KRISTI YAMAGUCHI TO READ LATEST CHILDREN'S BOOK AT MUSEUM MARCH 18

Kristi Yamaguchi, Olympic figure skating Gold Medalist and 2008 "Dancing with the Stars" Champion, will read from her latest children’s book, It’s a Big World, Little Pig! on Sunday, March 18, beginning at 2 p.m. at the Japanese American National Museum. The book will be available for sale at the Museum and Yamaguchi will sign books after the program.

Yamaguchi came to prominence in the 1980s and 1990s as an ice skater, winning two World Championships and a United States National Championship. In 1992, she won the Olympic Gold Medal in Albertville, France, beating out Midori Ito of Japan. It was one of five Gold Medals for the United States.

Yamaguchi became a professional ice skater for the next 10 years. She also founded the Always Dream Foundation to support the lives of children through educational and recreational initiatives, which she still supports. Married with two children, Yamaguchi came back to national prominence in 2008 when she teamed with Mark Ballas to win the sixth season of "Dancing with the Stars".

It’s a Big World, Little Pig! is Yamaguchi’s second book. It is a sequel to the best-selling children’s book, Dream Big, Little Pig! in which she introduces her main character, Poppy. In this debut book, Poppy is a dreamer, but finds following her dreams isn’t easy. It is only when Poppy discovers her love of ice skating that she forgets about everything else and is able find the secret to making her dreams come true.

In the sequel, Poppy travels to France for the World Games of ice skating. There, she encounters many different competitors who are different from her. It takes time, but eventually, Poppy begins to realize that although these animals look different, act different, and are from different places, they are all the same at heart.

This program is free to National Museum members or with general admission.