A boy befriends a baby gargoyle in this magical wordless story in graphic-novel style from award-winning creators Jo Ellen Bogart and Maja Kastelic.

Anthony's house is full of family photos - of his parents' trip to Paris, his great aunt, and Anthony himself as a toddler, holding his favorite rock.

When Anthony wakes up one morning, he sees that his "rock" has cracked open - it's hollow inside. He doesn't see the little face peering out from the closet. Later, he discovers the newly hatched creature and they become friends. Anthony asks his mother about the rock, and she shows him a photo album of a trip to Paris. Anthony sees that his friend resembles the gargoyles at Notre-Dame cathedral. Back in his room, he shows the photos to the baby gargoyle who looks at them with longing.

News arrives that Anthony's great aunt is in hospital. The family travel to Paris to visit, and Anthony secretly brings the baby gargoyle. When the family have a chance to climb Notre-Dame's tower, Anthony and his friend wander from one gargoyle to the next ... until the baby gargoyle sees one that looks just like him.

A bittersweet story of true friendship and letting go.

Key Text Features

comic

comic strips

Correlates to the Common Core State Standards in English Language Arts:

CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.RL.1.7
Use illustrations and details in a story to describe its characters, setting, or events.

CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.RL.2.3
Describe how characters in a story respond to major events and challenges.

About the Author
JO ELLEN BOGART was born in Houston, Texas, and received degrees in elementary education and psychology from the University of Texas at Austin. She has written many children's books, including The White Cat and the Monk, illustrated by Sydney Smith, a Governor General's Award finalist and a USBBY Outstanding International Book. Her picture book Jeremiah Learns to Read, illustrated by Laura Fernandez and Rick Jacobson won the Ruth Schwartz Children's Book Award, and Gifts, illustrated by Barbara Reid, won the Amelia Frances Howard-Gibbon Illustrator's Award and was selected for IBBY's Honour List. Jo Ellen lives in Guelph, Ontario. MAJA KASTELIC received a BA in painting from the University of Ljubljana's Academy of Fine Arts and Design and studied philosophy and theory of visual culture at the University of Primorska. She restored frescoes before becoming a children's book author and illustrator. Her wordless picture book A Boy and a House was selected for the Bologna Illustrators Exhibition, the White Ravens Catalogue, Kirkus Best Wordless Picture Books and the IBBY Honour List. She has received a BIB Plaque at the Biennial of Illustrations, Bratislava. Maja lives in Trebnje, Slovenia.

Reviews

No one could have a heart of stone reading this one.

* Kirkus Reviews *

Enjoyable and endearing.

* CM: Canadian Review of Materials *

A marvel of visual narrative that invites the eye to linger, raises questions, and allows children to find their way through interconnected layers of story.

* Children's Literature Comprehensive Database *

A beautifully illustrated tribute to a magical friendship.

* Winnipeg Free Press *


Awards
Commended for Canadian Children's Book Centre, Best Books for Kids and Teens 2022 (Canada). Nominated for Yoto Carnegie Medal for Illustration 2022 (UK).



Book Information
ISBN 9781773063447
Author Jo Ellen Bogart
Format Hardback
Page Count 48
Imprint Groundwood Books Ltd ,Canada
Publisher Groundwood Books Ltd ,Canada
Weight(grams) 544g