A Dragon on the Roof: A Children's Book Inspired by Antoni Gaudí

by Cecile Alix, Fred Sochard (Illustrator)

Overview

A brave young girl, a whimsical house, and a ticklish dragon help young readers see the world through Gaudí's eyes.

Set in Casa Batlló, one of Antoni Gaudí's most renowned buildings, this joyful story introduces young readers to the architect's work, inciting their curiosity and imagination along the way. While her nanny is sleeping, young Paloma hears a noise. She climbs the stairs of her house until she reaches the roof, where a dragon is perched. Unafraid, Paloma reaches out to pet the dragon—but he is ticklish, and as he laughs, he spews a myriad of sea animals that he had unwittingly swallowed. The house is transformed into a dreamy aquarium and the dragon settles into a deep sleep on the roof. Cécile Alix's playful story and Fred Sochard's boldly graphic illustrations are the perfect accompaniment to Gaudí's exuberant vision. As readers make their way through Paloma's home, they are introduced to its fabulous elements—columns shaped like elephant legs; marine-inspired tiles, glass, and ironwork; and of course the spectacularly undulating, iridescent roof, which resembles a sleeping dragon. The end of the book includes a brief history of Gaudí's career and provides helpful background to Paloma's story. Kids will want to linger over the pictures and imagine what their own house would be like if a dragon were living on their roof.

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9783791373911
Publisher:	Prestel Publishing
Publication date:	09/24/2019
Series:	Children's Books Inspired by Famous Artworks
Pages:	32
Product dimensions:	9.70(w) x 12.80(h) x 0.40(d)
Lexile:	630L (what's this?)
Age Range:	4 - 8 Years

About the Author

CÉCILE ALIX is a children's book author who spends her evenings reading to her three children. She also writes plays and offers theater classes for young people. She lives in Bourg-en-Bresse, in the East of France.

FRED SOCHARD's art is inspired by folk art, adventure stories, and tales from around the world. His work includes book jackets, magazine covers, and illustrations for children's series. He lives in Anjou, France.

Editorial Reviews

"A whimsical introduction to one of the most unconventional architects of the 20th century."–Kirkus Review

From the Publisher

10/01/2019

K-Gr 3—The Catalan architect Antoni Gaudí (1852–1926) is best known for the Basílica de la Sagrada Família and the homes he designed for Barcelona's elite, characterized by undulating, asymmetrical spaces; stained glass; and fanciful roofs incorporating Art Nouveau, modernist, naturalistic, and sometimes fantastical forms. The design for his stunning Casa Batlló (the setting for this oversize European import), incorporates features of a dragon, from the interior carved handrails that represent its backbone to the vibrant iridescent tiles reminiscent of scales to the reptilian body draped over the building's rooftop facade. At home with her dozing, elderly nanny, Paloma, the young protagonist of this story, leaves her chair. A storm is brewing and the girl opens a window, letting in a frenzied bat. Soon, the two encounter a frightful dragon that unleashes an explosion of water and waves into the house, echoing the many marine forms integrated into Casa Batlló's design. Chaos ensues until the sleepy creature retreats to the roof. When unaware nanny awakes, something looks different, but she isn't quite sure what. It's a story readers have heard before, but here it's the setting and architectural details of the celebrated home that drive the action and dialogue, albeit somewhat awkwardly. Full-spread, cartoon-like illustrations in warm golds, greens, and ocean blues feature stiffly articulated characters. Author and illustrator notes offer context about Gaudí and the building, but may be of more interest to adults than children. VERDICT A slight story, probably best appreciated by those who have visited the site.—Daryl Grabarek, School Library Journal

School Library Journal

2019-07-14
A quirky story of a girl and a dragon inspired by the equally quirky Casa Batlló, designed by the celebrated architect Antoni Gaudí.

As her nanny sleeps, Paloma hears a sound at the window. Upon her opening it, a frightened bat flies in. It is fleeing something, and that something is now on the stairs. Unafraid, Paloma seeks it out. Eventually catching up to the creature—now identified as a dragon—Paloma tickles it between its scales, causing the dragon to explode in laughter and so "unleashing the sea and all its waves, tuna, crabs, cuttlefish and seaweed!" Having unwittingly swallowed all this during a previous yawn, the dragon is sorry to have caused a flood in her house and now just asks for a place to sleep. He curls himself up on the roof, "closes its eyes and falls asleep." Paloma returns to the room where her nanny is waking up, unaware there is a dragon on the roof. As the adventure takes place, the illustrations portray columns in the shape of bones, a staircase like a winding spine, and tile work resembling an oceanscape. Should children believe the house is the product of the illustrator's imagination, photographs of the real Casa Batlló in Barcelona show that the house does exist and that a dragon sleeps on its roof.

A whimsical introduction to one of the most unconventional architects of the 20th century. (further information, interview with author and illustrator) (Picture book. 4-8)

Kirkus Reviews