Flora and the Peacocks

by Molly Idle

Overview

The darling, dancing Flora is back, and this time she's found two new friends: a pair of peacocks! But amidst the fanning feathers and mirrored movements, Flora realizes that the push and pull between three friends can be a delicate dance. Will this trio find a way to get back in step? In the third book featuring Flora and her feathered friends, Molly Idle's gorgeous art combines with clever flaps to reveal that no matter the challenges, true friends will always find a way to dance, leap, and soar—together.

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9781452138169
Publisher:	Chronicle Books LLC
Publication date:	05/03/2016
Series:	Flora & Friends Series
Pages:	40
Sales rank:	660,140
Product dimensions:	10.10(w) x 10.10(h) x 0.80(d)
Age Range:	3 - 5 Years

About the Author

Molly Idle began her career as an artist working for DreamWorks Feature Animation, and from there she leapt into the world of children's books. She is the author of the Caldecott Honor–winning Flora and the Flamingo, as well as its companion, Flora and the Penguin, among other picture books. She lives in Tempe, Arizona.

Editorial Reviews

★ 05/02/2016
Flora dances on in her elegant third picture book, following the Caldecott Honor–winning Flora and the Flamingo and its sequel, Flora and the Penguin. Working in a green-and-turquoise color scheme, Idle wordlessly traces Flora’s encounter with two peacocks, whose outstretched tails echo the semicircular shape of the fan Flora holds as she dances. One peacock takes to Flora and the other feels left out; glued-in flaps help move the story forward while amplifying the emotional tug-of-war. One broken fan later, a massive foldout brings the story to a moving finale in which kindness and compromise win the day. Ages 3–5. Agent: Steven Malk, Writers House. (May)

Publishers Weekly

"Showstopping."-School Library Journal, starred review

"Showstopping."-School Library Journal, starred review

«"A virtuoso interpretation of the pitfalls and pleasures of triads."-Kirkus Reviews, starred review

«"A virtuoso interpretation of the pitfalls and pleasures of triads."-Kirkus Reviews, starred review

"Exciting and entertaining."—St. Louis Post Dispatch

"Exciting and entertaining."—St. Louis Post Dispatch

"Artful design and ability to find nuance in wordlessness."-Booklist

"Artful design and ability to find nuance in wordlessness."-Booklist

"Kindness and compromise win the day."-Publishers Weekly, starred review

"Kindness and compromise win the day."-Publishers Weekly, starred review

"Molly Idle has created another wonderful masterpiece."—Books and Whatnot

"Molly Idle has created another wonderful masterpiece."—Books and Whatnot

"A showstopper."-The Horn Book

"A showstopper."-The Horn Book

"With rapturous, wordless illustrations, Molly Idle explores the three-pal dynamic. exquisite."-The Wall Street Journal

"With rapturous, wordless illustrations, Molly Idle explores the three-pal dynamic. exquisite."-The Wall Street Journal

"The spectacular final gatefold that reveals a lovely resolution: competition can yield to companionship, and trios can work together."—The San Francisco Chronicle

"The spectacular final gatefold that reveals a lovely resolution: competition can yield to companionship, and trios can work together."—The San Francisco Chronicle

From the Publisher

12/01/2016
PreS-Gr 1—The star of two previous showstoppers, Flora returns in another inventive, deceptively simple title. Here, Flora meets not one but two birds—a pair of peacocks who inspire dancing, drama, and, finally, reconciliation and friendship. Both vibrant and spare, Idle's artwork once again dazzles as it tells a layered story without a single word.

School Library Journal

★ 2016-03-02
While Idle's previous titles (Flora and the Flamingo, 2013, etc.) feature her young, white dancer with a single avian partner, this story presents a pas de trois. The challenge, therefore, is how to manage balance: on the stage, across a double-page spread, among friends. The choreography creates the narrative in this wordless performance, with opportunities for audience participation via flaps. In the opening scene, a fan-wielding Flora poses alone; the peacocks are paired. Wispy willow branches form a proscenium arch atop the extravagant white backdrop. The dancers are arrayed in coordinated teal and green splendor with yellow highlights. When one bird crosses the gutter, a dance ensues on the verso, a drama on the recto. The birds' parallel symmetry is now inverted: the partners reach up, the lone peacock disdainfully displays downward. As Flora plants a foot on each page, readers decide whether to make tails match or contrast. They are also the agents for a tug of war over the fan. Idle's nuanced postures and expressions capture the peacocks' wounded pride perfectly. When the fragile prop breaks in a climactic close-up, the despondent protagonist stalks off the page. The birds find a solution, and a glorious gatefold, measuring 18 by 33 inches, puts a joyful Flora at the center of a dazzling and harmonious display. Design, engineering, and art intersect to deliver a virtuoso interpretation of the pitfalls and pleasures of triads. (Picture book. 3-7)

Kirkus Reviews