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A Feast For Pleasant Beasts: Children's picture book about friendship, respect and manners. Perfect for any little monsters aged 5-8.
It’s not only bears that cherish a secret picnic…
Every July beasts gather in the forest for a feast and plenty of fun, but if you wish to attend then you need to have marvellous manners. Whether you’re a troll, a yeti, cyclops, or pungent monster - it really doesn’t matter so long as you’re reasonably pleasant. But - surprise surprise - things don’t always go according to plan.
From award-winning author and comedian JT Bird comes a delicious blend of Where the Wild Things Are and The Tiger Who Came to Tea. This is a joyous tale about friendship, kindness, and oodles of creamy desserts. Perfect for early readers - it will teach children about tolerance and good old fashioned values, whilst sparking a few giggles too.
(And it’s just the ticket for fans of peculiar creatures)
Every July beasts gather in the forest for a feast and plenty of fun, but if you wish to attend then you need to have marvellous manners. Whether you’re a troll, a yeti, cyclops, or pungent monster - it really doesn’t matter so long as you’re reasonably pleasant. But - surprise surprise - things don’t always go according to plan.
From award-winning author and comedian JT Bird comes a delicious blend of Where the Wild Things Are and The Tiger Who Came to Tea. This is a joyous tale about friendship, kindness, and oodles of creamy desserts. Perfect for early readers - it will teach children about tolerance and good old fashioned values, whilst sparking a few giggles too.
(And it’s just the ticket for fans of peculiar creatures)
47 pages, Paperback
First published October 1, 2022
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Displaying 1 - 18 of 18 reviews
July 25, 2022
A Feast for Pleasant Beasts is not an early reader, so I read this one to the Royals. They absolutely loved it. The author colorfully describes each guest and the illustrations bring them to life. We laughed at their descriptions from the silly to stories about them that had my grandchildren asking, “Nonna, is that true?” It was fun to reply, “Well, I don’t know about that but I once read a book with a cyclops in it.” I could see their inquisitive minds wanting more.
All the beasts are friendly, which is why they are invited each year by young Cuthbert to his picnic. Cuthbert is a boy who lives in a cave and is friends with a bear. You’ll like him. I know we did.
Just wait until you get to the picnic. Oh my, what a feast from cockroach casserole to bread dunked in slime. I will admit Clayton loved these dishes the most while Sophia screamed well, at least until she heard the desserts. The feast inspired us to have a picnic where we ate gummy worms and sandwiched cut into shapes.
The children loved the surprise near the end and I loved everyone working together to clean up after the feast before singing around a campfire. It was a delightful tale from beginning to end, with plenty of new vocabulary words and perfect to spark the imagination of young readers. This review was originally posted at Caffeinated Reviewer
All the beasts are friendly, which is why they are invited each year by young Cuthbert to his picnic. Cuthbert is a boy who lives in a cave and is friends with a bear. You’ll like him. I know we did.
Just wait until you get to the picnic. Oh my, what a feast from cockroach casserole to bread dunked in slime. I will admit Clayton loved these dishes the most while Sophia screamed well, at least until she heard the desserts. The feast inspired us to have a picnic where we ate gummy worms and sandwiched cut into shapes.
The children loved the surprise near the end and I loved everyone working together to clean up after the feast before singing around a campfire. It was a delightful tale from beginning to end, with plenty of new vocabulary words and perfect to spark the imagination of young readers. This review was originally posted at Caffeinated Reviewer
October 15, 2022
Received a copy from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.
Playful, joyful, unique, and eccentric. All words I would use to describe this strange but fantastical book. It was something that kept you reading purely out of seeing how it was tied up at the end. Which in return was met with being sad that it had in fact ended. I think it's something beautiful to have children read and enjoy something that strays off the path from the norm. Letting them find their own voice and interest in their material.
Playful, joyful, unique, and eccentric. All words I would use to describe this strange but fantastical book. It was something that kept you reading purely out of seeing how it was tied up at the end. Which in return was met with being sad that it had in fact ended. I think it's something beautiful to have children read and enjoy something that strays off the path from the norm. Letting them find their own voice and interest in their material.
October 25, 2022
This was such a fun read! I wasn’t quite expecting a book with such lengthy pages, but I truly enjoyed getting to know all of the beast’s unique attributes and personalities.
Wonderfully illustrated, and often times giggle worthy, A Feast for Pleasant Beasts is definitely something my “weird stuff” loving stepson would enjoy.
Wonderfully illustrated, and often times giggle worthy, A Feast for Pleasant Beasts is definitely something my “weird stuff” loving stepson would enjoy.
October 3, 2022
A Feast for Pleasant Beasts is a lovely romp with a mix of monsters, mythical creatures and picnic snacks. If you you are young or young at heart then this book offers giggles for gurgling tummies.
Complete with all the advice a child needs to host a feast for beasts, the book is also a fantastic opportunity to inspire children’s writing and fire up their imagination.
The illustrations are brilliant. Bright, colourful and full of humour, the art really adds to the book.
If you’ve ever wondered what it would be like to bake for beasts, take tea with a yeti or sleep in a giants sleeping bag then this is the book for you.
I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.
Complete with all the advice a child needs to host a feast for beasts, the book is also a fantastic opportunity to inspire children’s writing and fire up their imagination.
The illustrations are brilliant. Bright, colourful and full of humour, the art really adds to the book.
If you’ve ever wondered what it would be like to bake for beasts, take tea with a yeti or sleep in a giants sleeping bag then this is the book for you.
I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.
September 23, 2022
Cuthbert always has the best picnics, and he always invites the best guests for the funnest activities.
This book has a clever title and a really fun concept, but I admit I was disappointed to find a ton of words and no real plot. The tone was fun, but I got lost after a while wondering when something would happen. I would have loved to see about half the words chopped out, and it could have been a mystery: who will be invited to the picnic? There are a lot of things one could do with a concept like this, and I'm disappointed none of those things were realized in this book.
Thank you to J.T. Bird and BookSirens for this ARC. All opinions are my own.
This book has a clever title and a really fun concept, but I admit I was disappointed to find a ton of words and no real plot. The tone was fun, but I got lost after a while wondering when something would happen. I would have loved to see about half the words chopped out, and it could have been a mystery: who will be invited to the picnic? There are a lot of things one could do with a concept like this, and I'm disappointed none of those things were realized in this book.
Thank you to J.T. Bird and BookSirens for this ARC. All opinions are my own.
November 16, 2022
A Feast for pleasant Beasts by J.T. Bird - 4/5
This adorable chapter book is a quick read full of fun with an important message for the readers.
When beasts of all sizes from here or there gather in the forest for a magnificent feast you to show up with manners. Having manners while at a feast can be tricky no matter the beast or size.
I enjoyed quick story. Now that my little is transitioning into chapter book, we are looking for stories that capture your attention and keep it. This did just the job. This book kept us saying "one more chapter" and that was a delight. We enjoyed the story line and the illustrations throughout where amazing.
This adorable chapter book is a quick read full of fun with an important message for the readers.
When beasts of all sizes from here or there gather in the forest for a magnificent feast you to show up with manners. Having manners while at a feast can be tricky no matter the beast or size.
I enjoyed quick story. Now that my little is transitioning into chapter book, we are looking for stories that capture your attention and keep it. This did just the job. This book kept us saying "one more chapter" and that was a delight. We enjoyed the story line and the illustrations throughout where amazing.
October 3, 2022
I received an ARC for an honest review. The book has a lovely blend of writing and illustrations. The prose is sophisticated and presented in full pages after each drawing.
It is exciting and more complex than the average children's book. I like that; I think it creates a gateway to interesting discussions; I can easily see it used in a home or a school.
It targets a younger audience 4-8-year-olds and targets sophisticated reading skills, which I always found an excellent impetus for young readers to grow their reading skills.
It is exciting and more complex than the average children's book. I like that; I think it creates a gateway to interesting discussions; I can easily see it used in a home or a school.
It targets a younger audience 4-8-year-olds and targets sophisticated reading skills, which I always found an excellent impetus for young readers to grow their reading skills.
November 2, 2022
J.T. Bird's 'A Feast for Pleasant Beasts' is a wonderful story that follows Cuthbert and a variety of beasts enjoying a rather fine picnic! Children's imaginations will run wild with the fantastic whimsical descriptions that are bound to make them chuckle. This isn't just a surface level bedtime story, Cuthbert and his beasts relay moral lessons too. From making sure to say please and thank you, to kindness being more important than how you look. With beautiful illustrations, J.T Bird's included something for everyone.
November 6, 2022
I enjoyed the thought behind the story but each little creature seemed to have a story of their own and it felt a little disconnected and hard to follow. I read this with my five year old and he had a hard time following along with the story. The idea of being kind came through quite clear and although it also focused on manners it wasn’t as clear to understand. I do think an older child would be able to keep up with the story.
I received a free copy of this book and am leaving a review voluntarily.
I received a free copy of this book and am leaving a review voluntarily.
October 24, 2022
We loved this short book (perfect for a bedtime story). The beasts were not at all beastly but all were kind and friendly. The illustrations were especially loved by the youngest in our family. She would like to invite Cornwall the yeti to stay over .
September 20, 2022
This was such a sweet story of friendship and kindness. I will definitely be donating to my sister for her early education classroom.
November 25, 2022
I received a ARC free from Book Sirens and this is my voluntary honest review!
Brilliant, bright, colorful illustrations!
Well written!
Delightful!
Interesting monsters!
Fun!
Brilliant, bright, colorful illustrations!
Well written!
Delightful!
Interesting monsters!
Fun!
September 7, 2022
These beasts hold quirks and curiosities galore, but that's nothing when compared to the fantastical fun, when they finally sit down and enjoy a very special feast.
Cuthbert, a very normal boy, enjoys cooking...and even more so, when it's for a feast. Once a year, he holds a special feast for all the wonderful beasts in the forest. There's one rule: they have to be well-mannered during the feast. Each one is introduced with every delightfully odd attribute they possess. But when the feast begins, so does the true excitement.
This is a read-aloud book, which is packed full of fantasy and humor. There's a longer poem describing each beast and setting (hence the read-aloud perfection) with a bright and entertaining illustration next to it. The poems pack tons of silly descriptions as they present the beasts in all of their strangeness. There are even some more difficult words built in to help expand listeners' vocabularies without weighing down.
The feast is all it should be with a few extra bonuses as the beasts, after well-behaved dining, come together to help clean up before ending out the evening on a nice note. It rounds off all the fun with a sense of working together and companionship...and maybe, even a last giggle or two. I received a DRC and found it to be clever, funny, and sweet.
Cuthbert, a very normal boy, enjoys cooking...and even more so, when it's for a feast. Once a year, he holds a special feast for all the wonderful beasts in the forest. There's one rule: they have to be well-mannered during the feast. Each one is introduced with every delightfully odd attribute they possess. But when the feast begins, so does the true excitement.
This is a read-aloud book, which is packed full of fantasy and humor. There's a longer poem describing each beast and setting (hence the read-aloud perfection) with a bright and entertaining illustration next to it. The poems pack tons of silly descriptions as they present the beasts in all of their strangeness. There are even some more difficult words built in to help expand listeners' vocabularies without weighing down.
The feast is all it should be with a few extra bonuses as the beasts, after well-behaved dining, come together to help clean up before ending out the evening on a nice note. It rounds off all the fun with a sense of working together and companionship...and maybe, even a last giggle or two. I received a DRC and found it to be clever, funny, and sweet.
October 8, 2022
Wow! This is an amazing book full of interesting monsters. I remember being fixated on monsters in my primary school years. A friend would meet me every morning and we'd show each other the creations we'd made the night before - strange, colorful monsters drawn on paper with the most interesting names we could come up with. This brought back those wonderful memories!
Great story and lovely artwork.
Great story and lovely artwork.
October 23, 2022
A Feast for Pleasant Beasts is a compilation of interwoven short chapters that completes the story as a whole. The setting of the different parts of the story takes place in places that we are familiar with- Edinburgh, Scotland, and Oxford Street- to name a few. The story begins with a boy named Cuthbert Wormhill preparing for a yearly, fabulous picnic. As the story progresses, it explores the different beasts who are invited to the celebration. From an Angler with a Bulbous Nose to Jolly Swans, the uniqueness of the characters makes the story come alive! Read on and discover the different unique beasts invited to the glorious feast and their adventures in A Feast for Pleasant Beasts!
Opinion:
The book by J. T. Bird, A Feast for Pleasant Beasts, is a great book that challenges the imagination and readability level of young readers. It presents a well-structured format that is different from your usual story books. The book presents a mixture of familiarity, as well as challenges the imagination of the reader, as it introduces a combination of elements that we are familiar with (such as different settings) and imaginative scenarios that needs to be processed by the reader’s imagination and creativity (the beasts). Every chapter is supported by a visually-stimulating and interesting illustration that helps the reader picture the beasts being described. The illustrations go hand-in-hand with the descriptive words as it makes the stories come alive. The book is a challenging and stimulating book for solo reading, ages 5-8, as the length of story is quite long. However, it is a desirable book for parent-child or family reading within that age group. The content and vocabulary would definitely challenge young readers and would help them transition to harder books in the future. The book also offers a message about belonging despite the uniqueness of each individual. This is great when discussing growth, development, and acceptance, especially with a parent or a teacher. In general, it is a great book that will be enjoyed by advanced readers alone and for parent-child reading.
Opinion:
The book by J. T. Bird, A Feast for Pleasant Beasts, is a great book that challenges the imagination and readability level of young readers. It presents a well-structured format that is different from your usual story books. The book presents a mixture of familiarity, as well as challenges the imagination of the reader, as it introduces a combination of elements that we are familiar with (such as different settings) and imaginative scenarios that needs to be processed by the reader’s imagination and creativity (the beasts). Every chapter is supported by a visually-stimulating and interesting illustration that helps the reader picture the beasts being described. The illustrations go hand-in-hand with the descriptive words as it makes the stories come alive. The book is a challenging and stimulating book for solo reading, ages 5-8, as the length of story is quite long. However, it is a desirable book for parent-child or family reading within that age group. The content and vocabulary would definitely challenge young readers and would help them transition to harder books in the future. The book also offers a message about belonging despite the uniqueness of each individual. This is great when discussing growth, development, and acceptance, especially with a parent or a teacher. In general, it is a great book that will be enjoyed by advanced readers alone and for parent-child reading.
April 5, 2023
A laughter riot till the last page
Creativity taken to a completely new level!Welcome to the world of well mannered beasts who look forward to a yearly feast.The author takes you on a rib-tickling ride through the guests list for the party and their fantastic antics leading on to the day of the picnic.Lots of yummy beast food, drinks and entertainment that will leave you in splits till the end.The apt illustrations for each character add to the fun of the book.A must read indeed!
Recommended age group: 6 years and above.
Five out of five stars.
Creativity taken to a completely new level!Welcome to the world of well mannered beasts who look forward to a yearly feast.The author takes you on a rib-tickling ride through the guests list for the party and their fantastic antics leading on to the day of the picnic.Lots of yummy beast food, drinks and entertainment that will leave you in splits till the end.The apt illustrations for each character add to the fun of the book.A must read indeed!
Recommended age group: 6 years and above.
Five out of five stars.
March 22, 2023
A funny imaginative story about a boy who invites his best friends to a picnic. Not usual friends he has, but the nicest of beasts. And like friends, they shared fun moments by doing a picnic, hidden from curious eyes. A good read, this story is a nice change from mundane ones, though the story itself is not far from our daily lives, but in monsters' way.
March 31, 2023
The illustrations are so bright and exciting with a pinch of humour! I adore the storyline, the wonderful message and how well executed it is as a whole. The book will serve as an amazing bedtime story and open the doors to complex, intriguing conversations. Might be a bit puzzling to kids toddlers. Recommended!
Displaying 1 - 18 of 18 reviews