HEATHER PIERCE STIGALL
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BOOK REVIEW: IT’S JUNETEENTH!

6/19/2025

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​To commemorate this day in history, I recommend reading this stunning and poignant picture book:
​
​TITLE: THEY BUILT ME FOR FREEDOM: THE STORY OF JUNETEENTH AND HOUSTON'S EMANCIPATION PARK
AUTHOR: Tonya Duncan Ellis
ILLUSTRATOR: Jenin Mohammed
PUBLISHER: Balzer & Bray
OPENING LINES:
When people visit me, they are free…
…to run, play, gather, and rejoice.
They built me to remember.
June 19, 1865.
The day enslaved people found out the truth.
They could work for their own money.
Start their own families.
Live their own lives.
Picture
This beautifully written and illustrated picture book, told from the point of view of Emancipation Park, is a must read for all ages. Tonya Duncan Ellis’ lyrical text is engaging, powerful, and packs an emotional punch. Jenin Mohammed’s vibrant art is stunning! Together, they tell an important story of truth, struggle, strength, celebration, community, gratitude, and freedom.
 
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BOOK REVIEW: HAPPY DINOSAUR DAY!

6/1/2025

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​What better way to celebrate Dinosaur Day than to read a picture book about dinosaurs!
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​TITLE: MISSY WANTS A MAMMOTH

AUTHOR:
Pam Vaughan

ILLUSTRATOR
: Ariel Landy

PUBLISHER
: Pixel + Ink

OPENING LINES
:
MISSY: I want a mammoth.
MASON: A mammoth? You can’t have a--
MISSY: Mammoths are so cute and cuddly with their fuzzy heads and furry bellies.
MASON: But--
MISSY: I’ll name him Malcolm! That’s a perfect name for a mammoth.
MASON: Name him?
Missy has BIG dreams to have a mammoth as a pet. Look how cuddly and fuzzy they are in the museum! Her brother, Malcolm, tries to be the voice of reason. Missy has to be set straight – mammoths have been extinct for thousands of years, after all. This fun story, full of light-hearted sibling conflict, humor, heart, and a trip to the Natural Museum of History is sure to be a hit with kids.
 
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BOOK REVIEW: IT’S GARDENING FOR WILDLIFE MONTH!

5/13/2025

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​Celebrations during Gardening for Wildlife Month usually involve creating wildlife gardens that highlight local plants. Today’s book recommendation is about an activist who was inspired by what gardens can do for people:
​TITLE: GRACE LEE BOGGS: GARDENS OF HOPE
AUTHOR: Songju Ma Daemicke
ILLUSTRATOR: Lin
PUBLISHER: Albert Whitman & Company
OPENING LINES:
Grace could hardly believe it when her teacher gave her a book—to keep! Grace was eight years old and had never owned a book.
The Secret Garden, by Frances Hodgson Burnett, was about a lonely girl—just like Grace—who found an abandoned garden. The girl tended the garden with the help of her cousin and friend. As the garden bloomed, so did they.
Grace held the book against her chest and closed her eyes. She saw a garden full of flowers, hope, and possibilities.
I could grow a garden to help people heal.
Picture
This non-fiction biography is about an activist who I had never heard of before reading this book. Grace Lee Boggs fought for equal civil, labor, women’s and environmental rights and accomplished a lot in her 100 years of life. This book highlights many of her accomplishments but focuses on her dream to build “gardens of hope”—places where people could “relate to the earth…” and heal “wounds of past discrimination.” Songju Ma Daemicke’s text is engaging, informative, and inspiring. Lin’s soft color palette of greens, blues, yellows, and oranges are the perfect choice to illustrate a garden-focused story. This book will be an excellent choice for your school or home library!
 
 
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BOOK REVIEW: HAPPY BROTHERS & SISTERS DAY!

5/2/2025

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​Here’s a sweet sibling story to celebrate the day:
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​
​TITLE:           LULU & ZOEY: A SISTER STORY
AUTHOR:     Carrie Finison
ILLUSTRATOR: Bea Jackson
PUBLISHER: Running Press Kids/2022
OPENING LINES:
 
Sometimes Lulu wants to play.
But Zoey doesn’t. “Not okay.”
 
Sometimes Zoey hides her book
when Lulu only wants to look.
 
Sometimes Zoey has the best.
Sometimes Lulu grabs the rest.
This sweet book is about two sisters who sometimes get along, and sometimes don’t. When an argument leads to a shouting, stomping fight, they spend some time apart which is enough for them to reunite and work together to create a story. And I’m not even giving away surprise ending! Carrie Finison’s expert rhyme paired with Bea Jackson’s cheerful illustrations are the perfect match for this heartfelt picture book. Recommended for sisters of all ages!  
 
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​
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REVIEW: HAPPY WORLD BOOK DAY!

4/23/2025

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​What book will you read today? Here’s a recommendation of a book about a porcupine who loves books:
​TITLE: PORCUPETTE & MOPPET

AUTHOR: Nadine Poper

ILLUSTRATOR: Alicia Young

PUBLISHER: Blue Whale Press/2019

​OPENING LINES:
Porcupette loves to read. He spends most of his days reading. And he likes it that way.
He enjoys storybooks.
And poetry books.
Silly books and spooky books.
But he especially loves books that teach him about something important about the world.
Picture
Porcupette is a bit of a bookworm. In fact, he’s so into his book that when someone new comes along, he misses some clues that just might save his life…or does he? This adorable and informative book is full of tension-building text, charming illustrations, and supplemental back matter. A wonderful addition to your bookshelf!
 
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BOOK REVIEW: HAPPY DAY OF HOPE!

4/2/2025

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​If you need a bit a hope right now, this book is sure to give you that:
Picture
​
TITLE:           HOPE IS A HOP

AUTHOR:     Katrina Moore

ILLUSTRATOR: Melissa Iwai

PUBLISHER: Dial Books for Young Readers/2023

OPENING LINES:

​Hope is a light you turn on in the dark,
an up before sunrise—start of a spark.
Hope is a whisper you say to your heart.
It’s a hoe and a hole and a heap in your cart.
With a lot of hard work and hope, Eva’s garden begins to sprout, only to be invaded by a rascally rabbit! Eva thud and thumps and mourns her loss, but after being comforted by her mother, she discovers a surprise that gives her the courage to hope and to try again. Katrina Moore’s lyrical text sets just the right tone for this sweet story of springtime, new beginnings, and hope. Melissa Iwai’s lush, colorful illustrations convey parallel stories of two families—Eva’s and the bunny’s. If you love heartfelt rhyming stories about spring, gardens, bunnies, new babies, and hope, I enthusiastically recommend HOPE IS A HOP!
 
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BOOK REVIEW: HAPPY WORLD READING IS FUNNY DAY!

4/1/2025

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​I love funny picture books, and today’s recommendation is definitely funny:
​

TITLE: THIS BOOK IS DEFINITELY NOT CURSED

AUTHOR: Megan Woodward

ILLUSTRATOR: Risa Rodil

PUBLISHER: Aladdin

OPENING LINES:
Ha! You actually fell for that?
It’s a huge mistake to judge a book by its cover because this one is
DEFINITELY CURSED.
Picture
If you’re a fan of a book that breaks the 4th wall, then this is the book for you. Little ones will want to want to keep turning the pages despite the creature’s warning that the book they are reading is cursed. Of course they will, because kids love to do what they’re told they’re not supposed to do! Risa Rodil’s bright illustrations paired with Megan Woodward’s humorous text make a perfect read aloud that kids will ask to read again and again.
 
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BOOK REVIEW: IT’S NATIONAL POULTRY DAY AND INTERNATIONAL READ TO ME DAY!

3/19/2025

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​So, let’s do a combo celebration by reading a book about a little chicken—I  mean dragon—to someone you care for today.
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​TITLE: RORY THE REMARKABLE DRAGON
AUTHOR/ILLUSTRATOR: KATHRYN RAMMELL
PUBLISHER: Orchard Books/2024
OPENING LINES:
Rory was a remarkable dragon.
When she was old enough, Rory began school with all the other remarkable dragons.
On the first day, her classmates took a loooong look at her…
Everyone immediately loved Rory.
Except the principal.
There was something that didn’t seem right about this dragon.
Rory may look like a chicken, but she’s really a remarkable dragon, old enough to attend Dragon Academy. Rory’s classmates accept her, and her teacher accepts her, but her principal is suspicious. Something just doesn’t seem right. This book is full of colorful and expressive illustrations, laugh out loud humor, and is prime example of the perfect page turn. Plus it combines an acceptance theme with a first day of school setting and has dragons!
 
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REVIEW: HAPPY WORLD PEACE & UNDERSTANDING DAY!

2/23/2025

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Now this is a holiday worth celebrating! Here's my book recommendation for today:
​
​TITLE: BUILDING BRIDGES: PEACE, SALAAM, SHALOM
AUTHORS: Callie Metler, Shirin Rahman, Melissa Stoller
ILLUSTRATOR: Kate Talbot
PUBLISHER: Clear Fork Publishing/2022
OPENING LINES:
 
Hand-in-hand, three best friends skipped over the bridge to Peace Park.
“Let’s check on the trees, our class planted,” said Hannah.
“Race you there,” shouted Savera.
Molly pointed. “Look how big they are growing.”
Picture
Hannah, Savera, and Molly are back in this sequel to the first Peace, Salaam, Shalom book featuring three friends of different faiths, written by three authors of the same faiths as their characters. This time the girls band together when they discover the bridge in Peace Park is in danger. This lovely book about community, cooperation, problem solving, positive mindset, and friendship is beautifully illustrated with diverse, expressive characters and vibrant settings—a sweet story, perfect for any bookshelf!
 
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2 Comments

BOOK REVIEW: IT’S NATIONAL WEDDING MONTH

2/4/2025

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​February is National Wedding Month, so this is the right time to introduce this book:
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​TITLE: THE WEDDING SHOE SNATCH

AUTHOR: Madhu Messenger

ILLUSTRATOR: Darshika Varma

PUBLISHER: Albert Whitman & Company

​OPENING LINES:
It’s the big day.
Shilpa’s stomach flip-flops. Her fingers twitch. Her sister is getting married
“After you marry Amit, you’ll have a whole new family,” Shilpa tells Maya. “Without me.”
“Don’t worry,” Maya says. “I’ll still be your sister. Plus, my new family will be your family, too.”
This entertaining picture book is about Shilpa, a sister-of-the bride who worries about how marriage will change the dynamics of her family. She’s especially worried about the groom’s little brother, Rishi, who keeps calling her names. Shilpa is determined to win the prize in Joota Chupai, an Indian wedding tradition where family and friends of the bride try to snatch the groom’s shoes, but that means getting past Rishi! This fast-paced story highlights a fun Indian wedding tradition while conveying themes of family relationships, change, kindness, and acceptance. Darshika Varma’s vibrant color palette and energetic illustrations enhance the playfulness of Madhu Messenger’s fun yet heartfelt text. Great read all around!
 
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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
    • PAISLEY'S BIG BIRTHDAY
    • GILBERT & THE GHOST
  • About
    • Meet Heather
    • Press Kit
  • Events & News
  • Appearances
    • Author Visits
  • Resources
    • For Writers
    • For Educators & Readers
  • Ramblings & Reviews
  • Contact