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5 STARS: 

Reviewed by Courtnee Turner Hoyle for Readers’ Favorite

Dilly Duck Plans a Parade is a children's book in the Dilly Duck and Friends Series by Holly DiBella-McCarthy. Dilly Duck is ready to round up her friends and have a parade, but first, she needs some colorful items. She enlists the help of her friend, Billy Beaver, but Billy is color blind. She asks Billy to use his other senses to help him locate many other colors, and he surprises her with his perseverance. The friends gather the other participants, and they have a fun and happy parade.

Dilly Duck is a wonderful character, inspired by Holly DiBella-McCarthy's pet duck with the same name. Children will love the vibrant images that pop off the pages, and readers who are color-blind will be pleased with the focus on Billy Beaver. Even though Billy can't see well and exhibits color blindness, Dilly includes him while gathering special materials for the parade. Readers will learn to identify colors in different ways and understand how the challenges other people face do not limit their ability to help. The lines have an upbeat meter, enhancing the flow as the words are read aloud. Educators and caregivers can feel confident about the messages of friendship and social inclusion in the story. Additional materials after the story supply interesting facts about beavers and question children about the material. Dilly Duck Plans a Parade is a great selection for children who enjoy stories about animals. It's also an excellent book to open up a discussion about color blindness or friends who may have unseen challenges.  

5 STARS:

 Reviewed by Jon Michael Miller for Readers’ Favorite 

Brandon is my four-year-old guide for reviewing books for kids. In particular, he delighted in Mr. Chatterjee’s magnificent illustrations. But I knew (after our third go-through; he wanted more) that he was learning the names of colors and of animals. The rhyming was clever, and Brandon picked up a few new words: flock, gushed, croak, and afloat among others. The book also includes questions for readers, facts about the plants and creatures (especially beavers), and downloadable activities. Dilly Duck Plans a Parade by Holly DiBella-McCarthy is a delightful teaching tool as well as a wonderful story about uniting a diverse population. Brandon wanted to give it more than five stars, but alas, five is tops.