WRITER'S DIGEST
14th Annual International Self-Published Book Awards - 2007
DILLO - A Baby Armadillo's Adventure on Sanibel Island, written by Kyle L. Miller, Illustrated by Randon T. Eddy
This is a lovely book, thoughtfully prepared, and beautifully written! The map is a nice touch, as is the information on Bailey Tract and the animals and vegetation in it, both in the pages before the story begins, and at the book's end. Separating the animals into 'friends' and 'foes' is clever. The birth scene is gently told with just enough detail for it to be realistic, but not so much detail to confuse a younger reader. That Dillo is different from her sisters, and is kicked away from getting food makes her an instantly sympathetic character: yet the sister's reaction to her is also understandable since Dillo does seem to get special attention from her mother. Dillo's plight of being lost should generate much sympathy from a child reader, adding to the character's likeability. Yet there's humor too, as when Dillo thinks Bob Cat wants to eat her for dinner. The writing is very well done, musical and poetic, and nicely advances the story. The characters are well developed and likeable, yet behave in 'real animal' ways. The illustrations are beautifully done and help make the animals come alive; they all look realistic yet have such expressive faces. The book's lesson on being 'brave and wise' is a good one, as are all the subtle lessons on accepting and understanding each other: for instance, the Bob Cats need to eat meat; the way all the characters band together at the end to help defeat Snout.
AMY BENNETT WILLIAMS
NEWS PRESS, Fort Myers, FL 2006
'Dillo' follows a lost armadillo's adventure on Sanibel Island. She's a little critter with a big smile--and for Dillo, that means big trouble. Dillo is the heroine of a new book of the same name, written and illustrated by two Sanibel residents: Kyle Miller and Randon T. Eddy, respectively. Set on the island's Bailey Tract, and inland piece of the J. N. Ding Darling National Wildlife Refuge, 'Dillo' follows a lost young armadillo as she tries to find her way home. Dillo's big challenge is her permanent smile--actually a birth defect. Though it wins her extra attention from her mother and other animals, that smile so annoys her three sisters that they conspire to lead her deep into the nature preserve and leave her. How Dillo finds her way back and the friends she makes along the way are the basis of the 64 page book, which is generously (and charmingly) illustrated with Eddy's engaging watercolors. Miller and Eddy are both retired educators, and it shows--in addition to its lessons about character and courage, Dillo is an excellent introduction to the island's flora and fauna: bobcats, and anhingas, strangler figs and spartina grass. The book's acknowledgments include several names that may be familiar to long-time residents and readers: Naturalist Bev Postmus advised Miller on the island's natural systems; best-selling writer Anne Fadiman, author of Ex Libris: Confessions of a Common Reader, proofread the book. The whole experience was a joy, says Miller. I just hope it encourages children to make a difference for the future.
