Dill & Bizzy: Opposite Day

by Nora Ericson, Lisa Ericson (Illustrations)

Bizzy the strange bird has decided: Today is Opposite Day! Time to eat dinner for breakfast, have a loud dance party instead of a quiet rest, and say good morning at bedtime. But Bizzy’s best friend, Dill the odd duck, would prefer to have a normal day, with no opposites. So Dill says, “No, no, stop!” to Opposite Day, while Bizzy says, “Yes, yes, go!” Will Opposite Day turn best friends into worst enemies?

This playful picture book combines an original introduction to the concept of opposites with an eccentric but heartwarming friendship story. If today is truly Opposite Day, be prepared to hate this book!

Genres: Picture Books, Friendship, Animals, Birds, Childrens, Humor, Fiction

40 pages, Hardcover

First published January 24, 2017

Reviews

[Don Gubler]

Clever and fun. Refreshing perspective.

[Donna Mork]

An odd duck and a strange bird are best friends. They wake up on opposite day and try to do the whole day opposite from what they usually do. When they realize opposites of friends is enemies, they change their minds and go to bed. It must be a normal day because they are still friends.

[Beth Rodgers]

'Dill & Bizzy Opposite Day' by Nora Ericson, illustrated by Lisa Ericson, is an adorable story about two best friends who can't seem to come to an understanding. This is mainly caused by Bizzy's insistence that Dill take part in opposite day, a day in which they do everything opposite of each other.

Dill, who is not too keen on this idea, attempts to voice objection as often as possible, even if just through his facial expressions, but his objections only cause Bizzy to be more insistent that they continue with opposite day. After all, Dill saying that they should end opposite day means that it must continue on, right?

It finally occurs to Dill that in order to get Bizzy off of her opposite day kick, that he must trick her into conceding it should be over. The most important point that Dill makes is that they can't be best friends if it's opposite day. The fact that they are already best friends means they need to end their friendship right then and there to stick with the theme of opposite day.

While Bizzy tries to find a solution, the illustrations that populate the pages of the story showcase the sweet, upset, friendly, and other types of expressions that Dill and Bizzy have about their current situation. An adorable romp through a fun-filled day (at least from Bizzy's perspective), 'Dill & Bizzy Opposite Day' definitely captures the innocence of youth and the frustration that can accompany someone who is not willing to see anyone else's perspective. Another adorable feature is that there are quotes from the two main characters on the back of the book sharing what they think of the story. While Bizzy thinks it is funny and so wonderful, Dill sees it as serious and quite terrible. Nora Ericson and Lisa Ericson have done a fabulous job ensuring that the characters truly stand out and find ways to hold their own.

*Review originally posted on YABooksCentral.com*

Beth Rodgers, Author of 'Freshman Fourteen' and 'Sweet Fifteen,' Young Adult Novels

[Cindy Mitchell *Kiss the Book*]

Ericson, Nora Dill & Bizzy: Opposite Day, illustrated by Lisa Ericson. PCTURE BOOK. Harper, 2017. $17.

Dill and Bizzy are best of friends. When Bizzy wakes up first for once, Bizzy declares it must be Opposite Day. No matter Dill’s protests, Bizzy is right there with the opposite. Until, that is, Dill comes up with something Bizzy doesn’t want to be opposite at all.

I have not read the first Dill and Bizzy book, but I am very happy to meet them. This sister author/illustrator team makes a great pair for picture books!

Pre-K, EL (K-3) – ESSENTIAL. Cindy, Library Teacher
http://kissthebook.blogspot.com/2017/...

[Corinne Apezteguia]

This is such an adorable book. I love the sweet and quirky Dill and Bizzy and their unusual friendship. This book made me laugh out loud ("have a sour day!" is my favorite). But it goes deeper than that--it was sweet and heartwarming (cliche as that sounds). It opened up an important conversation with my kids about finding friends in unlikely places. The bright, happy illustrations are a real treat.

[Rose Rosetree]

Sure some conflict is built into this story about Dill and his best friend Bizzy.

However, to this Goodreader, the main point of the story to learn about opposites.

Our world is structured with polarities, contrasts, opposites. The sooner we grasp useful concepts about this, the better.

To my mind, then, this book offers more than entertaining fiction. "Opposite Day" is educational. Understanding opposites will help us with science, self-help, and spirituality.

FIVE STARS, indeed!

[Judy]

Plan to take a little longer than usual to read this seemingly simple book about opposites. Kids may have to ponder the art and the verbiage in order to understand what's going on.

Cute art.

It begins ... "Dill was a duck." "Bizzy was a bird." But ducks are birds. And they both have webbed feet, so are they both ducks as well as birds?

[skcocnaH]

My 5 year old says this book deserves 5 stars. I mostly found it frustrating. Probably because I HATE when people pretend it’s Opposite Day— yes, both my siblings and children have done this at some point.

[Jessica]

Bizzy decides it is opposite day, and she makes Dill do all kinds of things he doesn't want to. It's hard for me to like a book where I don't like one of the characters, and I really did not care for Dizzy.

[Pamela]

Students could follow pattern of book and add their own pages to the story.

[Karen Johnson]

I liked the concept of the book, but the artwork didn't do anything for me.

[Elizabeth S]

3 1/2 stars. Opposite day has always been a source of great confusion. Which is part of the fun.

[Terry]

Get the review at the Reading Tub.

[Karen]

opposites

[Kendra]

This book was really hard to read aloud. It's a complicated book as everything is opposite. Cassie really enjoyed the book and loved the crazy illustrations. The illustrations in this book are colorful and have so much going on in the book. The story-line was so much fun and really led you around their day. My daughter loved this book and giggled through out watching the birds silly antics. This book is a must read.

[Rachel]

Fun story, opposites are okay until it means you can't be best friends. Has some solid classroom appilcations.

[Bmack]

I think this is a really cute book that would be perfect to introduce or teach the concept of opposite. the characters are adorable!

[Jana]

This fun picture book tells the story of two strange birds who are best friends. When one of them declares that the day is Opposite Day, all sorts of crazy things happen. Young readers will giggle and have fun imagining their own Opposite Day. This would be a great book to help with a study of opposites.

[Casandria]

Poor Dill! I just wanted him to be able to escape the "opposite day" cycle!

[Earl]

Maybe because I knew these characters now, I liked this more than the first book in this series. Fun and playful, this should be a hit during storytimes. Classrooms may enjoy having their own Opposite Day!

[MaryLibrarianOH]

A fun book to each kids opposites but that also shows the frustration one feels when a friend doesn't listen.

[Edward Sullivan]

Fowl friends celebrate Opposite Day.

[Brittany]

Bizzy usually sleeps in, but today she wakes up before Dill. Conclusion: It's Opposite Day! Bizzy goes crazy all day thinking of the amazing things they can do that is the opposite of what they usually do: Dinner instead of breakfast, wet instead of dry, diving to the ground instead of flying into the sky. Needless to say, Dill protests - but all his protests make Bizzy do more because it's opposite day. Until the realize if it is really opposite day, they are not best friends but worst enemies. They don't like that - so opposite day ends and they read a book, sing a song and go to sleep. Very Cute. Recommended Purchase. Preschool-2nd grade.

[Sandra]

Bizzy tells Dill that it is opposite day so they have to do everything backwards from normal. But what happens to their friendship if this is opposite day? Can they figure out how to stop opposite day togehter? With illustrations that have an almost Italian flair, this story is sure to engage your little one's attention and sense of humor.

[Alice]

I really wanted to like this book (and the first one) but all I can give it is the dreaded "ok" didn't love it so I can't rave...didn't hate it so I can't completely bash it! I think with the right audience...this could be fun! Maybe in a classroom setting to talk about opposites!