BooksForKidsBlog

Monday, March 21, 2011

Nice on Ice: Dream Big, Little Pig by Kristi Yamaguchi

POPPY WAS A PIG WITH DREAMS

SHE WANTED TO BE A STAR.

Poppy is perky and Poppy is perpetually optimistic, but she could use a bit of career counseling.

Despite the fact that she's a "pot-bellied, waddling, toddling pig" of unquestionably portly proportions, she persists in her dream of performing in the public eye. First she fixates on a career as a ballerina. Her parents and grandparents cheer her on, but her teacher catches her on to her clumsiness right away and dismisses her with a brisk "Dancing is NOT for you!"

Undaunted, Poppy proceeds to try for stardom as a glamorous chanteuse, with similar results. And then, in a career choice which really plays against type, Poppy turns to dreams of being a glitzy, high-fashion runway model in, ahem, New Pork City. That one's a show-stopper, too, but not in the way Poppy hoped.

But you have to give Poppy points for perseverance. This time she turns to figure skating.

I'D LIKE TO BE A SPECTACULAR ICE-SKATING STAR!"

And in the best tradition of that Liitle Engine That Could and all those "I'm gonna to be a star," show biz movies, persistance and practice makes, if not "perfect," at least pretty good, and after many falls and failures, Poppy gets her moment in the spotlight, swirling and twirling to the cheers of the crowd, including her supportive family and friends. Kristi Yamaguchi's top-selling Dream Big, Little Pig! (Jabberwocky, 2011) is an appealing little picture book pointing to an alternate path for those aspiring stars who find ballet just a bit, um, too-too, and vamping it up on stage or on the runway just not their style. To steal a quote, "Ice is nice and will suffice."

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