Anthony lovingly says good night to his pet rock at bedtime, only to find the next morning that it has cracked open like an egg and there is now a baby gargoyle in his room. They become friends, and when Anthony's parents receive word that his grandmother has fallen ill, Anthony brings the gargoyle to visit her in Paris, where they are able to joyfully reunite it with its heartsick gargoyle parent. Wordless picture books appeal very specifically to readers who want to immerse themselves into the experience and journey of a book, and this tale travels exquisitely past the Gare du Nord, Sacré-Cœur Basilica, Pont Neuf, and Eiffel Tower. The use of panels to guide the eye into extreme close-ups and further understanding of the story is extremely well executed. Beautiful, soft gouache paintings set a sweet tone, and the gargoyle has the rosy-cheeked appeal of a Disney woodland creature. Notibly, Kastelic's previous work restoring frescoes is evident in his meticulously detailed images of the Notre Dame Cathedral in its grey grandeur.

A boy and his gargoyle companion show the importance of family in this sweet, wordless picture book.Opening with an image of a picture-covered wall depicting a White family's history-elderly relatives, wedding pictures, and cuddly baby pictures of our protagonist holding a large gray egg in his lap-the book then depicts the titular Anthony going to bed with the egg on his bedside table, then waking up to it having hatched. Hiding in the closet is an adorable, apparently shy baby gargoyle with large, floppy ears and a tiny horn. The pair play with toys, mark heights on the wall, read books about Notre Dame de Paris and Victor Hugo, until a letter arrives bearing news that Anthony's grandmother is in the hospital. The family takes the train to Paris, with the little gargoyle stowed away in Anthony's backpack, peeking out to take in the sights. After a heartwarming visit with Grand-mère, who is introduced to the unnamed gargoyle, the family goes to Notre Dame, where the gargoyle reunites with its worried parent, a full-sized, single-horned figure peering anxiously down onto the city until its offspring's presence awakes it from its stony state. The book closes with another close-up of the picture wall, this time with a photo of Anthony and the gargoyle family. Kastelic's muted watercolor panels, reminiscent of the work of Carson Ellis, paint a full picture of these two loving families and the venerated French capital. (This book was reviewed digitally.)No one could have a heart of stone reading this one. (Picture book. 4-8)