Dance Your Dance, Sing Your Song, a True Story By Dorothy Paad

Review by Donna Winters

Dance Your Dance, Sing Your Song, a True Story
By Dorothy Paad with Heather Picotte, illustrated by Matthew Forgrave.

It was the first day of orientation at Northern Michigan University and it was a total zoo.

With those words, Dorothy Paad opens Dance Your Dance, Sing Your Song, her picture book for children, a unique, quirky, thought-provoking story of encouragement. She suffers from cerebral palsy and is confined to a wheelchair. Through cleverly illustrated forest characters, she tells the story of how she ended up in college studying ballet.

Dorothy’s parents enrolled her in a dance class for people with disabilities, and there she met Miss Jill, a dance teacher from Northern Michigan University, and her assistant, Kara. Miss Jill urged Dorothy to enroll in Northern Michigan University for ballet, but Dorothy was hesitant.

I want to go to college for ballet. But everyone is going to think I’m crazy!” said Dorothy. “Try not to care about what everyone thinks, Dorothy,” said her dad. “Don’t let everyone else influence you. You dance your dance, sing your song.”

With the support of her parents and others, Dorothy shows up at Northern Michigan University for her first day. But fear and doubts threaten to overwhelm her. She struggles to keep from crying. From within, she pulls up the courage to “put one hoof in front of the other.” (Dorothy and her parents are depicted as moose.)

As the story unfolds, a cast of adorable woodland creatures fills the pages. Miss Jill is a deer, her assistant, Kara, is a turtle, a gray wolf named Meghan offers to help, and Dorothy’s assistant, Tracy, is a bear always by her side. A classmate, Mack, depicted as a big white bird, has a tendency to say the wrong thing and get laughed at, but Dorothy helps him out.

The goal of this story is to encourage others, and it succeeds beautifully. Young children also learn not to underestimate those with disabilities, and to offer assistance where needed.

Since the setting is a university, not a grade school (Northern Michigan University is charmingly depicted as a log cabin with a huge tree trunk rising out of its center), some explanation might be needed for small children. The messages, however, are important for all ages. Don’t judge. Encourage. Pursue your dream. Think beyond your limitations. Dance your dance!


Purchase online Dance Your Dance, Sing Your Song

 

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