HEATHER PIERCE STIGALL
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BOOK REVIEW: HAPPY NATIONAL GHOST HUNTING DAY!

9/26/2026

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​If you’re looking for a spooky middle grade book that’s full of mystery, suspense, friends, and ghosts, this is the one for you!
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​TITLE: THE HAUNTING OF BELLINGTON COTTAGE
AUTHOR: Laura Parnum
PUBLISHER: Storytide (Harper Collins)
OPENING LINES:
Bellington Cottage was the perfect place to create a haunted house. Dark. Secluded. Mossy. Its outside walls were made up of rough, aged stone that probably housed all kids of critters for the winter, like spiders and mice. Maybe even bats. The chimney of the towering three-story house poked through the snow-covered roof like a gravestone, and the starkly painted red door was the only shock of color among the skeletal trees and white landscape. It was like something straight out of an old horror movie but with a freshly plowed driveway, thanks to the rental management company.
Iris is looking forward to reuniting with Violet so they can re-create the haunted house they made when they first met. But things do not go as expected. “Vee” has changed – her name, her fashion choices, her personality – and tensions rise between them. To complicate matters, the rental house where they are staying is actually haunted! I loved how the book’s themes of growing up, change, and navigating conflict within friendships were wrapped in mysterious ghost story. Laura Parnum’s story is engaging, entertaining, and will have you on the edge of your seat. If you’re looking for a spooky friendship book for 8–12-year-olds (or older), this is the perfect choice!
 
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BOOK REVIEW: IT’S 911 REMEMBRANCE DAY

9/11/2026

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​It’s a somber day, but so important we never forget. And not only about those we lost, but those who stepped up to help. This picture book does just that:
​TITLE: GANDER: THE TOWN THAT WELCOMED THE WORLD
AUTHOR: Nikki Bergstresser
ILLUSTRATOR: Reilly Fitzgerald
PUBLISHER: Plumleaf Press/2026
OPENING LINES:
Like geese flying over on an autumn day, the planes came to the small Canadian town of Gander.
One by one, they landed on the tarmac.
The skies grew silent. Air travel around the world came to a sudden stop.
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On September 11, 2001, terrorists hijacked four planes and attacked the World Trade Centers in New York City and the Pentagon in Washington D.C. In order to prevent further attacks, all air travel was grounded in the U.S. But what about the planes already in the sky? Thirty-eight of those planes landed in the Newfoundland town of Gander. The 6,000 passengers may have been stranded in Canada, but they weren’t abandoned. The townspeople gave them shelter, food, and companionship. Nikki Bergstresser’s poignant story is told in a heartfelt but hopeful way that is appropriate for young readers and Reilly Fitzgerald’s acrylic illustrations beautifully depict the kind-hearted community that came together to help those in need. This was a very moving read, especially for someone who remembers 9/11 so clearly, but the general themes of kindness, compassion, and hope will resonate with young readers now and for years to come.
 
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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