Poppy has worked hard at her ice skating and is excited when she gets a chance to go to the World Games. She's a little scared too, but her family reminds her to follow her dreams and her best friend tells her "everyone smiles in the same language."

She finds out it's true when she gets to the World Athlete Village and meets a friendly panda snowboarder from China, a fluffy dog skier from Italy, an ice skating stork from Japan, and a nervous kangaroo speed skater from Australia. Each one of her new friends has something in common with her, whether it's music, food, or family. In the end, Poppy has a wonderful time, skates her best, and even gets to experience some of Paris.

Although peppered a bit strongly with exclamation points and, of course, containing a rather sappy moral, the text is better than most celebrity picture books and doesn't belabor the didacticism too strongly. There are fun references to culture and the Olympics, changed just enough to make a guessing game, "Poochini" instead of Puccini, for example. I find the non-competitiveness and friendliness of all the athletes a little difficult to believe, but this rose-tinted world of friendship and self-esteem will be satisfying to most parents and children.

The pictures are the best part of the book, with dazzling colors, a delightfully plump Poppy, and swirls of movement following the various animals on the ice. Bowers' world is a cheerful place with a wide variety of smiling, round-eyed animals and plenty of sparkle, both on the costumes and in the backgrounds.

Verdict: While this book probably won't go down as a classic, it has more staying power than most celebrity picture books and will delight small fans of ice skating and those who like colorful pictures with animals. It's a little long for storytime, but parents and children will enjoy it together. An additional purchase, especially recommended if you have ice skating fans.

ISBN: 9781402266447; Published March 2012 by Sourcebooks; Review copy provided by publisher; Purchased for the library

Great for Inspiration

Poppy, the little pig is a talented skater that makes it to the World Games after much hard work. The games are far away, and Poppy is scared, but her friends and family are encourage her and give her great advice. When she arrives at the games in France, she learns that it is fun to make friends and competitors from all over the world want to make friends, too. She has a wonderful time meeting people and sharing with them.

Kristi Yamaguchi relies on her experiences as an international competitor to relate the fear and excitement of venturing out into the unknown. The words are very encouraging and motivating for the young people as they attempt new experiences. The illustrations put the story over the top, including the precious pictures of Poppy in her competition outfits and a parade of other animal competitors all set in France. Very cute story and one parents can share with children to encourage them in new experiences. Librarians could use this read aloud to stimulate discussions of fear of new experiences such as the fist day of school, etc.

Received Galley from NetGalley.com ( )

Like her author, Poppy is a likable skater who, from page 1, is a master at the sport. Invited to compete in Olympics-like games. Poppy meets many competitors from other countries (and other branches of the animal kingdom) and makes friends. While it is unclear whether Poppy ultimately triumphs over the competition, her parents are proud. The book's upbeat, positive take is both its success and its Achilles heel. Poppy encounters no competitive backstabbing and faces no challenges to overcome. As a result, while this book may circulate during winter or Olympics periods, it ultimately lacks the plot arc that would move it from liked to loved. Additional purchase. (35) ( )