HEATHER PIERCE STIGALL
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BOOK REVIEW: IT’S CHILDREN’S BOOK WEEK!

5/4/2026

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​What better way to celebrate than read a children’s book? Here’s a great one!
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​
​TITLE: ONE CAN BE
AUTHOR: Pat Zietlow Miller
ILLUSTRATOR: Annie Cron
PUBLISHER: Beaming Books, 2025
OPENING LINES:
 One.
Alone.
No one else nearby.
 
One.
Needs peace.
Sometimes.
This poetic, lyrical picture book features a child who embraces alone time yet can also find the beauty of connecting with others. Alone. Pat Zietlow Miller’s spare text is and ode; a soothing poem about the many things one can be. Paired with Annie Cron’s pastel illustrations in shades of pink, lavender, and green, the book tells a more structured story of a girl who appreciates and enjoys alone time, but then joins her community to learn, teach, share, connect, and come together to build something they can all enjoy. This beautiful book is on the quieter side, making it perfect for a bedtime story or a sweet lap-time read snuggled with your little one.
 
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BOOK REVIEW: IT’S SCHOOL BUS DRIVER APPRECIATION DAY

4/28/2026

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​Here’s a picture book about a little guy who really appreciates the bus!
​TITLE: GUS HEARTS THE BUS
AUTHOR: Lindsay Leslie
ILLUSTRATOR: Geeta Ladi
PUBLISHER: Sleeping Bear Press, 2025
OPENING LINES:
Do you know the feeling right before doing something for the very first time?
Gus has that feeling.
Gus is going on an outing. Not the usual pile-into-a-car outing. No. This time Gus is taking the city bus. What will it be like to ride the bus?
Picture
Who can’t relate to Gus? He’s excited to do something for the very first time and when he does, he discovers he loves everything about it. The way it sounds, the way it feels – Gus hearts the bus! This adorable picture book is about a child who follows his passion and shares his enthusiasm for city busses with everyone around him. Lindsay Leslie’s engaging text invites the reader to participate in Gus’s world and cheer him on when his family becomes lost in the city. Greeta Ladi’s cheerful, expressive illustrations will keep readers entertained from start to finish. Perfect for kids who develop a passion for a particular subject, for bus (or vehicle) lovers, or for anyone looking for a fun read!
 
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BOOK REVIEW: IT’S HUG AN AUSTRALIAN DAY!

4/26/2026

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Today’s picture book recommendation features a famous Australian animal who has a reputation for always looking happy. But looks can be deceiving. Check it out in:
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​TITLE: I AM NOT HAPPY!

AUTHOR:
Caroline L. Perry

ILLUSTRATOR
: Sydney Hanson

PUBLISHER
: Simon & Schuster Books for Young Readers/2025

OPENING LINES
:

Today is NOT a g’day.
Yes. The corners of my mouth turn up.
My cheeks are puffy and just SOOOO cute!
My beady little eyes are bright.
But looks can be deceiving.
I AM NOT HAPPY!
This Quoka might look happy all the time, but don't judge a quoka by their cover. This book adorably conveys SEL themes to kids through humor and charming and expressive illustrations. Love this one!
 
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BOOK REVIEW: HAPPY NATIONAL SAFE DIGGING MONTH!

4/14/2026

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​Today’s book recommendation is for the littlest diggers out there:

​TITLE: WHO’S DIGGING
AUTHOR: Katrina Moore
ILLUSTRATOR: Benson Shum
PUBLISHER: Abrams Appleseed
OPENING LINES:
 
Baby is digging.
She’s digging for treasure.
Will baby get lucky?
What’s she discovered?
It’s Baby’s lost…
 
DUCKY!
​
Picture
This adorable board book by Katrina Moore and Benson Shum has everything toddlers and their grownup readers love: Rhythmic text, fun lift-the-flap “page turns,” bright and expressive illustrations featuring babies in digging different settings, sturdy pages for multiple reads (and chews!), and a surprise novelty feature on the last page that puts a young reader in the spotlight. This will be a wonderful addition to your board book collection!
 
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BOOK REVIEW: HAPPY NATIONAL PEEPS DAY!

4/5/2026

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​Whether or not you’re a fan of Peeps, let’s celebrate this day by reading about some sweet, or maybe not-so-sweet, bunnies in:
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​TITLE: ATTACK BUNNIES
AUTHOR: Laura Gehl
ILLUSTRATOR: Julia Patton
PUBLISHER: Beaming Books
OPENING LINES:
Carrot Cake and Pufftail looked like ordinary, cute little bunnies…
But they were NOT ordinary bunnies!
They were whiskered warriors, trained to protect, to defend, and – when needed – to attack.
 
With these forest enforcers nearby, nobody dared mess with ay of the woodland creatures.
Until Renard Fox moved in.
This clever and sweet picture book puts a twist on the “big, bad” fox and innocent woodland creature tropes. Are Carrot Cake and Pufftail cute? Sure. Is Renard up to no good? Maybe. But, in this story, the bunnies use their smarts to help their prey friends from potential predator harm. Then, just when you think the mean fox has met his end, the story takes another turn that will have readers saying, “Aw!”  Lively and expressive illustrations by Julia Patton accompany Laura Gehl’s fun and heartwarming text. This adorable story of misunderstanding, kindness, helping others, inclusivity, and friendship will have young readers both chuckling and cheering for heroes Carrot Cake, Pufftail, and even for antagonist Renard. Fun read all around!
 
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REVIEW: HAPPY NATIONAL WEED APPRECIATION DAY!

3/28/2026

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​The “weed” I’d like to highlight today is the tumbleweed. This picture book has few words, but tells a big story:
​TITLE: TUMBLE
AUTHOR/ILLUSTRATOR: Adriana Hernández Bergstrom
PUBLISHER: Orchard Books/2023
OPENING LINES:
 Wind blows…
Tumble g o e s.
Fence stops.
Tumble hops.
Cactus waves.
Tumble stays
            and stays…
                        and stays.
Picture
This picture book is a perfect example of the marriage of words and art. TUMBLE, told in only 34 words of rhyming text, is about a tumble weed that goes where the wind blows, makes some friends, “plants” temporary roots and stays for a while, and then moves on again. Children will enjoy the lovely cadence of the rhyming scheme as they pour over the lush illustrations of desert life, great for reading aloud to a group or to one on your lap. Back matter provides some “fun facts about tumble weeds” as well as a call to action for readers to spot the plants and animals sprinkled throughout the book. Kids will be begging for this one to be read again and again!
 
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BOOK REVIEW: IT’S INTERNATIONAL FRIENDSHIP MONTH!

3/2/2026

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​…and I’ve got an adorable picture book to recommend commemorating this holiday.
Picture

​TITLE: LOVE FINDS A WAY
AUTHOR/ILLUSTRATOR: Vern Kousky
PUBLISHER: Roaring Brook Press/2025
OPENING LINES:
Oscar always worried that one day love would find him.
He could feel it out there, somewhere in the forest,
waiting for the perfect moment to pounce.
There had to be some way to keep love away.
Oscar tried one thing
after another
until at last, he knew the answer…
He would get a ferocious guard dog.
A bird named Oscar is determined to keep love away. He tries everything he can think of, but some squirrels are determined to share their affection with him. That’s when he comes up with a brilliant plan – get a ferocious guard dog named Brutus. Oscar’s plan works, but does he really want to keep love away after all? This book is cute and clever, filled with adorably illustrated woodland creatures, gentle humor, and lots of heart.
 
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BOOK REVIEW: HAPPY NATIONAL PANCAKE WEEK!

2/16/2026

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​If you love pancakes and picture books, then this is the perfect book for you:
​TITLE: PLENTY OF PANCAKES
AUTHOR: Carrie Finison
ILLUSTRATOR: Brianne Farley
PUBLISHER: G.P. Putnam’s Sons Books for Young Readers
OPENING LINES:
Early one morning, as spring breezes blow,
Topsy hauls bags through fast-melting snow.
She quickly unpacks, and then studies her plan--
A “Welcome Spring!” feast for her good friend LouAnn.
Picture
Topsy is planning a “Welcome Spring!” feast for her hibernating bear friend, LouAnn, who readers might remember from the prequel to this book, Dozens of Donuts. But, like LouAnn, Topsy runs into a bit of trouble. Each time she makes a stack of five pancakes “hot from the pan” the disappear! Who keeps eating them? Eagle eyes will spot who the thieves are before Topsy uncovers the mystery, but that doesn’t make the ending any less delicious. Brianne Farley’s cheerful illustration and Carrie Finison’s rollicking rhyme, complete with pancake-laden end papers, adorable woodland creatures, and themes of friendship, cooperation, and community, make Plenty of Pancakes a perfect read-aloud and the perfect addition to your bookshelf.
 
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BOOK REVIEW: IT’S INTERNATIONAL FRIENDSHIP MONTH!

2/3/2026

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​…and I’ve got an adorable picture book to recommend commemorating this holiday.
Picture
​TITLE: LOVE FINDS A WAY
AUTHOR/ILLUSTRATOR: Vern Kousky
PUBLISHER: Roaring Brook Press/2025
OPENING LINES:
Oscar always worried that one day love would find him.
He could feel it out there, somewhere in the forest,
waiting for the perfect moment to pounce.
There had to be some way to keep love away.
Oscar tried one thing
after another
until at last, he knew the answer…
He would get a ferocious guard dog.
A bird named Oscar is determined to keep love away. He tries everything he can think of, but some squirrels are determined to share their affection with him. That’s when he comes up with a brilliant plan – get a ferocious guard dog named Brutus. Oscar’s plan works, but does he really want to keep love away after all? This book is cute and clever, filled with adorably illustrated woodland creatures, gentle humor, and lots of heart.
 
Read this review on Goodreads and Amazon.
Did you read and like this book?
One of the best ways to support authors and illustrators is to post reviews for their books. Support an author/illustrator today by leaving a review on Goodreads or Amazon!
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BOOK REVIEW: HAPPY NATIONAL RUBBER DUCKY DAY!

1/13/2026

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​What a fun holiday. I’m sure you’re not surprised to read that I have the perfect picture book recommendation to recommend for today:
​TITLE: JUST DUCKY: A FRIENDSHIP TAKES FLIGHT
AUTHOR/ILLUSTRATOR: Berrie Torgan-Randall
PUBLISHER: Cardinal Rule Press
OPENING LINES:
“Good morning, Campers,” says Counselor Carla. “It’s swimming day! I hope everybody remembered to bring their—”
“QUACK! That’s how to say HI in duck. This is Bill. He’s a really good swimmer. Ducks have feathers and wings AND can fly,” says Ducky.
“Thank you, Margaret. As I was saying—”
“CALL ME DUCKY. I know everything about ducks.”
Picture
Margaret (aka Ducky) knows all about ducks, so she shares duck facts with everyone she meets. That includes Marvin who is not so wild about hearing Ducky go on and on and on. In time, Ducky and Marvin both learn something new and find enough common ground to become friends. This book is so relatable! How often does a child become so excited about one topic that it becomes an obsession to the point that it annoys others? This story shows how “Ducky” both teaches and learns something in a day at camp and, as a result, gains a friend. Adorable illustrations and characters, plus themes of understanding, friendship, and acceptance make this book a winner!
 
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    About Heather

    Heather is a busy wife and mom of five rambunctious children and one lovable pup They all provide lots of distractions, but oodles of inspiration.  Sometimes the pictures and ideas in her head turn into her own children's stories, but she always makes time to read other people's books. Sometimes she reviews them here.

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  • Books
    • GILBERT & THE GHOST
    • PAISLEY'S BIG BIRTHDAY
    • PAISLEY'S BIG FIRST DAY OF SCHOOL
  • About
    • Meet Heather
    • Press Kit
  • Appearances
    • Author Visits
    • Events & News
  • Resources
    • For Writers
    • For Educators & Readers
  • Ramblings & Reviews
  • Contact