Siggy’s Parade

Siggy’s Parade:
Helping Kids with Disabilities Find Their Strengths

By Blanche R. Dudley, Ed.D.
Illustrated by John Hazard
New Horizon Press, June 24, 2014
ISBN 978-0882824697
48 pages, ages 4-9
Full-color illustrated picture book
Buy from Amazon

Siggy is a mockingbird with only one wing, but he has learned to march instead of fly and to celebrate his unique self. The blue jay twins, Vickie and Ickie, tease Siggy because he can’t fly, but he’s too busy helping his friends appreciate their own differences to notice. On National “I Like Me!” Day, Siggy stages a parade for all of his friends to celebrate their unique physical challenges, too! He recruits Ruthie the Raccoon, who uses a shiny wheelchair; Bernie the Bear, who is taller and skinnier than his friends; and Penelope Pig, who wears hearing aids in her giant pink ears. With Siggy’s help, they each learn to be proud as they celebrate the group’s diversity. Suggestions at the end of the book can help teachers and parents guide children in finding ways to embrace their own unique selves.


About the Author
Blanche R. Dudley, Ed.D. is a former educator and 1985 West Virginia Teacher of the Year. She earned a doctorate in education at West Virginia University and wrote her dissertation on enhancing the self-esteem of middle school children. She spends her free time birdwatching in her backyard where she finds inspiration for her picture book characters. Dr. Dudley lives in Reston, Virginia with her husband, W. J. Dudley.

About the Illustrator
John Hazard is a cartoonist and animator whose art has appeared in children’s books and newspapers and on the Nickelodeon network. A graduate of Pratt Institute, John lives in Brooklyn, NY.