Paul the Peacock is a funny and quippy story about friendship and humility.

The prose jumps off the page as Paul struggles to deal with the loss of his feathers and his friend. Gentle messaging throughout the book highlights the importance of friendship, humility, and how we treat others.

The illustrations are vibrant and energetic, and really bring the story to life. We were laughing out loud at some of Paul’s over-confident attempts to get back his feathers.

Thank you Quarto Publishing Group and NetGalley for a copy of this book. Opinions expressed are my own.

Paul the Peacock is a very sweet book about learning what truly matters in life. Paul thinks he has everything. He has the biggest nest, the most loyal friend, and of course, the most beautiful feathers in the forest. But as you can guess, he’s not the humblest of birds.

Gorgeous illustrations as well

My son and I loved this book. It touches on friendship, pride, and how you treat others. We loved the illustrations and even got a laugh or two throughout the story, which is always a plus.

The peacock is one of the most beautiful animals in the jungle, and Paul knows it. His friend Norris seems to know it too, and Paul has come to expect everyone to worship and assist him. But then a storm comes, stealing Paul's feathers, and Norris is nowhere to be found. Paul goes on a mission to find his missing feathers and discovers the truth about kindness instead.

I'm truly charmed by this book's clever illustrations. The pictures are simple but humorous and full of brilliant color. The story, of course, makes a good point about valuing friends more than personal appearance, but it offers this moral with a healthy dose of silliness and warmth. It's a pleasure to read, and I'll definitely be recommending it to my emerging readers.

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for this ARC. All opinions are my own.

Paul is a beautiful and showy peacock who thinks he’s better than the other creatures. Living a life of vanity from his high horse, he forgets how to treat his friends until tragedy strikes, and Paul finds himself in need.

This is a lovely story about valuing the right things in life such as your friends and not the glitz and glam. You see Paul work through this realization and make right on his wrong doings.

This book is beautifully illustrated capturing the vibrant jewel tones of the peacock feature with a whimsy feel.

We always love it when there’s a message in a children’s book. I likened it to the message in the popular little blue truck. We enjoyed this one as a family!

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Write a positive book review about a the children's book called Paul the Peacock. He loses his feathers and as he tries to take them back from everyone else, he learns the lesson that kindness will more likely get you want instead of being grumpy.Kids learn a solid life lesson through the look and them nice illustrations!
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Book Review: "Paul the Peacock"

"Paul the Peacock" is a delightful children's book that weaves a heartwarming story with an invaluable life lesson. This charming tale, accompanied by vibrant illustrations, is sure to captivate young readers and leave a lasting impression.

The story begins with Paul, a proud and colorful peacock, who wakes up one day to find that his magnificent feathers are missing. In a panic, Paul sets off on a journey to retrieve his lost plumage, encountering various animals along the way who have found and are enjoying his feathers. Initially, Paul is grumpy and demanding, insisting that everyone return what rightfully belongs to him. However, his stern approach is met with resistance, teaching Paul an important lesson about the power of kindness and empathy.

As Paul softens his demeanor and begins to ask politely, showing understanding and kindness to the animals he meets, he discovers that people are more willing to help when approached with a friendly attitude. This transformation in Paul's character beautifully illustrates the core message of the book: kindness and positive behavior are far more effective than grumpiness and demands.

The narrative is engaging and accessible, making it perfect for young readers. The lessons are woven seamlessly into the storyline, ensuring that children learn about the importance of kindness, empathy, and patience without feeling like they are being lectured. The book’s pacing keeps children interested from start to finish, and the resolution is both satisfying and educational.

The illustrations in "Paul the Peacock" are nothing short of enchanting. Each page is filled with colorful, detailed artwork that brings Paul’s world to life. The expressive faces of the animals and the lush backgrounds draw readers into the story, making it a visual feast that complements the text perfectly.

Overall, "Paul the Peacock" is an outstanding addition to any child's bookshelf. It not only entertains but also imparts a crucial life lesson in a gentle and memorable way. Parents and educators will appreciate the positive message, while children will love the story of Paul's journey and the beautiful illustrations. This book is sure to become a favorite, read over and over again, each time reinforcing the timeless truth that kindness is the key to getting what you want.

I SNORTED within the first few pages because the images are so well done and hilarious! This book teaches an important lesson without hitting children over the head with a lesson that they do not care about. I am excited to add this to my library and share it with my counselor for her own lessons.

Short, cute drawings, and to the point. I liked the words that were used to explain different feelings which would help have those types of conversations with your little ones.

#PaulthePeacock #NetGalley

I think that the idea of this book is great, it just could have been executed better.

What worked:
1. The plot was great! It moved at a good pace, and moved the story along. It was clear, defined, and was easy to follow.
2. As I said earlier, the goal was there. The idea was to tell a story about how to properly apologize, which I appreciated.
3. Generally, the illustrations were done beautifully and they were engaging and colorful, perfect for kids.

What I would change:
1. I think that the premise of the book taught the reader kind of the opposite of the book's objective: That if you say "so" enough times with your sorry, you can get away with your past wrongful actions and continue on. That might not have been what was intended, but that's definitely how it seemed throughout the whole book. To get rid of this confusion (especially since this book is for kids whose minds are easy to mold), I would add a consequence aspect for Paul the Peacock to make up for how he mistreated his friends.
2. I thought the drawings were well done. However, on page 8, there are two leaves that felt confusing and suggestively placed to me. One on the chest and the other between the legs. I didn't understand what these added to the words on the page, and this detail felt unnecessary.

Overall, I think that this book was great and, with some minor revisions, will be a favorite among young readers.

Poor Paul. He’s lost his feathers and he’s too arrogant to get them back from the water buffalo or crocodile. He’s so lost without his feathers, he decides to become an earthworm. This book made me laugh. The story and illustrations went together perfectly. I loved the earthworks playing the world’s smallest violins while Paul cried. Eventually Norris comes back and Paul *mostly* learns the error of his ways. I really enjoyed this book and will definitely share it with the library kids.

This would be a wonderful book for teaching modesty, kindness, and helpfulness to children. Thank you to NetGalley, Tilly Matthews, and Frances Lincoln's Children's Books for allowing me to read this in exchange for a honest review (Unpaid).

Paul the peacock was a story with a great life lesson taught through great storytelling and beautiful pictures. I laughed at the little details and greatly enjoyed reading this and can see this becoming a favourite of the grandkids. I love when I enjoy reading the book as much as they enjoy listening to it! The worms playing tiny violins while Paul cried was hilarious! Thank you for the opportunity to read this story with my family.

This cute, little book has very few words in it, but the art tells the story better than any words could. Love the art in this little picture book, it’s bold, it’s bright, it’s somewhat weird, it’s whimsical and it’s so so beautiful.

Paul is certainly exquisite and blessed, but he feels quite entitled as he puts upon his friends, especially the loyal Norris the loris. When Norris becomes fed up with being taken advantage of, what will become of Paul the Peacock’s perfect existence? Tilly Matthews’ excellent story and fun illustrations will keep children and grownups alike turning pages to find out.

In the interest of full disclosure, I received this book from NetGalley. Quarto Publishing Group – Frances Lincoln Children's Books and Happy Yakin exchange for an honest review.

This is a cute story about a selfish peacock who recognizes the importance of treating friends well. The illustrations are beautiful and bright with tiny little details that are fun to notice. I could see kids being tickled with the silliness of this book and it has a great lesson.

I loved the meaning behind this book! I read this alongside my daughter (3yo) and she loved the vibrant colours of the book.

Very cute book with beautiful illustrations. A wonderful story of the value of friendship and kindness.

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for access to the e-ARC in return for my honest opinion.

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Outdoor Skills for Kids by Buck Tilton (June 3) My son thought this book was the bees knees. He learned so much from it and kept talking about “when you approach an animal this is what to do..” He was so excited to share all he learned.

A Very Dinosaur Christmas by Adam Wallace (Sept 2) The giggles with this one! Dinosaurs at Christmas is silly.

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Paul the Peacock by Tilly Matthews

Happy Halloween Fiona by Zondervan

The Adventures of Cam E. Chameleon by Donna Herweck Rice

What I liked the most were the illustrations, they were stunning!! Full of colors and beautiful details. The story itself is quite simple but with a good lesson about being kind to others and not acting entitled. Perfect for young children.

*Thanks to NetGalley uk, the publishers and the author for the ARC*

Beautiful use of color in the illustrations, in this book about friendship. Paul, the too-proud Peacock is humbled when a strong wind blows away everything he owns....including his tail feathers. He sets out to find them but getting them back is not easy....This is such a good story with such a good lesson......