Kristi Yamaguchi coming to Pasadena March 22 to promote her children's book

Who: Kristi Yamaguchi-Olympic gold medal figure skater, winner of Dancing With the Stars (ABC), author, mother, wife and philanthropist

What: Kristi will be in Los Angeles, Monday, March 21 and Thursday, March 24 to promote her debut children’s picture book, Dream Big, Little Pig! (ISBN: 9781402252754; Sourcebooks Jabberwocky; MARCH 15, 2011; $16.99 U.S.; Juvenile Fiction/Picture Book; Hardcover)




Where/When:
Pasadena Ice Skating Center
March 22nd, 6:30-8pm
(626) 578-0800
310 East Green Street
Pasadena, CA 91101

Whale of a Tale
March 23rd, 4:00 pm
4199 Campus Dr # A
Irvine, CA 92612

Why: Kristi will be sharing her lifelong inspirational message of Always Dream at each event and signing books for fans.

About the Author
Athlete, artist, wife, mother, philanthropist—in each of these things Kristi Yamaguchi embodies the word champion. Her motto is “Always Dream,” and Kristi’s accomplishments prove that dreams can come true with hard work and dedication. Her new book, Dream Big, Little Pig, is an extension of her philosophy, and of Kristi herself.

Following her victories at the 1992 Winter Olympics and World Championships, Kristi embarked on a successful professional career that went non-stop for more than a decade. During the years 1992-2002, Kristi toured with Stars on Ice, won numerous professional competitions, and frequently appeared on television specials. In 2003, she premiered her own annual TV special. This past year Kristi Yamaguchi’s Friends and Family aired on NBC for the fourth straight year.

One of her lasting legacies will be her Always Dream Foundation, founded in 1996. The foundation has been an active fundraiser and supporter of children’s charities in the San Francisco Bay Area, including annual Christmas toy drives.

In addition to her foundation, Kristi served as a correspondent for NBC’s Today Show and hosted daily shows for Universal Sports during the 2010 Olympic Winter Games in Vancouver. She has received numerous awards for her skating and her philanthropy, including the prestigious Thurman Munson Award, acknowledging philanthropic work within the community (February 2008).

And we all watched Kristi dance her way to victory on the sixth season of ABC’s Dancing with the Stars (the first woman since season one to claim the trophy).

Kristi’s family is now her first and foremost priority. She thoroughly enjoys being on the ice, but nothing compares to being with her daughters. “I can’t say I would have done it any other way,” she says. “I definitely feel blessed to have Keara and Emma in my life. My family means everything to me.”

About the Book: Poppy the Pig has big dreams—lots of them! But following her dreams isn’t always easy, and whenever Poppy thinks it might be time to give up, her family reminds her to “Dream Big!” While on a “pig’s day out,” she has so much fun ice skating that she doesn’t even notice those around her who think pigs can’t skate…and without even knowing it, she achieves her dream while doing something she loves! In this funny and inspiring tale that’s perfect for family read-alouds, Poppy realizes she can succeed at anything as long as she believes in herself and has fun doing it!