I would give this beautiful book 20 stars if I could. It is truly one of the most moving works --for children OR adults-- that I have ever read. It centers around an exceptionally kind woman, a widow, who lives near Notre Dame cathedral. The angels and gargoyles who decorate the cathedral test her goodness by sending a hideously ugly and disobedient child to her doorstep. The angels bet that she will love him no matter what, the gargoyles wager that she will not. Good Griselle is most sorely tested, especially when a gargoyle disguised as her late husband forces her to choose between him and the child she has grown to cherish. But virtue triumphs in the magnificent conclusion. This is a haunting, unforgettable tale of unconditional love and unselfishness that will leave tears in your eyes.