Skating from the Heart: It's A Big World, Little Pig! by Kristi Yamaguchi

POPPY WAS A PIG WHO DREAMED BIG.

ONE DAY POPPY RECEIVED A BEAUTIFUL INVITATION:

"FLY TO PARIS, FRANCE, AND COMPETE IN THE WORLD GAMES."

Poppy is thrilled to be invited, but soon big-time jitters set in. Paris a lo-o-n-g way from home. She won't know anyone. And everyone will be speaking a different language! Her parents and grandparents agree...it's a big world, but after all, isn't she a pig who dreams big? And her best friend Emma gives her some good advice.

"REMEMBER, EVERYBODY SMILES IN THE SAME LANGUAGE."

At the World Village, Poppy tries out Emma's advice when she distractedly bumps into a snow boarder from China named Li, who offers to share his map. She meets a skier from Italy and discovers they share a passion for pasta, pizza, gelato, and the operas of Poochini. A skater from Japan talks costume design with Poppy, an Aussie athlete teaches her to say "Hooroo," and Poppy and her new social network all wish each other good luck in different languages but with the same smile.

Poppy puts all her heart into her performance, and her proud parents treat her to a week in Paris, with plenty of Parisian gustatory treats to boot, It's a big world, but a small world, too, Poppy decides, when everyone smiles.

Olympic skater Kristi Yamaguchi's latest picture book with her improbable figure-skating pig, It's a Big World, Little Pig! (Jabberwocky, 2012), skims through this light-hearted story of international competition, again propelled by Tim Bowers' pastel-tinted illustrations, as Yamaguchi reaffirms her theme of following your heart and giving it your best, with the added theme of overcoming fear of new situations, and the added fillip of learning how to say "hello" and "good-bye" in different lingos. Fans of Yamaguchi's first book, Dream Big, Little Pig!, will glide and spin smoothly into this newest one as Poppy follows her dream all the way to the big time!

Fine Swine: Perfect Piggies by Sandra Boynton

DID YOU EVER SEE NOSES SO PERFECTLY ROUND?

WHERE ELSE COULD THESE CURLY TAILS BE FOUND?

AND LOOK AT THESE EARS, SO FLOPPY AND FINE!

YOU HAVE TO ADMIT,--WE'RE FABULOUS SWINE!

The latest entry in the best-selling Boynton On Board series of board books for the very young is Boynton's brand new edition of Perfect Piggies! (Workman, 2010), all dressed up in preppy pink and green, with a swinging downloadable song to go with this peerless piggie trio.

These piggies have no self esteem problems: they are the best pigs they can be, and with their cheery message toddlers come to appreciate piggy perfection and themselves to boot. As these fine swine put it...

YOU HAVE TO BE YOU.
WE HAVE TO BE WE!