The Most Important Thing in the World

By: Kelly Sanford

Narrated by: Abigail Reno

Emma is a guinea pig with an identity crisis. The neglected pet of a Tolkien-obsessed boy who really wanted a dog, Emma escapes her cage to the wild spaces of Florida, certain she is either a dragon or a German Shepherd. A chance meeting with a mottled duck and an iguana allies this unlikely trio on a quest for self-discovery. Along the way, they seek counsel from true friends, fair-weather friends, wise creatures, cruel creatures, well-intentioned strangers, an offbeat shaman, and a strange artist.

In a journey that takes them from the suburbs to the swamps, to the highlands, then the ocean, and back again, these friends ultimately learn that true clarity comes when one refuses to be shaped from the outside in and instead tells their own story from the inside out—however unexpected that story may be.

The Most Important Thing in the World is no ordinary coming-of-age story; this episodic folktale will resonate with the young and young at heart as you join Emma and her steadfast friends on a wild and exhilarating journey to the point where clarity is derived from chaos.

©2022 Kelly Sanford (P)2022 Kelly Sanford

Fun adventure with valuable life lessons

Laugh out loud hilarious. For a book that is ultimately about self esteem, social skills, and identity, it is refreshing that the story has no agenda. This is an age appropriate story about self discovery that does not throw complicated messages about politics, sexuality or gender at the reader. The question at the center of the story is…Is it possible that a pet Guinea pig might actually be a German Shepherd or a fire breathing dragon? The characters are so funny. The story is fast paced and full of action. The setting is like reading your way through a Florida vacation. I can’t wait for someone to make this into a movie.