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Flora
Flora and the Flamingo
Goodreads Choice Award
Nominee for Readers' Favorite Picture Books (2013)In this innovative wordless picture book with interactive flaps, Flora and her graceful flamingo friend explore the trials and joys of friendship through an elaborate synchronized dance. With a twist, a turn, and even a flop, these unlikely friends learn at last how to dance together in perfect harmony. Full of humor and heart, this stunning performance (and splashy ending!) will have readers clapping for more!
For more feathery fun, pick up Flora and the Penguin, Flora and the Peacocks, Flora and Friends Matching Game or, coming soon, Flora and the Chicks.
For more feathery fun, pick up Flora and the Penguin, Flora and the Peacocks, Flora and Friends Matching Game or, coming soon, Flora and the Chicks.
32 pages, Hardcover
First published February 5, 2013
32 people are currently reading
2855 people want to read
About the author
Molly Idle
44 books205 followersMolly Idle has been drawing ever since she could wield a pencil. But while she started scribbling before she could walk, her professional career as an artist began slightly later…
It was upon her graduation from Arizona State University, with a BFA in Drawing, that Molly accepted an offer to work for DreamWorks Feature Animation Studios. After five years, a number of film credits, and an incredibly good time, she left the studio and leapt with gusto into the world of children's book illustration!
Molly now lives in Arizona with her brilliant husband, two wonderfully mischievous sons, and two snugly cats. When not making mischief with her boys or watching old Technicolor musicals, she can be found at her desk scribbling away, with a pencil in one hand and a cup of espresso in the other- creating a plethora of profoundly whimsical picture books!
It was upon her graduation from Arizona State University, with a BFA in Drawing, that Molly accepted an offer to work for DreamWorks Feature Animation Studios. After five years, a number of film credits, and an incredibly good time, she left the studio and leapt with gusto into the world of children's book illustration!
Molly now lives in Arizona with her brilliant husband, two wonderfully mischievous sons, and two snugly cats. When not making mischief with her boys or watching old Technicolor musicals, she can be found at her desk scribbling away, with a pencil in one hand and a cup of espresso in the other- creating a plethora of profoundly whimsical picture books!
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 1,149 reviews
May 26, 2018
This is a popular book at our house. A wordless picture book with open the flaps. My nephew can feel like he can read this on his own. He spent close to an hour by himself with the book in hand looking at pictures and opening flats. He announced that he was reading. The Niece feels like she is too old for wordless books.
I think the artwork is beautiful and I like the relationship between Flora and the Flamingo. It's a very cute book.
I think the artwork is beautiful and I like the relationship between Flora and the Flamingo. It's a very cute book.
July 27, 2019
Molly Idle's Flora and the Flamingo is basically a sweet and simple wordless picture story of young Flora and a flamingo at first competing, at first trying to out-dance one another, and then realising that the two of them would work better as a team, joyfully and exuberantly dancing together.
Now the presented illustrations of Flora and the Flamingo are simple and sparse, without there being all that much busyness and/or detail shown (in fact, one only ever does see Flora and the Flamingo). And for me, personally, as someone who has never been all that graceful and with a prima ballerina type of physique, I also do oh so much appreciate that young bathing suit, swim cap and flipper clad Flora (for I guess Flora and the Flamingo is supposed to take place at a beach) is shown not as lithe and willowy, not as a typical long legged and stunningly slender and beautiful ballerina, but as a little girl with a bit of a rounded belly area (much less visually intimidating to and for those of us who do not by nature have a perfect dancing, a perfect ballet type of figure). But even with the latter, even with Flora not looking like a tall and slender ballerina, both Flora and her flamingo dancing opponent (and later dancing partner) are visually stunning and show the epitome of grace and beauty, a perfect visual treat and treasure in every way (and yes, I actually have been much much more charmed by Flora and the Flamingo precisely because young Flora is depicted as a graceful dancer without the necessity of having her appear as some type of goddess of ballet with regard to her physical appearance, for it has always tended to bother me a bit that in most picture books about ballet and dancing, the main protagonists are generally depicted as being individuals whom I could never look like even if I tried, and yes, also as individuals who would most likely have poked nasty fun at my physique when I was forced to attend ballet lessons as a child, an experience that was anything but pleasant).
And thus, even for someone like myself (who tends to be at best a bit ho-hum with regard to wordless picture books), Molly Idle's delightful and simple (read easily understood and visually followed) illustrations (and although the pictures are entirely pink hued, with a few splashes of yellow, not therefore really in any way my favourite colour combination by any stretch of the imagination) have been a wonderful and lovely reading (or rather "viewing") experience, and I do highly and glowingly, warmly recommend Flora and the Flamingo (and by the way, to truly enhance the entire experience of Flora and the Flamingo a bit, I would also suggest doing what I have done, namely playing some classical ballet music such as Tchaikovsky's Swan Lake or Chopin's Les Sylphides in the background). Four stars (and I can certainly both understand and also much appreciate the Caldecott Honour designation for the engaging and uplifting pictorial images of Flora and the flamingo dancing).
Now the presented illustrations of Flora and the Flamingo are simple and sparse, without there being all that much busyness and/or detail shown (in fact, one only ever does see Flora and the Flamingo). And for me, personally, as someone who has never been all that graceful and with a prima ballerina type of physique, I also do oh so much appreciate that young bathing suit, swim cap and flipper clad Flora (for I guess Flora and the Flamingo is supposed to take place at a beach) is shown not as lithe and willowy, not as a typical long legged and stunningly slender and beautiful ballerina, but as a little girl with a bit of a rounded belly area (much less visually intimidating to and for those of us who do not by nature have a perfect dancing, a perfect ballet type of figure). But even with the latter, even with Flora not looking like a tall and slender ballerina, both Flora and her flamingo dancing opponent (and later dancing partner) are visually stunning and show the epitome of grace and beauty, a perfect visual treat and treasure in every way (and yes, I actually have been much much more charmed by Flora and the Flamingo precisely because young Flora is depicted as a graceful dancer without the necessity of having her appear as some type of goddess of ballet with regard to her physical appearance, for it has always tended to bother me a bit that in most picture books about ballet and dancing, the main protagonists are generally depicted as being individuals whom I could never look like even if I tried, and yes, also as individuals who would most likely have poked nasty fun at my physique when I was forced to attend ballet lessons as a child, an experience that was anything but pleasant).
And thus, even for someone like myself (who tends to be at best a bit ho-hum with regard to wordless picture books), Molly Idle's delightful and simple (read easily understood and visually followed) illustrations (and although the pictures are entirely pink hued, with a few splashes of yellow, not therefore really in any way my favourite colour combination by any stretch of the imagination) have been a wonderful and lovely reading (or rather "viewing") experience, and I do highly and glowingly, warmly recommend Flora and the Flamingo (and by the way, to truly enhance the entire experience of Flora and the Flamingo a bit, I would also suggest doing what I have done, namely playing some classical ballet music such as Tchaikovsky's Swan Lake or Chopin's Les Sylphides in the background). Four stars (and I can certainly both understand and also much appreciate the Caldecott Honour designation for the engaging and uplifting pictorial images of Flora and the flamingo dancing).
January 25, 2013
Did you know that flamingos are pink because of their diet of plankton? Did you know that the flamingo is the national bird of the Bahamas? And did you know that when it comes to a pas de chat or a particularly fine jetée, no bird exceeds the flamingo in terms of balletic prowess? No? Then you’re clearly not reading the right literature these days. Now, before you get to thinking too hard about it, let me assure you that when I discuss a book like Flora and the Flamingo I should right off the bat say that this is NOT a book about a bird that wants to be a ballerina and must overcomes obstacles to achieve that goal. That is, without a doubt, the most common storyline in ballet picture books today. I would not review such a book as that. No, Flora and the Flamingo is notable because it is a perfect amalgamation of wordless storytelling, likable (or at least understandable) characters, and an artistic sensibility that will make you forget its unique formatting and remind you only of the classic picture book days of yore. So forget what flamingos eat. Are you getting enough flamingo picture books in YOUR diet? If not, time to start.
A single flamingo lands and perches on one leg beneath the falling pink blossoms. It does not notice the single flippered foot that appears behind it nor, at first, the bathing suited little girl that mimics his stance. But when he starts to stretch (or is he dancing?) he can’t help but see how she tries to imitate him, wing for wing. In a moment of cussidness he bleats at her, causing her to tumble head over heel into the water. Chastened, the flamingo offers a wing and the two embark on a fantastic dance, culminating in a joyous leap into the water and an elegant bow and curtsey.
Idle has the mark of the animator all over her. It’s a style of drawing you’ll find in the works of folks like Tony Fucile or Carter Goodrich. You can recognize an animator pretty easily right from the start. They tend to have very expressive protagonists. Take Flora, for example. Though at first she attempts to keep her face relatively placid, as the book goes on, a variety of emotions flit across her punim. From a miserable (mouthless) hurt glare to a skeptical raised eyebrow, to gentle trust, and, finally, pure pleasure. The white background sort of clinches it. Kirkus, in their review, said that there is a "courageous use of white space" in this book, and I have to agree. Yet for all that she has an animator’s heart, Idle avoids the pitfalls that have felled many from her field that have come before her. I’m talking about storyboarding. The laziest kind of picture book is the kind that feels like it began life as a serious of quick sketches tacked up on a wall somewhere. Storyboarding has its place in the world, but it is not an effective way to map out a picture book. There has to be a flow and a relationship between the pages. You have to know that by turning one you’re advancing the story right there. Idle achieves that feeling, and the reward is a tale that is as emotional as it is visual.
Idle does something particularly striking with the book that many an early 21st century reader might notice. Flora is certainly an everygirl, and in no way is that more evident than her weight. I am sorry to report that in the children’s book world, if a character is plus sized or larger than average, that will usually be the sole focus of their tale. The everyday adventures of kids that don’t look like walking popsicle sticks are nigh unto impossible to find sometimes. The nice thing about this book is that unless you want to interpret it as an exercise book (don’t) it isn’t about Flora’s pear-shaped body. Now if one were feeling somewhat cynical they might suspect that Idle is using her heroine’s weight to make her comical. I don’t think that’s really the case. Certainly the contrast between her and the flamingo is set off by their different appearances (more on that soon), but you could also argue that by giving her heroine a little more meat on her bones, Idle makes Flora easier to identify with. There are lots of overweight kids in America right now. Seems to me it shouldn’t be too hard to give them a happy dancing kid hero. Remember the "No Rain" by Blind Melon music video? It's like that.
The unspoken (ha ha - there are no words in this book) irony here is the fact that flamingos are not usually considered unusually graceful birds. There’s a skinny gawkiness about them, and Idle makes use of that gawkiness to contrast her feathered hero with the very different awkwardness of the girl. Where he is all knobby knees and thin curled neck, she is circles and smiles. His elegant pink feet bear nothing in common with her ginormous brown flippers. This dichotomy is the striking difference that gives the book its visual kick in the pants. The white background and pink apple blossom-like flowers that frame the edges of the pages are perfectly suited to focus your attention on the bird and the girl. The flaps are just the icing on the cake.
I probably should have mentioned it before, but Flora and the Flamingo is actually a lift-the-flap picture book. If you want a fun exercise in clever book design, read just the pages with the flaps. You’ll see that at first Flora’s flap and the flamingo’s are on opposite pages with the flamingo directly in the center of his page and Flora’s flap slightly closer to the flamingo’s page. Skip ahead and you’ll see that Flora has traversed the gutter (the area found between pages) and suddenly her flap is touching the flamingo’s (no wonder he gets tetchy!). After he hurts her feelings the flaps are as far from one another as they can be. The flamingo makes good and for the first time the two characters share a single, large flap. They dance and it all builds up to a gatefold in the book that can be opened to reveal the two cannonballing happily into the water. Beautifully done.
I could get a lot of good out of this book with kids, I can see it now. First up, it would pair amusingly with another make-a-flamingo-your-buddy book, You WILL Be My Friend by Peter Brown. As a ballet book, this title is also rather excellent. You can actually name the steps from time to time. I suppose if you absolutely had to you could even argue for this as an exercise book, but that’s pushing it. At its heart, Flora and the Flamingo is just an unassuming little story about making a friend. There’s nothing very complicated about that idea. It’s just all in how you present it, baby. Consider this one book that’s not afraid to let clever (yet essentially simple) design and good art do the heavy lifting.
For ages 3-7.
A single flamingo lands and perches on one leg beneath the falling pink blossoms. It does not notice the single flippered foot that appears behind it nor, at first, the bathing suited little girl that mimics his stance. But when he starts to stretch (or is he dancing?) he can’t help but see how she tries to imitate him, wing for wing. In a moment of cussidness he bleats at her, causing her to tumble head over heel into the water. Chastened, the flamingo offers a wing and the two embark on a fantastic dance, culminating in a joyous leap into the water and an elegant bow and curtsey.
Idle has the mark of the animator all over her. It’s a style of drawing you’ll find in the works of folks like Tony Fucile or Carter Goodrich. You can recognize an animator pretty easily right from the start. They tend to have very expressive protagonists. Take Flora, for example. Though at first she attempts to keep her face relatively placid, as the book goes on, a variety of emotions flit across her punim. From a miserable (mouthless) hurt glare to a skeptical raised eyebrow, to gentle trust, and, finally, pure pleasure. The white background sort of clinches it. Kirkus, in their review, said that there is a "courageous use of white space" in this book, and I have to agree. Yet for all that she has an animator’s heart, Idle avoids the pitfalls that have felled many from her field that have come before her. I’m talking about storyboarding. The laziest kind of picture book is the kind that feels like it began life as a serious of quick sketches tacked up on a wall somewhere. Storyboarding has its place in the world, but it is not an effective way to map out a picture book. There has to be a flow and a relationship between the pages. You have to know that by turning one you’re advancing the story right there. Idle achieves that feeling, and the reward is a tale that is as emotional as it is visual.
Idle does something particularly striking with the book that many an early 21st century reader might notice. Flora is certainly an everygirl, and in no way is that more evident than her weight. I am sorry to report that in the children’s book world, if a character is plus sized or larger than average, that will usually be the sole focus of their tale. The everyday adventures of kids that don’t look like walking popsicle sticks are nigh unto impossible to find sometimes. The nice thing about this book is that unless you want to interpret it as an exercise book (don’t) it isn’t about Flora’s pear-shaped body. Now if one were feeling somewhat cynical they might suspect that Idle is using her heroine’s weight to make her comical. I don’t think that’s really the case. Certainly the contrast between her and the flamingo is set off by their different appearances (more on that soon), but you could also argue that by giving her heroine a little more meat on her bones, Idle makes Flora easier to identify with. There are lots of overweight kids in America right now. Seems to me it shouldn’t be too hard to give them a happy dancing kid hero. Remember the "No Rain" by Blind Melon music video? It's like that.
The unspoken (ha ha - there are no words in this book) irony here is the fact that flamingos are not usually considered unusually graceful birds. There’s a skinny gawkiness about them, and Idle makes use of that gawkiness to contrast her feathered hero with the very different awkwardness of the girl. Where he is all knobby knees and thin curled neck, she is circles and smiles. His elegant pink feet bear nothing in common with her ginormous brown flippers. This dichotomy is the striking difference that gives the book its visual kick in the pants. The white background and pink apple blossom-like flowers that frame the edges of the pages are perfectly suited to focus your attention on the bird and the girl. The flaps are just the icing on the cake.
I probably should have mentioned it before, but Flora and the Flamingo is actually a lift-the-flap picture book. If you want a fun exercise in clever book design, read just the pages with the flaps. You’ll see that at first Flora’s flap and the flamingo’s are on opposite pages with the flamingo directly in the center of his page and Flora’s flap slightly closer to the flamingo’s page. Skip ahead and you’ll see that Flora has traversed the gutter (the area found between pages) and suddenly her flap is touching the flamingo’s (no wonder he gets tetchy!). After he hurts her feelings the flaps are as far from one another as they can be. The flamingo makes good and for the first time the two characters share a single, large flap. They dance and it all builds up to a gatefold in the book that can be opened to reveal the two cannonballing happily into the water. Beautifully done.
I could get a lot of good out of this book with kids, I can see it now. First up, it would pair amusingly with another make-a-flamingo-your-buddy book, You WILL Be My Friend by Peter Brown. As a ballet book, this title is also rather excellent. You can actually name the steps from time to time. I suppose if you absolutely had to you could even argue for this as an exercise book, but that’s pushing it. At its heart, Flora and the Flamingo is just an unassuming little story about making a friend. There’s nothing very complicated about that idea. It’s just all in how you present it, baby. Consider this one book that’s not afraid to let clever (yet essentially simple) design and good art do the heavy lifting.
For ages 3-7.
October 4, 2020
A dance between a flamingo and a girl attired in her bathing suit and cap and flippers is gracefully and beautifully illustrated. Without words and using flaps the pair seamlessly synchronize their steps leaving a glow in your heart. Molly Idle initially worked as an artist for DreamWorks.
October 13, 2018
I had seen this book many times, of course, but had not read it until we bought a copy this week. Molly was in Salt Lake for her new book, Pearl, and I had met her and brought my daughter to her signing, and decided on a whim to get this, too. (I am trying to collect all the Caldecott books!)
So darling! The story (its wordless, but the story is clear) is a delight and the illustrations are gorgeous! We love it!
So darling! The story (its wordless, but the story is clear) is a delight and the illustrations are gorgeous! We love it!
November 22, 2019
The little flaps are a fun touch, but the book would still be great without them. I am at best a superficially informed art fan, but the lines here, the curves, the way a small child and a flamingo are shown moving together, this is stuff to make me swoon. I would never have guessed that it was possible to render dance so well on the page.
Library copy
Library copy
October 30, 2019
Flora and her flamingo friend dance across the pages of this lovely wordless picture-book from former Disney animator Molly Idle. Gracefully in sync at the beginning, they are briefly separated when Flamingo's joke leads to a tumble for Flora. Fortunately this pink avian dancer knows how to win over his little-girl partner, and hurt feelings are soon forgotten.
Awarded a Caldecott Honor in 2014, Flora and the Flamingo features delightfully expressive artwork that perfectly captures the back and forth of two dance partners and friends. The inclusion of flaps adds to the storytelling rather than just providing an interactive feature to entertain. The before and after, above and beneath the flaps, heightens the sense of motion on the page, building the reader's sense of observing a moving tableau. I like the pink color scheme, despite not generally caring for pink, and found both bird and girl endearing. I appreciated the fact that Flora has a rather rotund little body, appropriate for a young child, rather than the overly-thin ones that are more often seen. I also like the Flamingo's rather smirking smile. Recommended to fans of wordless picture-books, and to young dancer-lovers.
Awarded a Caldecott Honor in 2014, Flora and the Flamingo features delightfully expressive artwork that perfectly captures the back and forth of two dance partners and friends. The inclusion of flaps adds to the storytelling rather than just providing an interactive feature to entertain. The before and after, above and beneath the flaps, heightens the sense of motion on the page, building the reader's sense of observing a moving tableau. I like the pink color scheme, despite not generally caring for pink, and found both bird and girl endearing. I appreciated the fact that Flora has a rather rotund little body, appropriate for a young child, rather than the overly-thin ones that are more often seen. I also like the Flamingo's rather smirking smile. Recommended to fans of wordless picture-books, and to young dancer-lovers.
January 31, 2013
There are oh so many ballet books out there for little ballerinas who look for tulle and pointe shoes. So it was with that bias and perhaps a cringe or two that I opened this book. Inside it’s very pink cover is a very pink world that is pure pink fabulousness! In this wordless book, Flora meets the flamingo and immediately imitates its stance and attitude. Then the flamingo launches into a dance that Flora struggles to match in her swimcap and flippers. It all goes well until Flora loses her footing and flops into the water. What happens next speaks to what friends should do when they see someone take a flop. Start again with plenty of support. All this with no words!
Idle has a stunning simplicity in this book. It has the draw of flaps to open, but that is all about the dance and the movement. There is a pleasure in lengthening the dance by having the two of them dance movements again and again by opening and closing the flaps. It turns readers into storytellers in a way that is engaging and free, just as this entire book is throughout.
I love Flora and her lack of tulle and ballet outfit. Instead wearing her swim gear, she is able to mimic the flamingo all the better. It takes the emphasis off of the clothes of ballet and back to the dance itself. Now all children need is a friendly flamingo. Appropriate for ages 3-5.
Idle has a stunning simplicity in this book. It has the draw of flaps to open, but that is all about the dance and the movement. There is a pleasure in lengthening the dance by having the two of them dance movements again and again by opening and closing the flaps. It turns readers into storytellers in a way that is engaging and free, just as this entire book is throughout.
I love Flora and her lack of tulle and ballet outfit. Instead wearing her swim gear, she is able to mimic the flamingo all the better. It takes the emphasis off of the clothes of ballet and back to the dance itself. Now all children need is a friendly flamingo. Appropriate for ages 3-5.
December 10, 2014
zzzzzzzzzzzz Boring! I really don't care for books with no words. Sometimes they can be amazing and this one was just boring. First, I don't care for pink so that was a turn off...the flaps and the book are going to get destroyed in our library but someone is going to find the 'peek a boo surprise' a kick. I didn't think the girl mirroring the flamingo was all the interesting. Having said that, My Co-worker loved it, so everyone has their own opinions!
October 13, 2016
Ok, now I get it. I read Flora and the Peacocks first, and wasn't at all charmed. This is somewhat more interesting to me. I still don't understand the point of the flaps, as opposed to another page, unless it's that the reader is supposed to flip back and forth more than once? Still a very simple tale, with art that appeals, I'm sure, more to dancers and artists than to me. But still, I have no desire to read more in the series.
March 4, 2023
I could not get my hands on any of the other Caldecott awards for preparing for the YSL meeting Thursday. This is a wordless book which was a great idea. Words would have gotten in the way of this story. I did not buy for many branches...only about 13 or so, because I was aware from the reviews that this was a popup flap book. It isn't going to last a long time most likely. However, it is a delightful paean to creativity and joy! A little girl tries to imitate a flamingo who is rather annoyed at first. But when the little girl gets discouraged, the flamingo has a change of heart and they both start doing poses and dance steps. This is simply a delight. The story is minimal, but you could use it and have the kids tell you the story in story time among many other possibilities. Simply a delight! 2014 Caldecott Honor Award.
Addendum: I was fortunate to meet the author, her Mom and her sister at ALA. They are the most delightful people. And people, guess where they were staying for the ALA convention in Vegas? Why, the Flamingo hotel of course!
Addendum: I was fortunate to meet the author, her Mom and her sister at ALA. They are the most delightful people. And people, guess where they were staying for the ALA convention in Vegas? Why, the Flamingo hotel of course!
August 2, 2013
Flora and the Flamingo comes without any words, but contains plenty of story just waiting for a child to discover it. Flora does her best to imitate a flamingo, both in her attire and her actions. The flamingo, noticing her and apparently disapproving, contorts into increasingly difficult poses until Flora topples. Then, noting her distress and feeling apologetic, the flamingo enters into a duet with Flora to finish out the book. The illustrations are simple but elegantly crafted. Ample white space, framed by trees and blossoms, focus attention on the characters and remove any background distractions. It is easy to follow the emotions on the faces and in the body language of both characters. Perhaps the nicest touch is the yellow of Flora's bathing cap, which keeps the book from being too pink. This book will appeal to a wide range of readers from preschool and adult. It is particularly suited to young children who do not want to be confined to a story with words, but would rather use their imaginations to tell their own story.
July 1, 2015
I love wordless books. This is gorgeous, elegant with flaps that help create movement and texture. Idle is a former Dreamworks animator. You can tell. But this work she does NOT in collaboration, so more spare, sweeter, quieter than Dreamworks projects! :)
January 11, 2013
Wearing a pink bathing suit, Flora encounters a pink flamingo at the beach. Both notice the other one, and Flora tries to copy the bird's poses and moves. Things don't always go well for Flora since she can't move in the same way the flamingo does, which leads to her taking a spill. With gentle nudging, she gets back up and tries some new moves. Young readers will enjoy comparing the two dancers and laugh at the surprising friendship that springs up between unlikely friends in this wordless picture book. I especially liked the emotions that are shown on the characters' faces and through their posture. The lift-and-look flaps are fun too since they offer hints about the characters.
October 15, 2017
This book is very pink. If it came in movie form it would make a cute Pixar short. As it is, while I enjoyed the last fold-out flap, I found flaps an odd choice in this case, especially given all the white space that already exists. Plus several of them were situated close enough to the spine that they would be (actually, have been -- I feel bad being the first one to check out our library's copy) easily creased or crushed if a toddler ever got their hands on it -- the paper is even flimsier than Where's Spot?.
March 29, 2013
These lovely pink stylized illustrations make me want to eat sorbet and dance. One of the better no word books I have seen in quite some time. The mimicry between Flora and the Flamingo is priceless and young children will get the whole comedy of immitation and play between these two friends.
Minor complaint with the book design - I think the flaps will get chewed, ripped, and pulled off pretty quickly.
Still a fun fun book. And finally something that is pink that is not just designed for little girls and the high volume of sales that come with that color.
Minor complaint with the book design - I think the flaps will get chewed, ripped, and pulled off pretty quickly.
Still a fun fun book. And finally something that is pink that is not just designed for little girls and the high volume of sales that come with that color.
December 20, 2014
This book is just too cute for words!!! The fact that it is wordless allows readers to interpret the actions, reactions and interactions between Flora and the Flamingo she wishes so desperately to dance with. The illustrations are just adorable, simple yet elegant, detailed but not overwhelming. Children will see a reluctant relationship bloom into a wonderful friendship.
October 4, 2016
Children's Book
*2014 Caldecort Winner*
A delightful picture book illustrating a flamingo's graceful, ballet-like moves, and the little girl who tries to copy them. The smaller flip downs on the pages add to the tale of the little girl struggling to attain the flamingo's graceful movements.
I loved this clever and feel-good book.
*2014 Caldecort Winner*
A delightful picture book illustrating a flamingo's graceful, ballet-like moves, and the little girl who tries to copy them. The smaller flip downs on the pages add to the tale of the little girl struggling to attain the flamingo's graceful movements.
I loved this clever and feel-good book.
February 2, 2016
Such a wonderful story, even without words. The art was beautiful!
January 30, 2021
Flora and the Flamingo is a simple wordless picturebook about making friends and unlikely ballet partners.
The story is whimsical and sweet, I guess. Personally, I felt rather indifferent.
I do, however, love the illustrations: so warm, gentle, elegant, dynamic, expressive, spare... and the flaps create a cinematic effect:
The story is whimsical and sweet, I guess. Personally, I felt rather indifferent.
I do, however, love the illustrations: so warm, gentle, elegant, dynamic, expressive, spare... and the flaps create a cinematic effect:
January 5, 2016
Through her beautiful Caldecott Honor book, Flora and the Flamingo, and the equally gorgeous sequel, Flora and the Penguin, former DreamWorks Animation artist Molly Idle explores the theme of friendship - with all the ups and downs that that implies.
As a young girl befriends a dancing flamingo in the first book and an ice-skating penguin in the second, the reader is invited to consider the complexities of friendship through simple yet powerful illustrations. We find, of course, that this means beauty, joy, and the thrill of connecting, but Flora also discovers that friendships demand humility, selfless giving, and forgiveness as well. After all, when befriending others, things aren't always as harmonious as a dance or as smooth sailing as an ice skating routine. Sometimes there are unexpected slips and sometimes there are painful misunderstandings. When this happens, feelings will inevitably be hurt as the synchronization becomes bumpy.
What adds to the wonder of these books is the fact that they are completely wordless. These themes are all conveyed, clearly and emotionally, through the illustrations alone. Both books take advantage of white space and minimal color to highlight the characters and events, with just a bit of cherry blossoms or ice water on the page edges to just set the stage. The pastel palettes add to the tentative feeling of outreach and vulnerability, as well as create perfect seasonal impressions.
The books also make ingenious use of interactive flaps to more effectively tell the stories. Children especially will enjoy flipping down the pictures to reveal a new and connected one underneath. This technique truly gives the reader a wonderful sense of fluid emotions and flowing movements.
Despite the missteps they encounter, Flora and her feathery friends navigate the complicated dance of friendship in these beautiful and meaningful books, and so teach young and old readers alike about the give and take, the back and forth, and the mutual cooperation necessary for relationships.
Reviewed on my blog: http://discoverbookjoy.wix.com/childr...
As a young girl befriends a dancing flamingo in the first book and an ice-skating penguin in the second, the reader is invited to consider the complexities of friendship through simple yet powerful illustrations. We find, of course, that this means beauty, joy, and the thrill of connecting, but Flora also discovers that friendships demand humility, selfless giving, and forgiveness as well. After all, when befriending others, things aren't always as harmonious as a dance or as smooth sailing as an ice skating routine. Sometimes there are unexpected slips and sometimes there are painful misunderstandings. When this happens, feelings will inevitably be hurt as the synchronization becomes bumpy.
What adds to the wonder of these books is the fact that they are completely wordless. These themes are all conveyed, clearly and emotionally, through the illustrations alone. Both books take advantage of white space and minimal color to highlight the characters and events, with just a bit of cherry blossoms or ice water on the page edges to just set the stage. The pastel palettes add to the tentative feeling of outreach and vulnerability, as well as create perfect seasonal impressions.
The books also make ingenious use of interactive flaps to more effectively tell the stories. Children especially will enjoy flipping down the pictures to reveal a new and connected one underneath. This technique truly gives the reader a wonderful sense of fluid emotions and flowing movements.
Despite the missteps they encounter, Flora and her feathery friends navigate the complicated dance of friendship in these beautiful and meaningful books, and so teach young and old readers alike about the give and take, the back and forth, and the mutual cooperation necessary for relationships.
Reviewed on my blog: http://discoverbookjoy.wix.com/childr...
November 30, 2016
1. Summary: Flora and the Flamingo Is about a young girl and a flamingo that learn to dance with each other. At first it's hard for them to do this synchronized dance, but they end up doing great together!
2. grade level: 1-2
3. classroom use: I think this is just a book I would keep on my book shelf. It a silly book that has great pictures, which i think students will love.
4. Students who might benefit: Students who love dancing or enjoy vibrant pictures would really enjoy this book.
5. Small group: I wouldn't use this book in small group.
6. Whole class: I would read this book aloud in a class for transitions.
7. Related books: "Flora and the Penguin"
8. Multimedia: 1. Summary: Journey is about a young girl who goes through a magic door, leaves her boring home, and discovers danger and adventure in a different realm. She gets captured and you will have to read in order to see if she gets back home!
2. grade: 3-5
3. Classroom use: I think this would be a great example of when talking about fiction. I would read this book to students and allow them to create their own fiction story. They can make up their own characters and learn how to write their very own book.
4. Individual students who might benefit: Children who enjoy fiction and adventurous books would love this book!
5. Small group use: I would not use this book in small groups.
6. Whole class use: I would read this book aloud as an example of fiction before during our project.
7. Related books: "Narnia" "Quest" "Return"
8. Multimedia: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9f7HT...
2. grade level: 1-2
3. classroom use: I think this is just a book I would keep on my book shelf. It a silly book that has great pictures, which i think students will love.
4. Students who might benefit: Students who love dancing or enjoy vibrant pictures would really enjoy this book.
5. Small group: I wouldn't use this book in small group.
6. Whole class: I would read this book aloud in a class for transitions.
7. Related books: "Flora and the Penguin"
8. Multimedia: 1. Summary: Journey is about a young girl who goes through a magic door, leaves her boring home, and discovers danger and adventure in a different realm. She gets captured and you will have to read in order to see if she gets back home!
2. grade: 3-5
3. Classroom use: I think this would be a great example of when talking about fiction. I would read this book to students and allow them to create their own fiction story. They can make up their own characters and learn how to write their very own book.
4. Individual students who might benefit: Children who enjoy fiction and adventurous books would love this book!
5. Small group use: I would not use this book in small groups.
6. Whole class use: I would read this book aloud as an example of fiction before during our project.
7. Related books: "Narnia" "Quest" "Return"
8. Multimedia: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9f7HT...
February 11, 2016
The author imagines a wordless encounter between a lithe, sultry flamingo and an adorable, pudgy, little girl in a bathing suit, swim cap, and flippers. The plot of the book is very simple: in a series of movements, Flora copies the movements of the flamingo poses. Flora does her best to mimic her model though her movements are awkward. The book has its humorous moments when Flora begins to model her movements of the flamingo's, unbeknownst to the model. A series of stumbles draws a sharp reaction from the flamingo and a sulk from Flora, but the flamingo relents and the two collaborate on a graceful duet that ends with a joyous flourish. I read this picture book as an ebook but I'm told that it has inset flaps which adds drama by revealing new poses. My copy of the book instead had a linear progression of the movements that showed Flora's increase of self esteem and confidence. I do plan on picking up the actual book to see how the flipping of the insets works and enhances the reading experience since I really enjoyed reading this book.
February 14, 2018
This wordless book with interactive flaps is a 2014 Caldecott Honor Book and the first in a series of books about Flora and the different feathered friends she interacts with.
Flora and the Flamingo is the story of a curious little dancer that wants to mimic the graceful movements of a reluctant Flamingo. The Flamingo at first is reluctant and annoyed with Flora, but then realizes that all she wants is to move like him. From here their dance and friendship emerge.
The illustrations in this book are elegant and whimsical, and the interactive flaps leave the reader guessing what will happen next. The illustrations are done on a white backdrop, therefore making Flora and the Flamingo the focal point of each page. By doing this, the author makes you pay close attention to body language and facial expressions which are key in truly enjoying this wonderful story.
I would recommend this books to students in grade P-1, and would use it to teach inferring and making predictions, the use and analysis of illustrations to tell a story, and retelling.
Flora and the Flamingo is the story of a curious little dancer that wants to mimic the graceful movements of a reluctant Flamingo. The Flamingo at first is reluctant and annoyed with Flora, but then realizes that all she wants is to move like him. From here their dance and friendship emerge.
The illustrations in this book are elegant and whimsical, and the interactive flaps leave the reader guessing what will happen next. The illustrations are done on a white backdrop, therefore making Flora and the Flamingo the focal point of each page. By doing this, the author makes you pay close attention to body language and facial expressions which are key in truly enjoying this wonderful story.
I would recommend this books to students in grade P-1, and would use it to teach inferring and making predictions, the use and analysis of illustrations to tell a story, and retelling.
November 11, 2015
Flora is so sweet. Flamingo is so elegant.
Flora gets closer to him. She imitates him.
They meet. They agree. They disagree. They communicate in a beautiful danced friendship.
Flora and the Flamingo is different from many picture books I have read. It's simple and beautiful. Wordless, the story is told through the body language of this two adorable characters. It made me feel like dancing!
There's two more books in this series: Flora and the Penguin (2014), and Flora and the Peacocks (expected publication May 2016). I'm eager to take a look at both of them.
Age range: 4 to 8 years old.
Check out more children's book reviews in my Reviews in Chalk Blog!
Flora gets closer to him. She imitates him.
They meet. They agree. They disagree. They communicate in a beautiful danced friendship.
Flora and the Flamingo is different from many picture books I have read. It's simple and beautiful. Wordless, the story is told through the body language of this two adorable characters. It made me feel like dancing!
There's two more books in this series: Flora and the Penguin (2014), and Flora and the Peacocks (expected publication May 2016). I'm eager to take a look at both of them.
Age range: 4 to 8 years old.
Check out more children's book reviews in my Reviews in Chalk Blog!
December 29, 2014
I work in education, so I have had A LOT of picture books and I have moved A LOT of picture books from one classroom to the another, from one building to another and I have grown a very thick skin for picture books and gotten ride of A LOT of picture books because I'm sick of boxing and moving them. Now that I've established my creds......
This is one of the few picture books that I've bought for myself (with no educational purpose) in a long while. It is so pretty and so quiet. Not just because it's wordless, but because of the white space, the placement of the hidden/lift the flap drawings, the lightness of the drawings themselves. I mean Steven Kellog does wordless books too, but they are not quiet. They're pretty loud actually.
The characters are sweet, the story is sweet, but mostly I love the illustrations and the lay out and the overall effect.
This is one of the few picture books that I've bought for myself (with no educational purpose) in a long while. It is so pretty and so quiet. Not just because it's wordless, but because of the white space, the placement of the hidden/lift the flap drawings, the lightness of the drawings themselves. I mean Steven Kellog does wordless books too, but they are not quiet. They're pretty loud actually.
The characters are sweet, the story is sweet, but mostly I love the illustrations and the lay out and the overall effect.
January 28, 2018
I found this book on the Association for Library Service to Children: Caldecott Medal & Honor Books, 1938-Present. This book is one of the Honor Books of 2014. It is an innovative wordless picture book with interactive flaps. A little girl likes to dance and every post she does is the same as a flamingo until one day she fall on to the ground and she became upset. The flamingo invites her to dance together and they become friends. This book is for pre-k to second grade. I literally could have discussions with the students at every single page since there is no dictations in the story. There is no right or wrong answer and students have to use their imaginations as well as some life experiences for this story. This is a perfect book for students who wants to learn how to dance. The illustrations are warm and delightful using mainly pink and white colors.
January 17, 2015
I retrieved my professional review from the Omaha Public Library from:
Yelena Alekseyeva-Popova, formerly at Chappaqua Library, NY (c) Copyright 2013. Library Journals LLC, a wholly owned subsidiary of Media Source, Inc
http://omaha.bibliocommons.com/item/s...
The School Library Journal review compares Flora and the Flamingo to an animated short. I had the same thought as my first grade daughter and I lifted each flap moving the story forward. The review also notes the minimalistic yet “delicate” illustrations that my daughter and I found attractive in the first place. In all, the book is great for children who are especially spatial and into aesthetics.
Yelena Alekseyeva-Popova, formerly at Chappaqua Library, NY (c) Copyright 2013. Library Journals LLC, a wholly owned subsidiary of Media Source, Inc
http://omaha.bibliocommons.com/item/s...
The School Library Journal review compares Flora and the Flamingo to an animated short. I had the same thought as my first grade daughter and I lifted each flap moving the story forward. The review also notes the minimalistic yet “delicate” illustrations that my daughter and I found attractive in the first place. In all, the book is great for children who are especially spatial and into aesthetics.
May 1, 2015
Flora and the Flamingo illustrated by Molly Idle is a 2014 Caldecott Honor Book. It is a wordless picture book, yet it tells an amazing story. The illustrations guide your imagination to watch a unique friendship form. At first it does not seem like the flamingo is willing to befriend the girl. However, as her character grows on the flamingo, they have an enjoyable time as dancing partners. This book would be great to help young children work on writing and expanding their imagination. Children can write their own words for this story, have names for the characters and share their ideas with their peers. The illustrations are beautiful and the flaps in the book add a little fun for the reader!
February 5, 2017
Flora and the Flamingo is a wordless book illustrated by Molly Idle. The flaps you open to see their next move draw you into the story even more. It is a journey of friendship between a flamingo and a little girl, that starts out rocky and grows into something of mutual appreciation. The illustrations are simple, lighthearted and yet still manage to convey the emotion and personality of the two characters. Cute story and fun artwork! Illustrator Project Book
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