Flora and the Peacocks

Flora

by Molly Idle

The darling, dancing Flora is back, and this time she's found two new 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.

Genres: Picture Books, Childrens, Animals, Birds, Fiction, Art, Juvenile

40 pages, Hardcover

First published May 3, 2016

About the author

Molly Idle has been drawing ever since she could wield a pencil. But while she started scribbling before she could walk, her professional career as an artist began slightly later…

It was upon her graduation from Arizona State University, with a BFA in Drawing, that Molly accepted an offer to work for DreamWorks Feature Animation Studios. After five years, a number of film credits, and an incredibly good time, she left the studio and leapt with gusto into the world of children's book illustration!

Molly now lives in Arizona with her brilliant husband, two wonderfully mischievous sons, and two snugly cats. When not making mischief with her boys or watching old Technicolor musicals, she can be found at her desk scribbling away, with a pencil in one hand and a cup of espresso in the other- creating a plethora of profoundly whimsical picture books!

Reviews

[Calista · Rating 3 out of 5]

Even though this book does not have words it still tells a story of flora and her fan dance with a couple of peacocks. Even children can see the play between the peacocks and flora and can understand jealousy and other emotions.

The art work her is stunning and beautiful. I love the peacock feathers. It is a simple story told with fold outs. The wonder is in the simplicity. Observing my kids, children can really appreciate simplicity, from hours of play with a card board box to a story of a girl trying to make friends with 2 peacocks. Simplicity.

My nephew loves, is crazy about fold outs. He was agog over this little book. He can be rough, but he has never hurt a foldout before. My niece enjoyed this book because she thought it was pretty and fun. I too enjoyed this book. It delighted me and then I was delighted to see there were 2 others similar to this. I will try them out.

[Cheryl · Rating 2 out of 5]

I feel like I must be missing something. The images under the flaps are simple and mostly repetitive. The plot could be told completely in one sentence. The art is fine, though probably better appreciated by dancers and artists than by regular folks like me. I see no characterization. No setting - just white space. Slow pace....

(I'm going through 'elements of a story' and just not finding anything really good to say.)

My first Flora and probably my last. Not every book is for every reader. :shrug:

[Alyson (Kid Lit Frenzy) · Rating 5 out of 5]

I love Molly's previous Flora books but this one is probably my favorite. Beautifully done.

[Dave Schaafsma · Rating 3 out of 5]

Each year I and my family read and rate all the Goodreads picture book nominees. This one is nominated for 2016. I make a few comments and then add their separate ratings and a comment. There's 15 and this is the fifth being rated. My rating might be somewhat influenced by the family, naturally. In this case, it was influenced a lot.

Silent/wordless book, the third Flora book in a series, and my favorite, which is to say 4 stars, with sumptuous, crisp, vibrant colors and an okay story of three friends, Flora mediating a conflict between the two peacocks. A flap book, so awesome for little ones. And I like silent comics and picturebooks, Hank!

Tara (my wife): 2 stars. Eh.
Harry (11): 3 stars. I liked the peacocks "saying" sorry when they ripped Flora's fan.
Hank (10): 1 1/2 stars. I prefer words.
Lyra (9): 4 1/2 stars. Actual feather flaps! [to be fair, Lyra is closest to the target age of this book, which would be babies and early el]

[Afaf Ammar · Rating 3 out of 5]

فلورا الجميلة وصداقة جديدة دافئة مع طاووسين تعبر عنها مولي برسومات جميلة ومضيئة بسحر الألوان والمشاعر ....
الفن بإمكانه أن يعبر ويخبرنا بكل شيء بدون كلمة واحدة لأن لغته هي المشاعر التي يعرفها الجميع ....
💚🦚🦚💚

09.11.2021

[☼Bookish pam in Virginia☼]

Wordless!

I love wordless picture books. My kids and I always had fun with them. We'd make up stories based on the images and usually ended up laughing and giggling because, by nature, we're pretty silly.

Silliness aside, the serious part of my mom-being -- the side that relishes edu-tainment-- appreciates that this act of shared creation teaches kids a good deal about the power of words, sentences and composing. It's a unique opportunity for reinventing a world. You only have to focus on different objects in the artwork to take the story in a new direction.
.

FLORA AND THE PEACOCKS
As you can imagine I was delighted to discover that FLORA AND THE PEACOCKS was wordless. (Yes, I was ignorant of Molly Idle's work. Yes, I am remedying this situation but I have to wait for my turn to come up at the library)

I was completely surprised that this big, over-sized hardback had Flaps!
(I'm a fan of flaps too.)

THE STORY
How can I tell you the story? My story certainly won't be exactly what you see in the pictures. But I will tell you that Flora is with two beautiful blue and green peacocks and that there is some serious attitude being displayed. At least that's what I see. And the flaps that are there work as fans and tail feathers and....

I'll also share that there is a HUGE kid-friendly fold-out at the end of the book. (My young sample audience from next door squealed! when they saw it.)

THOUGHTS
This book grew on me as we explored the potential there was for making up stories. The artwork is clean and colorful and the HUGE fold-out at the end is a big hit with little ones.

Now speaking of little ones, and less little ones, one thing you should know is that the flaps in this book are made of normal paper. They are not like the flaps you find in those small sturdy little board books. So I would put this book up and out of reach of children who are still too young to turn pages without ripping them. Or children like my Destroyer who found the attachment of the flaps somehow offensive.

Enjoy.

~review copy

[Abigail · Rating 3 out of 5]

That charming young dancer Flora, whose adventures began in the Caldecott Honor-Book Flora and the Flamingo and then continued in Flora and the Penguin , once again finds herself dancing with some avian partners in this third picture-book. Here she finds herself performing a fan dance with a pair of peacocks who have trouble sharing her as a partner. When she dances with one, the other sulks. When she approaches the other, her initial partner is outraged. When the peacocks' tug-of-war with her fan results in disaster, it seems as if the dance is at an end. Can these two birds find a way to make it up to Flora, and involve her in the dance once again...?

Readers who have enjoyed Molly Idle's previous forays into the world of this delightful young dancer will have little doubt as to the answer to that question, although getting to the happy ending is still a distinct pleasure. Like its predecessors, Flora and the Peacocks is a wordless tale, one told entirely through the colorful artwork, and through the judicious use of flaps, which help to advance the plot and add to the sense of motion on the page. The final fold-out spread is really something, allowing the story to conclude in an exciting and spectacular way. Recommended to anyone who is looking for fun wordless picture-books, or who enjoyed the previous two Flora titles.

[Kaethe · Rating 5 out of 5]

I will never tire of these beautiful, clever books. Fortunately, there are many, many birds. Now I've amused myself with the idea of a parody book "Flora and the Birds" by Alfred Hitchcock. Which leads to the recognition that no one names their child Alfred anymore, and that's how I know the world is becoming a better place.

Molly Idle: making the world a better place by random association and gorgeous books.

Library copy

[Mary Ann · Rating 5 out of 5]

Flora dances with two elegant, proud peacocks in this wordless picture book--navigating a balance between friendship with three. When one peacock starts dancing with her, the other feels left out--sound familiar? The illustrations depict the full range of emotions, letting children tell the story in their own words.

[Jillian Heise · Rating 5 out of 5]

Love! I adore each of Molly Idle's wordless Flora stories, and as much as I loved Flamingo and Penguin, I think Peacocks is my favorite. Flora had a bit more of a story in this one with the two peacocks she interacts with.

[Holly Mueller · Rating 5 out of 5]

How does Molly Idle keep doing this?! Another wonderful Flora book!

[Franki Sibberson · Rating 5 out of 5]

This might be my favorite of the 3 Flora books:-)

[Mary · Rating 4 out of 5]

Wordless book continuing Flora's beautiful dances with birds.

[KC · Rating 5 out of 5]

Flora squares off with two rival peacocks in a dance that resembles a flamenco. This stunning flip the page no text beauty is charming with a lovely message.

[Lulwah A · Rating 5 out of 5]

It was an amazing adventure 🥰

[Mary Eve · Rating 5 out of 5]

Molly Idle has three Flora books: Flora and the Penguin, Flora and the Flamingo, and, finally, this beautifully illustrated book with interactive flaps. Each Flora book is wordless, which allows readers to make up their own stories, using the colorful pictures to guide young imaginations. This is my first Flora book and it's pretty as a peacock. Once again, I purchased this adorable picture book for my granddaughter, hoping to share my love of reading and fill her bookshelves with fun and inviting stories she'll love and want to read over and over. The illustrations are bright and sweet. Every little girl will fall in love with Flora and her friends. I'm a big girl and simply adore this book. I'll be adding the other Flora books, too.

[Edie · Rating 5 out of 5]

Yeah, Flora is back and this time, three dimensionally. The movement that is always present in Molly Idle's books about this determined dancer now includes flaps and a wondrous pop-up that will take your breath away. Lush greens in many hues adds to the feel good nature of this book. Lots of emotion, Flora's delight, respect in her new dance partners soon changes as they do not behave well (true to their peacock nature). But there is empathy, kindness and joy. Wordless picture books always leave lots of room for the readers' words and this one, with the evocative as well as lush illustrations leaves plenty of opportunity for discussion as well as joy. Lovely to have another Flora.

[Beverly · Rating 5 out of 5]

I loved this book. I loved how Flora tried to copy the peacock tails with her fan. I loved the way the peacocks mirrored each other in their actions and stances. I loved the lift-flaps throughout the book. And I loved the huge foldout page at the end.

[Allison · Rating 5 out of 5]

Goodreads needs to add the option of adding more stars- 5 just isn't enough. This book is gorgeous! I can't stop looking at it and touching the pages.
I support independent bookstores. You can use this link to find one near you: http://www.indiebound.

[Laura · Rating 5 out of 5]

A lovely, lovely dance featuring two peacocks and a charming young dancer. My 3 1/2 year old sobbed over the injustice of the peacocks ripping the girl's fan, though that might have been because bedtime was well overdue.

[Jocelin · Rating 3 out of 5]

I actually liked this entry in the "wordless picture book" by Molly Idle. The others in this series were a little bland, but this was a colorful entry. I love Molly Idle's illustrations, I think she is a fantastic artist.

[Lesley Burnap · Rating 5 out of 5]

Absolutely stunning storytelling! Please get this book into the hands of ALL children (and adults)! So clever! So gorgeous!

[Cindy Dobrez · Rating 5 out of 5]

Delightful. Flora's fan and the moveable flaps were especially appropriate to the subject, reflecting the movement of peacocks.

[Lynn · Rating 5 out of 5]

Absolutely stunning! I think this may be my favorite of the three so far. The story as it slowly "unfolds" and that glorious resolution page are spell-binding.

[Danielle · Rating 5 out of 5]

Green is a fitting color for this newest friendship dance, a trio. Fans and feathers and expressive faces, plus a huge pop-up that will dazzle!

[June · Rating 4 out of 5]

Fun. Flora with flaps and fold out.

[Elisabeth · Rating 5 out of 5]

They just keep getting better and better. This one is my fave!

[Rachel · Rating 4 out of 5]

Another great wordless book in this "series", has flaps that extend the story.

[Turrean · Rating 5 out of 5]

A sweet and comic wordless story of a little girl trying to play with two new companions -- and this is definitely a case of "two's company, three's a crowd!"

[Callie McCandless · Rating 5 out of 5]

The genre of Flora and the Peacocks is Fiction, Fantasy, because it includes elements that are impossible, such as interacting and being friends with peacocks. The target audience is Primary (PreK-3rd Grade), as this text is a picture book with no words. This allows beginning readers to imagine and create their own storyline and dialogue. This book can be anything they want it to be. The copyright date is 2016.

Making Connections:
~Text-to-Self: This book has a huge connection to my life. When I was younger, peacocks fascinated me. They were my favorite animal to see at the zoo. I liked them so much that I would even carry around a fan and imitate them, exactly as Flora does.
~Text-to-Text: This book can be connected to the movie, Ice Age. In Ice Age, Ellie, who is a mammoth, thinks that she is a possum. She thinks this because possums are whom she grew up with. As a result, she sleeps from a tree hanging upside down, similar to how the possums sleep. This is comparable to Flora because she is also imitating the behavior of another animal, in the case, peacocks.
~Text-to-World: This story can be connected to countless children everywhere. Children love to pretend that are animals. We can tell this from the costumes they buy for Halloween and the face paintings they receive. Children love and are intrigued by animals and so they want to be like them.