AustLit

'The poignant story of an old gargoyle, forced off his rooftop to make way for a new urban development in a barren cityscape, and the child who encounters him on an overcrowded train, from one of Australia's most critically acclaimed writers for children.

'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.

'A unforgettable story about conservation, ageing and legacies which will leave a forever imprint on your heart.' (Publication summary)