Dream Big, Little Pig!

PreS-Gr 2—Based on the picture book written by Olympic gold medalist skater Kristi Yamaguchi, this tale centers on Poppy, a pig who dreams big. Unfortunately, she is an unlikely ballerina, singer, or supermodel. Eventually, Poppy finds success at figure skating. The "New Pork City" resident finally has her big dreams pay off after much practice on the skating rink, with the unconditional encouragement of her parents and grandparents. Meant to inspire youngsters to follow their dreams, this adaptation echoes Yamaguchi's philosophy of "always dream," which is also the name of her charitable foundation for children. Alliterative, clever language pops in this story, and Susie Berneis is an expressive narrator. However, the DVD has minimal sound effects and animation, including the disconcerting images of a squirrel and Poppy twirling on ice in just two dimensions, like paper cut-outs spinning. Neither are there any special features, and the read-along text uses dark red instead of a bright yellow to highlight the words, which is not a readable choice. Perhaps some plucky pig fans will use this selection to inspire little dreamers.