I wouldn't say this is a cute book but it is a book with an important concept to learn. The pictures were just abstract enough to keep us guessing.

Super cute, great for kids. We read as a family and loves the illustrations throughout the book. My kids like Paul and his story. Would recommend for any child age 3-10. Great bedtime story as well.

Bright, bold and colourful, this text was really fun with great characters and a strong message. Paul was the star of the show, in need of learning a lesson and the story and illustrations were engaging.

Paul the Peacock is a beautiful picture book about the consequences of being mean and greedy. Paul is treated like a king by his friend Norris the Loris, but when Norris has enough of treated badly, Paul finds himself all alone and without any feathers after a storm blows them all away.

The illustrations in this book are absolutely beautiful and there is so much to look at. I loved the detail on Paul’s feathers and how all the pages had a different layout - there is so much to look at and explore.

The story is beautifully told and really makes you reflect on taking things for granted. This would be a great story for PSHE, circle time or assembly to reflect on making sure we are grateful for what we have.

What a great child’s story to help them to u set stand humility and kindness. My daughter loved the pictures and genuinely laughed at certain parts.

This book has a lovely illustration style and a joy to read.

The story is an enjoyable read for kids and adults and a nice length for a pre-school book.

Book Review: Paul the Peacock by Tilly Matthews

Rating: 5 Stars

Just when I thought I’d seen it all in children’s literature, along comes Paul the Peacock by Tilly Matthews to remind me why I love reading books for kids! This delightful tale is not just a feast for the eyes with its adorable cover and vibrant illustrations; it’s also packed with a clever storyline that tickles the funny bone.

Meet Paul, the peacock who seemingly has it all—a magnificent nest that towers above the forest, loyal friends, and the most stunning feathers anyone could wish for. But here’s the catch: Paul isn’t exactly the kindest bird in the bunch. He struts around with an air of arrogance, treating his best buddy Norris the Loris and the other forest creatures with rudeness and disdain. Spoiled by everyone around him, Paul never lifts a finger (or a feather) to help others.

However, everything changes one stormy evening. After a long day of being "perfect," Paul faces a fierce storm that takes away everything he holds dear, including his prized feathers. In a quest to recover what he’s lost, Paul embarks on an adventurous journey through the forest. Along the way, he learns a vital lesson about friendship, kindness, and humility—qualities that matter much more than material possessions. This story is a hilarious fable that cleverly teaches young readers to be less materialistic while being mindful of others’ feelings.

First off, can we talk about how absolutely adorable the cover is? Seriously, "adorable" perfectly encapsulates this entire book! The illustrations are fun and colorful, bringing each character to life in a way that’s both engaging and inviting. Tilly Matthews has crafted a story that is not only clever but also cute and funny in all the right places.

I can easily see this book becoming a favorite in any home library. It’s perfect for bedtime stories or even for kids to read on their own. The themes of kindness and friendship are so important, especially for young readers, and they are woven into the narrative beautifully without being preachy.

In conclusion, Paul the Peacock is a must-read for anyone looking to add a sprinkle of humor and heart to their collection. Whether you’re reading it to your little ones or letting them explore it themselves, this book is sure to leave a lasting impression. Highly recommended!

⚠️This review was written based on personal opinions and experiences with the book. Individual preferences may vary⚠️

When Paul loses all his feathers in storm, he learns that your actions have consequences. You’re not special just because you’re beautiful. If you don’t treat people right when you need something they might not be around. This book was lovely and fun. The illustrations are exactly what one would expect from Happy Yak, and the story fits perfectly with all their other books. There’s a reason Happy Yak is one of my favorite publishing imprints.

Paul the Peacock is selfish and self-centered (and even in the end he doesn't completely change - which is a good lesson for children!) I loved the illustrations, looking for the fly in the background, and my favorite: the worms playing tiny violins as Paul cries in anguish.

My 5 year old enjoyed the story and it was a great text to open up further discussions about manners, feelings, gratitude etc. The illustrations were also excellent.

Because Paul the peacock is catered to by the other animals, he assumes he is entitled to his demands. After a storm, he awakes and finds he has lost his feathers! Will those same animals, especially Norris the loris, help Paul retrieve his feathers? This humorous take on privilege sends a clear but not overly purposeful message about kindness, cooperation, and humility that even preschoolers will understand. The text is a little long with two or three paragraphs on some pages, but it has repetition and onomatopoeia that is engaging. The cartoonish illustrations exhibit bright colors and help tell the story.

Thank you Netgalley for giving me the opportunity to read and review this book. These opinion are completely my own.

I think I can relate to Paul wanting to restart his life as an earthworm. Cute, funny book with great social lessons and illustration.

This is a fun and colourful book full of adventures. It touches on themes of pride and superiority, and how treating others bad will have consequences. The most important lesson for me is that we all need other people, including Paul, the main character.

I would've liked seeing a bit more about Norris, although I understand the space in the book is limited. I also would've wanted to see Paul making up for his past mistakes. I think it's important to change your attitude and make amends, not just promise and say sorry.

Learning to value others shines bright and bold in this enjoyably silly and thought-filled read.

Paul the peacock is an amazing bird...and he makes sure he stays that way. His beautiful feathers are his pride and joy. He's pampered day and night, never allowing even the slightest strain or harm to draw near, and that's all thanks to his friend, Noris the loris. One day, Noris has had enough of serving Paul without the slightest hint of thanks. Sick of being taken for granted, he leaves, and at the worst time for Paul. Paul wakes up to not only find Noris gone, but an unimaginable disaster has taken place. Determined to keep his dignity, Paul heads out on his own, but life isn't as simple as he thinks.

The vibrant illustrations fit wonderfully to Paul the peacock. The bright and bold colors demand as much attention as the bird himself, making the situation very clear as poor Noris does his best to satisfy. The imbalanced relationship between the two is easy to notice and will draw sympathy as readers see what's going on. The emotions come across clearly and make the message surrounding thankfulness, friendship, and kindness sit in an understandable way. But it's the little, silly details which hook and make this into an entertaining read from beginning to end. The message might be serious, but giggles and laughs are guaranteed from one page to the next.

The tale makes a lovely read aloud and is well-suited for the age group. It presents just enough to keep the story clear, while the illustrations do the rest. It's one of those reads, which is sure to hear the phrase 'again'.

Paul the Peacock is the center of attention. He's demanding of his friends, and can get a little mean about it. One day, his friend Norris has had ENOUGH! The story that follows is an adorable tale of friendship, consequences, and working on yourself. Illustrations are bright and richly colored, and well placed text allows for easy read-alouds. A great story for any library or home.

This was cute enough and funny enough, but I feel like the story needed a bit more polish. The illustrations were very good though and they add more humour to the story. The art is by far the best part about this picture book.

What a fun story to read with children about the importance of treating your friends with respect! I love the colourful images and the fantastic message. There are some great side characters in the book as well that make it so wonderful and humorous. This will no doubt be a favourite read for many kids!

A story about Paul the Peacock who tends to be arrogant and selfish but when his friend is fed up of how he acts, he learns to realize he needs to think of others and not just himself and that kindness and empathy are important

Have you ever had a friend who needs to be the center of attention? One who needs all of your time and can be mean, both intentionally and unintentionally?

Such is the case of Paul the Peacock and his Loris friend Norris. Paul is V E R Y needy and is often mean to Norris, who is just trying to help his vain and needy friend. One day, after a particularly trying time, Norris has had enough and walks away and leaves Paul on his own. The journey Paul goes on afterwards changes both his life and perspective forever and he learns the importance of friendship and kindness.

Filled with bright fun illustrations, this is a great story for littles [AND their adults] on what true, good friendship is, and the consequences of being ungrateful and abusing that friendship.

Well done!!

Thank you to NetGalley, Tilly Matthews and Quarto Publishing Group - Frances Lincoln Children's Books/Happy Yak for providing this ARC in exchange for an honest review.

Kids will truly love this book. It has cute main characters, a relatable message and the eyebrows on this peacock are hilarious!

This book has several traits I know kids enjoy when being read to - a funny plot/characters, interactivity (reading Paul’s letter to Norris) and a timelapse illustration.

This book is cute, quick and features male frienship. Definitely adding this one to my classroom library.

A digital ARC was provided by the publisher in exchange for a review. A review was posted publicly on StoryGraph.