The Gargoyle - Zana Fraillon

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Résumé :
He's old, this gargoyle. Very old. Older than me. Older than anyone. He looks tired. If I had a seat, I would give it to him.

He shuffles past me and stands near the door and watches the city smushing past.

I think I hear him sigh. An echoey, achy, hollow sort of sigh, like the wind when it gusts down lanes and through tunnels and in and out of the big drains that stretch under the city.

This is the moving story of an old gargoyle, forced off his rooftop to make way for a new development in a barren cityscape, and the child who encounters him on an overcrowded train. When the gargoyle is ordered off the train, he leaves his suitcase behind. The child opens the case and unleashes the gargoyle's many memories of the city and its inhabitants. When the case crumbles, leaving nothing but a small seed, the child decides to find a place to bring the gargoyle, and the soul of the city, back.

An unforgettable story about conservation, ageing and legacies which will leave a forever imprint on your heart.

Praise for The Gargoyle:

'A sympathetically written and beautifully poignant story' Schooldaysmagazine.com

'Leaves a lasting impression of hope and kindness for our world and all its beings . . . Lyrically sensational . . . striking artwork . . . An exquisite legacy' Books+Publishing

'This is a heartfelt tale with lots of interesting ideas to unpack and at its core a simple plea for kindness and compassion' ReadPlus

'The Gargoyle is a picture book that deserves a place on every child's bookshelf. It is a book that will spark imagination and curiosity, as well as empathy and compassion' Better Reading

'A touching story about conservation, ageing, kindness and legacy' Readings, Best Picture Books of 2023

'An intriguing, moving story about the transformative powers of empathy' The Age...

Biographie:
Zana Fraillon (she/they) is an internationally acclaimed, multi-award-winning author of books for children and young adults.

Zana's books have won the Amnesty CILIP Honour Award, the ABIA Book of the Year for Older Children, the Readings YA Prize, NSW Premier's Literary Awards and the CBCA Honour Book Award. The Bone Sparrow was chosen as the biennial book to represent Australia for the International Board on Books for Young People.

Zana was born and lives in Naarm (Melbourne), but spent her early childhood in San Francisco. She has degrees in history and teaching and is undertaking a PhD in Creative Writing at La Trobe University....

Sommaire:
Zana Fraillon was born in Naarm (Melbourne) Australia but spent her early childhood in San Francisco. As a child Zana always had her head in a book. This could have been because she was 8 years-old before anyone realized that she was incredibly near-sighted and probably couldn't see anything further away than the words in a book. But regardless of its origins, her love of reading has remained central to her life and work. 'I grew up in a house that had a whole room full of books and comfy chairs and this was my favourite place to be.'
Zana studied history at university before training to be a primary school teacher and both these passions influence her approach to writing. Through meticulous research she has also discovered that it is essential to eat copious amounts of chocolate in order to write anything at all.

Zana has written two picture books for young children, a series for middle readers and a fictitious book for older readers based on research and recounts of survivors of the Forgotten Generation.

She lives in Naarm with her three children, partner and two dogs and still always has her head in a book, despite now using glasses to see anything further away. When Zana isn't reading or writing, she likes to explore the museums and hidden passageways scattered across Naarm. They provide the same excitement as that moment before opening a new book - preparing to step into the unknown where a whole world of possibilities awaits....