Dream Big Little Pig!

By: Kristi Yamaguchi
Illustrated by: Tim Bowers
Publisher: Sourcebooks Jabberwocky
Publication Date: March 2011
ISBN: 978-1402252754
Reviewed by: Ellen Feld
Review Date: April 12, 2011

Poppy the pig had big, big dreams! She loved to sing, dance and even hoped to one day walk the runway as a model. Poppy wanted to be a star! But when Poppy tried out for Swan Lake, she discovered she wasn’t as graceful as the other dancers and she didn’t get the part. Her parents and grandparents, however, encouraged her not to give up; to dream her dream and keep trying.

Next up for Poppy was a local singing competition. Would she win? Poor Poppy couldn’t sing a note and was tone deaf to boot. The judges told her that singing was not for her and the little pig with big dreams had to find another path to her dreams. But again her family and friends sent encouragement her way. “Follow your dreams,” “You go, girl!” and “Dream big, pig!” were some of the words of support sent her way.

What could Poppy could that she would both excel at and enjoy? Maybe modeling was her ticket to stardom. Nope, another flop but then the little pig realized that the thing she loved the most was not a “something” but rather her family and friends. They were what really mattered to the little pig. To celebrate, Poppy decided to take her best friend Emma ice skating. And then something magical happened – while the little pig at first flipped and flopped on the ice, she discovered that she loved skating and didn’t give up. Would Poppy’s dream finally come true?

This is an absolutely adorable story of a pig who refused to give up and kept trying, even when it looked like she’d never succeed. With the love and support of her family and friends Poppy finally found what she truly loved to do and along the way realized how important her family and friends were to her. The author manages to convey two important lessons – never give up and how important the love and support of family is – within a delightful story that will entertain and educate youngsters. The illustrations are bright, lively and add a decidedly upbeat look to the story. The drawings do have a noticeably pink theme, which makes this book best suited for young girls.

Quill says: Help your little one dream big with this delightful story of a plucky pig and her big dreams.