God Bless the Gargoyles by Dav Pilkey (author/illustrator). New York: Voyager Books, 1999. ISBN: 978-0152021047

In this rhyming fable about gargoyles and the angels which redeem them, the author conveys the message that all creatures have a purpose, even if they are sometimes misunderstood.

Media: acrylics, watercolors, India ink

Rating: 4Q/3P

Literary device utilized: repetition

Example:

“god bless the rain, and the stormclouds that bring it.

god bless the music, and the voices that sing it.

god bless the ones who sing everything wrong.

god bless all creatures who do not belong.”

Challenge potential:

This book has the potential to be challenged because of its depiction of angels and gargoyles coexisting harmoniously.  The images of gargoyles and angels flying hand in hand could potentially be offensive because of the fact that the gargoyles are quite “demonic” in appearance.  I would argue in favor of keeping this book in a library collection because the story expresses positive moral messages about acceptance and understanding, and about learning to appreciate that which we may not understand.

About the illustrations:

For me, Dav Pilkey’s gorgeous illustrations are the highlight of this book.  Each painting is spread out across two pages, and filled with deep, rich colors and contrasts of light.  The skies are rendered cubist style, in Picasso-esque, argyle-shaped patterns.  The frequent placement of complementary colors side-by-side make the scenes jump off the page.  One of my favorite illustrations in the book is Pilkey’s reference to American artist Edward Hopper’s famous painting “Nighthawks” (1942).  In Pilkey’s version, there is an angel sitting next to the lone man in the diner, and outside there are angels comforting others, including an old man walking with a cane, an old woman pushing a shopping cart, and so on.      

submitted July 2009 by Josh Mitchell  

God bless the gargoyles by Dav Pilkey. San Diego: Harcourt Brace & Company, 1996.

            ISBN: 0152002480

            Annotation: it is a tale about gargoyles and the angels that understand them as well as all the creatures that are rejected and unloved. It has rhymes through out the story.

            Media: acrylics, watercolors, and India ink

            Rating: 5Q/4P

          Literary device: rhyme

Armando Rivera 7-05-09