The Surprise

By: Zadie Smith, Nick Laird

Narrated by: Zadie Smith, Nick Laird

Celebrating the quiet power of being different, The Surprise is the children’s debut from acclaimed authors Zadie Smith and Nick Laird.

Meet Maud: a guinea pig who inexplicably wears a judo suit—and not everyone understands or approves. When Maud is thrown into a new and confusing situation, it takes brave decisions and serendipitous encounters for her to find her place and embrace her individuality.

The Surprise is an endearing story about the quiet power of being different by two veteran writers. Together they have created a picture book, adapted for audio, that adults and children alike will treasure.

Critic reviews

Raves for The Surprise:

"[A] delightful tale for little oddballs everywhere."—Entertainment Weekly

"Adorable and sweet...A fun story of friendship and acceptance."—Kirkus Reviews

"This charming story embraces friendship, self-discovery, and fun. For its relatable message, it would be a good addition to a classroom, library, or school counselor’s anti-bullying picture book collection."—School Library Journal

"The wholesome conversations between Emily and Maud about being different spur Maud’s growth, as she moves from defeated self-doubt to joyful confidence, giving the hopeful message that 'life’s too short not to be an oddball.'"—BCCB

A wonderful book

A fantastic book that I found to be developmental and maturative for a young man coming of age such as myself. I found this book to be intelligent and fun! found great relation with the protagonist and I really enjoyed the story! I further highly recommend this book.