Philippa Dowding is a wonderful writer whose imagination has given life to several gargoyle characters in her "Lost Gargoyle Series," now three books strong. In the first book, "The Gargoyle in my Yard," we meet twelve-year-old Katherine Newberry as she discovers the 400-year-old Gargoth who is lost, living in her backyard, and needing her help to find his friend, Ambergine. The story includes fascinating gargoyle facts, a flashback to 400 years ago (which will be enlarged on in books two and three), and an explanation re the origin of the word "gargoyle." The word comes "from the French 'gargouille' which means 'to gargle' — it's the sound you'll hear when water spouts through a gargoyle's mouth." Fun fact.
In "The Gargoyle Overhead" (this book was a 2012 Silver Birch Express finalist) the search continues as Gargoth spurs Katherine on to help him find his greatest friend, Ambergine, before Gargoth's greatest enemy, the Collector, can swoop down and make the gargoyles his own.
"The Gargoyle at the Gates" is the third in the series, published in 2012. This story really took off for me. The writing is imaginative, poetic, exciting, and layered. We have a new character, young Christopher, who has moved to Toronto and has no friends. He befriends Gargoth, and when The Collector succeeds in stealing Ambergine, it is up to Christopher, his new friend Katherine, and Gargoth to rescue her. In the process, Christopher makes a home for himself, and the interesting history of the 400-year-old gargoyles comes to light.
Anyone who loves a well-written fantasy with unique characters will enjoy this trilogy. You will never pass a gargoyle again (and they are everywhere!) without wondering what they're up to when your back is turned!
