Flora, a young girl fluttering a pretty fan, befriends one extravagantly plumed peacock. When another peacock expresses his disapproval, Flora graciously approaches him, but now the first bird is jealous. Friendship is a dance. What's a third wheel to do?
Following Molly Idle's Caldecott Honor-winning Flora and the Flamingo and Flora and the Penguin, this eye-catching and lyrical pop-up book is so evocative, so emotive, it's almost a surprise to realize it's entirely wordless. All the "speaking" is done with facial expressions, body language and visual plot action. One can almost hear the peacock muttering a skeptical "hmm" as Flora curtsies a greeting, and then huffing a resentful "hmph!" Young readers (gently, please!) lift the flaps to see haughty bird faces, peacock tails in full blue-green-yellow glory and--most spectacular of all, in a giant origami-like gatefold--the moment when peace and friendship win the day. --Emilie Coulter, freelance writer and editor