HEATHER PIERCE STIGALL
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BOOK REVIEW: IT’S WORLD RANGER DAY!

7/31/2025

2 Comments

 
​Now this is a group of truly impressive park rangers:
Picture
TITLE: THE BLACK MAMBAS: THE WORLD’S FIRST ALL-WOMAN ANTI-POACHING UNIT
AUTHOR/ILLUSTRATOR: Kelly Crull
PUBLISHER: Millbrook Press/2025
OPENING LINES:
We are the Black Mambas!
We are the first women park rangers in South Africa and the first women-led anti-poaching unit in the world.
Although we come from different tribes and speak different languages, we are united by a common goal. We want to protect the wildlife in our reserve.
I had never heard of the Black Mambas before reading this book, but I’m glad Kelly Crull created it so others will have the opportunity to read about these amazing women.  Readers will learn about how the anti-poachers work together to patrol, look for signs of poachers, help rescue injured animals, and make arrests to reduce poaching and prevent the extinction of endangered wildlife. Crull’s text is engaging, informative, and accessible to the child reader, and his photographs are beautiful! Highly recommend!
 
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BOOK REVIEW: IT’S INTERNATIONAL SELF CARE DAY!

7/24/2025

1 Comment

 
​I’ll admit I’m not always the best at prioritizing self-care, but I do believe it’s important. Without it, we can feel exhausted, drained, and rung out. Kind of like the main character in today’s book recommendation:
​ 
TITLE: THE BIG SQUEEZE

AUTHOR: Molly Harris

ILLUSTRATOR: Alison Hawkins

PUBLISHER: Harper/2024

​OPENING LINES:
A neat little sponge sat in a dish by the sink.
She flexed her springy yellow corners,
she polished her nooks and crannies,
and she scratched her scrubby green back.
“I’m lean, mean, and ready to clean!”
Picture
A little sponge knows, and loves, her purpose in life. She scrubs and cleans and polishes all the messes others leave behind. But eventually she cleans and polishes so much, she becomes grubby, exhausted, and rung out. Poor little sponge! Molly Harris’ pun-filled story is a great way to show young readers that, while it’s great to help others, it’s also important to ask for help when you need it and to take care of yourself. Alison Hawkins’ cheerful, expressive illustrations are adorable (check out the surprise under the dust jacket!). I loved this sweet and clever story!
 
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1 Comment

BOOK REVIEW: JULY IS NATIONAL CHILD-CENTERED DIVORCE MONTH

7/1/2025

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​Divorce may not be something to celebrate, but many children are affected by it. Reading a book about a character going through a divorce may help a child going through a similar situation. Today’s review is on one of those picture books:
Picture
TITLE: HEARTS IN MY POCKET
AUTHOR: Nancy Tupper Ling
ILLUSTRATOR: Shirley Ng-Benitez
PUBLISHER: Union Square Kids
OPENING LINES:
Almost everything is the same in the place I’ve always lived.
Silver trees line my front yard. Town chimes ring at noon.
My friend Eduardo and I play hide-and-seek with Pepper. We spy Ms. Penny mailing a purple letter.
Only now I miss Daddy when I’m here--
at Mommy’s house.
HEARTS IN MY POCKET tells the story of a girl who is trying to adjust to her parents’ recent divorce. When staying with her mom, she misses her dad. When she’s with her dad, she misses her mom. Her heart sometimes feels like it’s torn in two. But, in time, the girl learns she can carry the hearts of both of her parents in her pocket, no matter where she is. Nancy Tupper Ling doesn’t shy away from addressing the sometimes-difficult realities of divorce, but does so with a heartwarming, lyrical story that has a hopeful resolution. Shirley Ng-Benitez’s watercolor illustrations add just the right touch to this beautiful book. I highly recommend this book for anyone experiencing a divorce in the family.
 
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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
  • Appearances
    • Author Visits
    • Events & News
  • Resources
    • For Writers
    • For Educators & Readers
  • Ramblings & Reviews
  • Contact