Book of the Week:
Dillon Dillon by Kate Banks

From SLJ October 2002

Ellen Fader, Multnomah County Library, Portland, OR -- School Library Journal, 9/16/2002

BANKS, Kate. Dillon Dillon 150p. CIP. Farrar/Frances Foster Bks. 2002. Tr $16. ISBN 0-374-31786-0. LC 2001033207.

Gr 4-6-For as long as he can remember, Dillon wondered, "What kind of parents would name their child Dillon Dillon?... Parents who had forgotten that a name was the first thing you wore against your raw naked skin?... Dillon's parents were smart.... They would not do a thing like that. Not on purpose." He turns 10 on the family's annual summer vacation at the lake and feels bold enough to ask about his name. He discovers that his birth parents, his dad's sister and brother-in-law, died in a plane accident when he was 18 months old. He had been named Dillon McDermott and when he was adopted, his parents gave him their last name: Dillon. As the youngster comes to terms with this new reality, he becomes fascinated by a loon and her mate that nest in one of his sneakers on a nearby island. Soon after their chick hatches, he realizes that both parent birds have been shot and he wonders how the orphan will survive, until a few days later when he sees that another loon has stepped in to raise the chick. Symbolism that could overwhelm the plot is sensitively tempered by Dillon's emotional journey, the development of strong secondary characters, and engaging subplots. Reminiscent of Kevin Henkes's gentle novels, this introspective, somewhat magical story is perfect for all children who wonder about their place in the universe.