spiral red feathers. It gives trees longer spiral red branches and flowers more petals. I was born in 1982 and I must’ve come across it when I was about 8-10 years old, at the time I lived in Mexico, but I believe it was in English.
I appreciate your help and hopefully this helps shed more light on the mystery.
This is by Austrian author Mira Lobe, translated into English as The Castle Ghost and also published in Spanish as El fantasma de palacio (1984).
(Original German title Das Schlossgespenst)