Befriending a pair of peacocks who inspire beautiful new dance movements and costumes, Flora encounters unexpected challenges when trying to dance in balanced, graceful ways as part of a trio. By the Caldecott Honor-winning creator of Flora and the Flamingo. Simultaneous eBook. - (Baker & Taylor)In this wordless book with interactive flaps, a little girl named Flora forms a friendship with two peacocks as the three learn to dance together. - (Baker & Taylor)
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. - (Grand Central Pub)
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. - (Grand Central Pub)
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. - (Grand Central Pub)
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. - (Grand Central Pub)
Booklist Reviews
Flora returns to dance with new feathered friends in her third story. Here the birds are peacocks, which gives Idle an opportunity for some impressive spreads (literally) of peacock feathers. The book begins with Flora, holding a yellow-flowered fan, coming upon two peacocks, their plumed tails also in fan position. But when Flora seems to be favoring one peacock, the other folds up. Ditto when she turns her attention to the neglected one. Children will feel the tension as the two birds eye each other with jealousy. When jealousy turns to anger, Flora's fan becomes collateral damage. It takes the tattered fan and a teary Flora to make the peacocks forget their pride. A surprising unfolding flap roughly the size of four pages reveals a smiling Flora surrounded by the peacock's feathers. With lime green and navy blue as the dominant colors, this book shows the same artful design and ability to find nuance in wordlessness as the previous titles, the Caldecott Honor Book Flora and the Flamingo (2013) and Flora and the Penguin (2014). Copyright 2014 Booklist Reviews.
Horn Book Guide Reviews
Flora's third wordless picture book is, appropriately, about a three-way friendship and the tricky dynamics thereof. This book's rhythm is like Flora and the Flamingo and Flora and the Penguin, but the addition of that third character adds a storytelling layer. Idle again sticks to a limited color palette, here peacock blues, greens, and yellows; the last, glorious flap is a showstopper.
Horn Book Magazine Reviews
1/14) is, appropriately, about a three-way friendship and the tricky dynamics thereof. Flora curtsies hello to a pair of peacocks. One of them seems taken with her -- it crosses the gutter to join her on the left-hand page -- the other, scowling, is not so sure (it remains on the right, tail firmly turned to viewers). When diplomat Flora approaches the scowler, the first peacock becomes jealous. An angry tug-of-war of Flora's decorative fan but also of her affections -- ensues, leading to a broken fan and hurt feelings. Luckily, the peacocks get a clue, and their resplendent show (of tail feathers) cheers everyone right up. The rhythm of this Flora book is like the other two -- girl approaches bird, bird spurns friendship, girl gets upset, bird makes amends, plus there's dancing -- but the addition of that third character adds a storytelling layer. Idle once again sticks to a limited color palette, this time peacock blues, greens, and yellows, with the flowers in Flora's hair a sweet nod to her previous headwear. And if not every flap in the book is as inventive as we've come to expect, that last, glorious one is a showstopper. elissa gershowitz
Kirkus Reviews
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 ov er 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) Copyright Kirkus 2016 Kirkus/BPI Communications. All rights reserved.
Publishers Weekly Reviews
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)
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School Library Journal Reviews
PreS-Gr 1—Idle's story introduces a new dance—one of friendship. Flora, holding her Japanese fan, greets two peacocks. However, only one becomes interested by her presence, which inspires jealousy within its comrade. The dance between the characters creates drama that leaves Flora upset. But a graceful end supports the notion that a duo can be a trio, as the peacocks apologize and unite to restore Flora's broken fan. The visual narrative depicts the polarizing emotions that can ensue when it comes to adopting new friends. Although this is a wordless picture book, movable flaps and the more than noticeable facial and body expressions help young readers understand the conflict. Through blues, greens, and yellows, Idle depicts lovely peacocks, and the white backdrop creates a perfect stage for this gentle dance of kinship. The grand finale foldout is a showstopping, if somewhat fragile, element. VERDICT A fun and flashy selection for all collections.—Briana Moore, School Library Journal
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School Library Journal Reviews
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. . Copyright 2016 School Library Journal.