Eliza Wren and the Multicoloured Peacock

Eliza Wren and the Multicoloured Peacock is a fairy tale aimed at children of primary school age and is a gentle introduction to empowerment. Eliza is the strong and kind voice of reason in an enchanting tale that battles the issues of exclusion, ignorance and standing up for what is right, all the while imbued within the magic of the moors and the incredible creatures that live within them. One such creature being Mop, a multicoloured peacock who Eliza must help to realise his own self-worth and to take pride in his different feathers, whilst also initiating change within his home from which he ran away-The Forest of Feathers.

It is here Eliza witnesses complacency with an ignorant leader and embarks on an adventure to prove that ‘different’ should never mean unequal. I have never illustrated Eliza nor described her physical features and I envisage this continuing throughout her other stories. The issues she confronts could be experienced by anyone, therefore I feel it imperative that she appeal to all audiences-giving any child from any background the opportunity to visualise themselves as the hero.

Reviews

  • "I liked a lot of things about this book but I especially liked the illustrations and all the lessons that you can learn, like kindness, bravery and leadership. I would recommend this book to kids of all ages."

    Erin, aged 8

  • "My daughter and I loved this beautifully written book. I really enjoyed how timeless the style of writing is, it reminded me of classic children's stories (almost Enid Blyton-like). The importance of celebrating differences is wonderfully portrayed through the magical characters and my daughter was enthralled throughout."

    Hayley, Erin’s mum

  • It is a children's story written with clear morals, particularly the importance of self-belief and benevolence in leadership...The physical illustrations are a feast for the eyes; they are beautifully finished, expressing movement and mysticism. The short chapters and concise overall story lend very well to independent reading for confident primary school age readers or a comforting and companionable read for preteens. This would make a delightful gift for the brave and confident Elizas in our lives and I think I'll need to go and stock up for Christmas gifts! I expect this is merely the beginning of a long authorial career for Jennifer Paul."

    Chris Richards, InCommon Magazine