In this endearing children's story, the author engages kids through an entertaining book that reveals important insights about character and important life choices. As we meet Phillip, the not so pleasant pheasant, we watch as this unruly character travels through the woods, making not so nice comments to his animal friends. With each friendly character he encounters, readers begin to see that while Phillip is beautiful on the outside, his poor attitude makes him ugly on the inside. With each woodland creature he meets, he continues on with his rude comments. This behavior lasts a year, but when Phillip is glued to a bucket and in need of rescuing, no one comes to save him. Attempting to free himself, he destroys the feathers that he once believed made him beautiful and better than the other characters. As he sits with his beauty stripped from him, he is visited by the very same woodland creatures he mocked. Instead of finding hostility, Phillip is overwhelmed by the kindness shown to him. It is in that moment, that Phillip learns a very valuable lesson; it isn't how we look that makes us important. As children navigate through the story, they will begin to understand that how we treat other people, reflects how people view us. This is a must-have book to have on any parents, teachers, and children's bookshelf.
