Tiana's Best Surprise

Disney Princess Beginnings / Disney Before the Story #5

by Tessa Roehl, Walt Disney Company (Illustrator)

Disney Princess Tiana is planning a surprise. Her daddy's birthday is coming up and she wants to make him the best gumbo ever. But there's one problem--she's never made gumbo without her daddy's help. Will Tiana be able to make her dream come true and give her father a gumbo he'll be proud of?

Genres: Chapter Books, Childrens, Middle Grade, Fantasy, Audiobook, Animals, Fairy Tales

128 pages, Paperback

First published January 2, 2018

Reviews

[Stacy Renee (LazyDayLit)]

Another Disney Princess story read aloud to my daughter.
I enjoyed the community and camaraderie in this one.

[Bryan]

Tedious. Wish it were more the story than just an infographic.

[Benjamin]

Adorable.

[Joey-Susan]

Tiana has a delicious dream about the best gumbo ever and plans a surprise party for her dad’s birthday. To keep it secret she decides to prep it at her best friends house, but with an unusual ingredient she buys at the market her dreams were coming true, but things don’t go so well. With a bit of magic and love though she figures out what else she could do to make it the best ever for her dad.

This was utterly adorable and precious, Tiana is so cute and such a little dreamer, how much she loves her dad and wanting to give him the best celebration ever was so cute. She knew how to make her gumbo and just wanted it perfect. When things don’t go as she imagines she has no idea what to do and deems it all over. But gets the best guidance and help to make it as she dreamt.

I really loved meeting everyone in her small village and how they all cared for her and her dad just as much and that they would all do anything to help her. It was really sweet a beautiful community, one big family.

I loved seeing Lottie she’s so funny and always trying to do something to add magic into the mix and get Tiana interested in her fantasies that she always had.

This is honestly the most perfect story addition into Tiana’s world you see what her life was like with her family, what it was like with the people that surrounded her and her dreams and desires for the restaurant and how much love she has for the good food she can make.

[Chloe (Always Booked)]

This is a sweet book about Tiana as an 8 year old. She wants to plan a surprise birthday party for her dad. She wants to make the best gumbo ever so she goes to the market with her friend and gets dooped into buying a "magical potion" that will make the food great. She learns that taking the easy way out is never a good choice, but she doesn't have any money to buy more ingredients. She is brave and goes to each neighbor that was invited and asks them to donate an ingredient so she can make the gumbo. Other people donate more things and it turns into a feast made out of love. So sweet.

[Kryssy]

This reminds me of how the whole neighborhood comes together in Christmas with the Cranks. Such a wholesome moment to make someone proud

- Dad is still alive
- Tiana is making gumbo for a surprise party for her dad
- Tiana buys all the ingredients and makes gumbo but it gets messed up
- Lottie offers to pay for more ingredients
- All sad because she promised the best gumbo. Makes beignets instead
- Neighbor loves the beignets and she makes good gumbo. Tiana and her exchange tricks
- Asks other neighbors for the ingredients

[Rosie]

This chapter book chronicles Tianas attempts to make the perfect gumbo for her Daddy’s birthday. It was a sweet story that illustrated the importance of inclusion - everyone has something special they can offer - and perseverance - to not take the easy way it and not to give up after a failed attempt. I really enjoyed this story.

[Joana Almeida]

In order to give her father the best birthday ever, Tiana set her mind on doing the Best Gumbo Ever to exist! I loved how sweet, clever, kind and resourceful little Tiana is, and how her heart is in the right place! Also, her parents, what a sweethearts, full of useful advices and a warm hug, I also ended wishing I had neighbors as caring and giving as Tiana's! This story is all about family, friendship, lots of yummy food and a small pinch of magic!

[Ashley Beery]

Adorable book about how much Tiana loves to cook, (even gives some hints on how to make gumbo) and how much her dream to own Tiana's Place really meant to her and her father at a young age. I love reading these chapter books that dig deeper into the character's story and background.

[Hillary DePiano]

Most of the books in this series are pretty boring but this one was actually cute! Most true to the source material and with an actually interesting plot and good message.

[Kaylyn Gabbert]

Very cute story about Tiana trying to give her father the best birthday surprise ever. There were great new characters that, even with there small parts, were very believable.

[Shaila Furtado]

So cute!! My favorite so far out of the 3 I’ve read.

[N.A. Wolf]

My daughter loved reading this book it was sweet and cute with a great message about not taking the easy way out.

[Michaela]

I love anything Disney and Tiana has always felt like my kind of princess so this short story was absolutely adorable and a good learning feature to never give up.

[Laura]

Cute story with good morals—hard work pays off and magic comes from spending time with family and friends.

[Susan]

Will Tiana be able to fulfill her dream to make the best gumbo over for her daddy’s birthday party? Find out in this installment of Disney Princess Beginnings!

[Mely]

A cute, heartwarming story. I loved doing this as a read aloud with my little one. The accents were fun to do.

[KieraK]

Perfect read with my 6yo.

[Juniper H]

I kinda didn't like the part where Tiana messed up the gumbo but still five stars (age 6)

[Kara]

Life lessons of perseverance, family and community involvement are portrayed in a manner that captivated my girls.

[Alex]

This was ADORABLE.

[peewee]

So super cute!!! I love reading Disney stories that are never actually revealed in the movies, it’s like a little surprise!

[Arra]

What a cute story. I love how Tiana’s faith never wavers. All I know is that this book made me hungry while reading it. Now I’m craving for the beignets and gumbo.

[Pinky]

Tiana learns there is no easy way to making great gumbo.

[mario antone]

Tiana's Best Surprise

[Nicole]

I lost count of how many times beignets was written, otherwise good story.

[Kathryn Williams]

Read aloud with Thea

[Katy Lovejoy]

Forever secretly wishing I was a disney princess

[Ivan Magnus]

I loved every second of this, very sweet and just adorable. The illustrations are wonderful too!

[dznyaww]

its adorable that shows how much Tiana loves her daddy and cooking. she is a dreamer. a very quick read about how Tiana wanted to give the best bday ever for her daddy.

i really love the way the story educates us to see a chance of a treasure even in a trash can. how she managed to solve the problem with something even better and meaningful.

a complete story about family, friendship, trust, great moral & behavior, with a lil magic to it