Dill & Bizzy: An Odd Duck and a Strange Bird

by Nora Ericson, Lisa Ericson (Illustrator)

Overview

Dill is a duck. A perfectly ordinary duck. At least that’s what he thinks. Then he meets Bizzy, a strange bird. Bizzy seems to think that Dill is actually an odd duck! Together, they find that they’re even more extra-ordinary than they could have imagined.

Perfect for anyone who has ever felt a little odd or a tad strange, this delightfully offbeat picture book celebrates the joy of finding a friend who lets you march (or waddle!) to the beat of your own drum.

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9780062304520
Publisher:	HarperCollins
Publication date:	01/26/2016
Pages:	40
Product dimensions:	9.20(w) x 10.10(h) x 0.50(d)
Age Range:	4 - 8 Years

About the Author

Nora Ericson is the author of two picture books about Dill & Bizzy. She is the opposite of her big sister, Lisa, in every way. Well, except that they both grew up in Upstate New York, studied art at Yale University, and now live with their families in Portland, Oregon. But Nora loves olives, and that is very important. If you like olives too, please visit her at www.noraericson.com.

Lisa Ericson is the illustrator of two picture books about Dill & Bizzy. She is definitely the opposite of her little sister, Nora. She loves cheese, turquoise, and Halloween. Oh wait, Nora loves those things, too! But Lisa hates olives, and that is indeed important. If you dislike olives too, please visit her at www.lisaericson.com.

Editorial Reviews

10/05/2015
Dill the duck doesn’t think he’s anything special—not like Bizzy, who suddenly appears on the scene. She’s definitely sui generis, with a scarlet tail fan, quail-like plume on her head, wings like a chicken, a long striped neck, and a face like an ostrich. (She can also yodel.) “I am a strange bird!” she proclaims. Most stories would have Dill learn to let loose under Bizzy’s influence, but the more Dill hangs out with Bizzy, the more she and readers see that he is pretty offbeat too—his many talents include juggling peanuts and riding a unicycle. Yet, in what becomes the book’s refrain, he refuses to pick up on Bizzy’s hints that he is an odd duck, instead insisting that he is “perfectly ordinary.” The Ericsons, a sister act making their debut, introduce some intriguing ideas about self-perception and the way it influences how we carry ourselves in the world. While Dill never owns up to being an “odd duck,” children will be able to read between the lines and recognize that, deep down, we all have our oddities. Ages 4–8. Agent: Sara Crowe, Harvey Klinger. (Jan.)

Publishers Weekly

03/01/2016
PreS-Gr 2—Can an ordinary duck and a strange bird be the best of friends? This question drives the charming debut picture book. Dill, who adamantly proclaims that he is "not an odd duck," meets Bizzy, a strange bird who wishes to be friends with someone equally unusual. Throughout their incredible day of adventuring, including hot dog eating, dancing, and flying loop-the-loops, Dill and Bizzy learn that they are not as different as they first believed. The book explores the idea that everyone is eccentric in their own way by showing that Dill is quite goofy and not as typical as he claims. For example, when Bizzy states that she wishes Dill were an odd duck so they could go on a bike ride, Dill instead pulls out a unicycle. The action follows the same pattern, with Bizzy wishing to do an activity and Dill defying her expectations by doing it in his own way. This element of repetition in the simple, humorous text helps make it an effective read-aloud. Cartoon-inspired illustrations, with a bright palette of turquoise, pink, and yellow, convey motion and movement throughout Dill and Bizzy's adventure-filled day. VERDICT A sweet and buoyant tale of friendship that celebrates being different and shows that everybody is a bit strange deep down.—Kathryn Justus, New Hartford Public School Library, CT

School Library Journal

2015-09-21
Despite initial appearances, a regular duck and a flamboyant bird have a lot in common. Bizzy, an avowed "strange bird," lands in Dill's fountain with a splash, announcing they could be friends if he were an "odd duck." Dill confirms he's just an "ordinary duck," but when Bizzy tells him an odd duck would ride bicycles with her, he jumps on a unicycle. When Bizzy suggests Dill could lunch with her at the pretzel stand if he were an odd duck, he treats her to lunch at the hot dog stand. When Bizzy wants Dill to fly loop-the-loops with her, he executes his own swoops. When Bizzy wants Dill to yodel, he quacks. When she wants him to boogie, he does his duck dance. When she invites Dill to balance bagels on his bill, he juggles peanuts. After a sensational, fun-filled day together, Dill eventually concludes he may be a "tiny bit" odd, while Bizzy decides Dill may just be "extra-ordinary." Rendered in black lines and a perky palette of aqua, red, and yellow, the comic, action-packed illustrations capture the extravagant antics of one amazing duck and one equally amazing bird from dramatic visual perspectives. Not-so-opposites attract in an exuberant, eccentric tale of emerging BFFs. (Picture book. 4-8)

Kirkus Reviews