Cover Image: Delightfully Different Dilly

Delightfully Different Dilly

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Member Reviews

I'm giving this book 2 stars based on the illustrations only. I did not like the book at all. I feel like the message got lost in this book. I feel the author was trying to show it's okay to be different, but that's not the message that was received. In the first page, it said the penguins liked the fact that they were all the same. Then out comes a unique penguin and it is rejected and told to stop being different by the adults. That is terrible. Only when there were other's in trouble and Dilly saved them did he get accepted. Is this really the message we want to send to the children?

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Delightfully Different Dilly by Elizabeth Dale is a cute story about a penguin with physical differences and how it impacts her relationships with other penguins. Themes of recognizing and celebrating differences, friendship, kindness and confidence appear throughout the story, which are fantastic to support lessons about those topics in class. The adorable illustrations will appeal to young readers, and they will connect with Dilly and her actions throughout the story.

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This was a cute children’s book that reminded me a bit of Happy Feet. I liked the way the disability was explained in order for younger children to understand. The kids don’t know or understand the differences in each other until the adults tell them what they are. This rings true in real life as well.

This was a very enlightening and child appropriate book about disability and discrimination for younger readers. I loved the illustrations as well.

Thanks NetGalley and Quarto Publishing Group for the opportunity to review this ARC

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Oh my gosh! I loved this book. And even better, my son adored it too. He loves penguins. It made him so sad when dilly was being judged for being different. We will definitely be buying this one for our home library! I loved that or teaches diversity.

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I loved this book! It was adorable, and the illustrations were amazing. I love how the baby penguin Dilly accepted his differences, and so did the other babies!

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When you see a book with a cute cover and a cute name, you expect the content to match up. And it sure does in this sweet little book.

As the title suggests, Dilly is a “delightfully different” penguin. Born with only one foot, she uses it to hop rather than waddle. While her young penguin friends find her antics funny and want to copy her distinctive style, the other adults find her a bad influence on their children. As creatures of habit, they appreciate the sameness and the continuation of established protocols. But time shows that being different doesn’t mean being dangerous and that change can be good too.

The story is great for young kids. The moral is excellent. The illustrations are adorable! The vocabulary level is just at the right level for the target readers.

Happily and wholeheartedly recommended.

Thank you, NetGalley and Quarto Publishing Group, for the ARC of the book in exchange for an honest review.

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What a lovely story to read! It’s ok to be different! Such a beautiful way to reach out little ones how to embrace differences and learn about diversity. The illustrations are very cute, I enjoyed the theme of the Antarctic.

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Our family is big into penguins, so this story will be a perfect addition to our family library!

In the story, Delightfully Different Dilly, you meet a young penguin that is different from all the other baby penguins. Dilly was born with only one flipper, so she has to do things differently than the other baby penguins. Sometimes the older penguins make comments about how she's different. However, after a truly Dilly-esk rescue, Dilly finds acceptance and love for just the way she is.

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This was an adorable book teaching kids about acceptance, the strength in all of us and the beauty of unity in diversity. Dilly was born different, does things differently than the average penguin chick yet she's exactly like any other toddler, full of life and laughter.

I adored the artwork and the way it (and the text both) floated through the pages. I like how fluid and interactive a story can get when the text and the artwork are both dynamic. The targeted age group was very clear, so I would definitely recommend this book for purchase.

I also like to add that I adored how the prints appeared in the snow at the endpapers it was such a cute detail to add.

I received an e-arc via Netgalley in exchange for an honest review.

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This is a cute story about Dilly, a penguin born with one leg, All of the other penguins made fun of Dilly and wondered how she would be able to do the things everyone else could do. When the little penguins are stuck in a hole, only Dilly can jump high enough to be seen by their parents, and she saves the day! All of the penguins are more accepting of Dilly's differences, and embrace differences in others as well.

This was a good story, with a great lesson, but reminded me A LOT of the movie Happy Feet. Overall, little kids will like this one!

**Thank you to Quarto Publishing Group and NetGalley for an ARC of this book in exchange for an honest review**

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Dilly is a baby penguin born with only one foot. Her parents find her absolutely perfect. Dilly on the other hand, has to do many things differently to overcome her physical challenge, irking the other penguins who just find her ‘different’. One day however Dilly’s difference turns her into a hero as she saves her friends stuck in a snow hole. A nice comforting read about accepting others for who they are…

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Thank you to the author, Quarto Publishing and NetGalley, for an ARC in exchange for an honest review.

This is a lovely children's book about what being different than "normal" can mean, and that it doesn't mean you're less than. The central message of accepting others and embracing differences is emphasized by the story, and provides a great place to start conversations with children. The only - minor - quibble I have is that I find the illustrations a bit too cutesy.

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I loved this story and so did my son and daughter. The message is beautiful and although my children are still small (4 and almost 3) they understood the message. The illustrations are also very beautiful. I definitely recommend it.

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The hearts of children everywhere will be instantly captivated by the cuteness and delightfulness of Dilly and the other 'babies'. The author has brilliantly woven and subtly crafted an important and essential message within the seemingly straightforward story. Dale turned what some may call "different," into Dilly's strong point and to still have the ability to reach out effectively, benefiting others in fun and frolic, as well as in a more serious happenstance. This is a book I would have definitely wanted to read to my own children!

~Eunice C. - Reviewer/Blogger~

July 2021

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A delightful little story about how being different can be a good thing. Plus it has a disability element that is well handled. Very cute.

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I loved the illustrations! Penguins are always a favorite subject in the primary grades. A fun and engaging way to show how being different is an asset!

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Dilly is an adorable baby penguin who is different from all the others. She was born with an abnormality. She is missing one of her little legs so of course she does things differently than the other baby penguins do. While they waddle everywhere Dilly hops, rolls, twirls, and is able to jump very high using her one strong leg.

The adult penguins worry about Dilly's abilities and point out all of her short-comings which make Dilly very sad. Her friends support her and help celebrate her differences. They accept Dilly exactly as she is. One day Dilly's discrepancies turn her into a Superhero amongst her peers and the adult colony.

The illustrations are beautiful, expressive and fun. The message is positive and inspiring for both young and old. This heartwarming book will spark meaningful conversations regarding acceptance, friendship and change. I highly recommend it. Kids will love it I'm sure!

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Dilly's parents thought she was perfect when she was born but as time went on they learned that something just wasn't the same as the other little penguins in their group. Dilly didn't waddle like the other penguins she hopped. The other little penguins tried hopping but they didn't like it and wasn't very good at it. Dilly adapted and learned to do things differently. The adult penguins wanted Dilly to stop doing things differently than the other penguins. They were mean to Dilly. She stopped being different and she had a hard time. Then Dilly and two of her friends fell into a hole. The adult penguins couldn't seen them. Then Dilly to the rescue because she could hop up and down they found them and rescued them. Then the adult penguins apologize to Dilly for being mean and said sometimes it is good to be different. This book teaches a good lesson that just because someone is different doesn't mean that is a bad thing.

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I read this book to my 2 year old son. He enjoyed the pictures and I enjoyed the message..while he's a bit young to understand it. It truly goes to show that children may notice differences, but they don't seem bothered by them and in fact even embrace them. It is adults who have problems with people different than them. This book shows a very good lesson that our differences are what make us unique and helpful in all different situations.

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I feel that the intentions of this book were good, but I was disappointed. The story seemed to rely on Dilly only being accepted by her penguin society when she was useful. As a relative of someone with a limb difference, I feel that this can be damaging. Anyone with disabilities, or any type of difference, should be valued just because they are who they are. However, it was nice to see that Dilly’s family accepted her unconditionally.

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