I recenty got the chance to review Kristi Yamaguchi's newest children's book It's a Big World, Little Pig!. The book follows Poppy, the ice skating pig from Yamaguchi's previous book, as she competes in the World Games ice-skating championship in Paris and meets lots of new friends along the way. I'm usually a bit skeptical of celebrity authors because writing a good children's book seems easy but is actually quite difficult. However, I was pleasantly surprised by this book. The central message of the book is we all smile in the same language, as we see Poppy make friends from different countries at the Games. Griffin has been fascinated recently by the concept of language so this book came along at the just right time and he really loved it. It was a nice surprise and got me thinking of other great books that came along unexpectedly so I asked the Salt & Nectar team to weigh in. ~ Sarah Stewart Holland
Iggy Peck, Architect proved to be such a sweet surprise. When I selected the book for the Little Dude, I had no expectations because it wasn’t a classic or a series that was really well known. I simply loved that it had “architect” in the title, as many children’s books don’t feature artists, inventors, and creators as the central character (plus, my uncle is an architect so there was some familial love driving the purchase). I am so happy it’s now part of our personal children’s library. I love it. My son absolutely loves it. And the friends we gift it to love it (the book is a staple shower or birthday present). The quirky but modern illustrations and the very clever rhyme scheme capture your attention as you watch Iggy grow from diapers to boy, refusing to give up on his big dream of designing buildings even when he’s persuaded to be practical and give up on it by his second grade teacher. ~ The Other Sarah
I know Goodnight Moon is supposed to be a classic, but when I received it as a baby gift, I sort of summarily dismissed it. Good night this, that and the other. Yawn. And then it was read to us at the public library storytime. My son was entranced. I dug it out of the book bin and read it to him before night-night. He counts the three bears sitting in chairs, points to his rocking chair when the old lady whispers hush and holds his feet up in the air for goodnight, socks. We're 100+ nights in, and he still loves every page of that book. And I love it for the joy it brings him. ~ Alexis Mattingly
When Harrison was first born he loved looking at photos of other babies in the parent/baby magazines I had lying around, but they always ended up in his mouth or torn. So when I found the book Global Babies, it was great because he could chew it and enjoy the photos safely! Also the purchase of this book helps support vulnerable children around the globe. ~ Kristin Strange
Were any of your favorite childrens book unexpected surprises?
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