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ENTRY TYPE:
WORK TITLE: Six Little Sticks
WORK NOTES:
PSEUDONYM(S):
BIRTHDATE:
WEBSITE: https://www.tiffanystone.ca
CITY: Maple Ridge
STATE:
COUNTRY: Canada
NATIONALITY: Canadian
LAST VOLUME: SATA 403
RESEARCHER NOTES:
PERSONAL
Born August 31, 1967, in St-Jean, Quebec, Canada; married; husband’s name Carman; children: Emory, Kaslo (sons), Jewell (daughter).
EDUCATION:University of British Columbia, B.F.A. (creative writing), 1991.
ADDRESS
CAREER
Poet and writer. Previously worked as a bakery prep person, veterinary hospital receptionist, and music academy administrator; poetry performer at schools, libraries, and special events.
AVOCATIONS:Vegetable gardening, vegan baking, playing tuba, roller skating, voluntary ESL tutoring for immigrants.
MEMBER:Children’s Writers & Illustrators of British Columbia Society.
WRITINGS
Poems represented in anthologies, including Do Whales Jump at Night?, edited by Florence McNeil, Douglas & McIntyre (Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada), 1990; And the Crowd Goes Wild: A Global Gathering of Sports Poems, edited by Carol-Ann Hoyte and Heidi Bee Roemer, FriesenPress (Victoria, British Columbia, Canada), 2012; and Dear Tomato: An International Crop of Food and Agriculture Poems, edited by Carol-Ann Hoyte, CreateSpace (North Charleston, SC), 2015. Contributor to periodicals, including Canadian Children’s Book News and Chirp.
SIDELIGHTS
Tiffany Stone is a Canadian children’s book author. She holds a bachelor’s degree in creative writing from the University of British Columbia. [open new]About her origins as an author, Stone told Maria Marshall: “I have been writing for as long as I can remember, since I was five, I think. Except for a brief period in about second grade when I wanted to be a veterinarian (until I learned that there are sad parts of that job), I have always wanted to be a writer. I’m a poet at heart and am happiest when I’m writing rhymes!” Stone often features animals in the tales she writes. She explained to the Orca Blog: “I really love animals. … And I really love sharing my love of animals. It’s a way to connect instantly with kids. I also really enjoy the challenge of stepping not only outside of myself, but outside of being a human, and imagining what it’s like to be one of the many, many other living creatures that share the planet.” A resident of British Columbia since she was two years old, Stone now lives with her family on the edge of Kanaka Creek Regional Park, where they sometimes get visits from black bears.[suspend new]
Rainbow Shoes, illustrated by Stefan Czernecki and released in 2012, is a poetry collection by Stone. Each of the book’s fourteen poems is dedicated to a particular item of clothing and a corresponding color. In addition to the title poem, works include “Purple Pants Poem,” “Orange Socks,” “What Do Pirates Wear at Night?,” and “The Top Thing in Toppers,” which is about hats. The final poem in the book is called “What If,” which finds a child surprised to wake up cover in polka dots. A Kirkus Reviews critic suggested: “Stone and Czernecki’s text and illustrations are in perfect harmony. Consistently surprising and equally delightful.”
Illustrated by Holly Hatam, Tree Song follows an acorn, called a seed in the book, as endures the four seasons and becomes a tree. When the book begins, it is fall. The seed successfully manages not to be eaten by birds during this season and the winter that follows it. In the spring, it begins to sprout and sings a song. As it grows, it observes more seasonal changes, as well as the people and animals that go about their lives near it. By the end of the book, the tree has grown old. It sits quietly in place. Its singing has stopped. A contributor to Kirkus Reviews described Tree Song as “a quiet book for the preschool nature shelf.”
A small girl determines to play a large instrument in her school’s band in Tallulah Plays the Tuba. The band director, Mr. Greenwood, tries to divert Tallulah’s attentions from the tuba, suggesting various other instruments for her to try. Tallulah will not be deterred. Finally, Mr. Greenwood relents, allowing Tallulah to play the tuba. The book features illustrations by Sandy Nichols. In an interview with Deborah Kalb on the Book Q&As with Deborah Kalb website, Stone discussed her personal connection to the story, stating: “Way back in high school, I played the tuba. As a tiny tuba-playing girl, I was an anomaly—and I loved it!” As for how she came to create a character inspired by her younger self, Stone told Kalb, “In an email exchange with the marketing manager about my previous book, I happened to mention my tuba-playing past. She thought a story about a little girl who really wants to play the tuba would make a great picture book.” “Children transitioning from easy readers may find this a happy match,” commented a writer in Kirkus Reviews.
In Stone’s next outing, Silli’s Sheep, Silli is a man who lives in a meadow and believes his life would be better if he could only find some sheep. Then to his joy, he does, but they seem unwilling to follow him. Even the youngest reader will realize this is because they are not sheep at all but simply rock formations. Silli’s silliness leads to a variety of situations, and Louis Thomas’s gauche, ink, and colored pencil illustrations complement Stone’s whimsical tale. “A fresh and funny story of a good-natured soul” is what a Kirkus Reviews writer called Silli’s Sheep, enjoying how the text and the illustrations fit together for a “rollicking good time.”
Stone continued with another story of a person trying to bond with an inanimate object in Wood Could. In this outing, however, Wood is actually alive in a way but does not want to be disturbed. That hardly dissuades the girl and her stuffed rabbit, Prince Fluffybutt, who do their best to involve Wood in their various games. Mike Lowery, who also illustrated Stone’s story Knot Cannot, adds funny details. In School Library Journal, Elizabeth Willoughby called Wood Could “a richly executed comedic piece.” She appreciated the “funny wordplay” and was particularly impressed with the book’s conclusion, which “takes on selfishness and finds a way to make everyone happy.” A reviewer in Publishers Weekly agreed with that assessment, writing that “the payoff is anything but trivial” in how it shows the joy someone can find in helping someone else. The writer also enjoyed the “long string of wood-related wordplay.”
[resume new]Little Narwhal, Not Alone was inspired by the true story of a narwhal that wandered so far from the arctic region it ended up joining a pod of beluga whales. Boldly exploring, young Narwhal enjoys the sights of arctic char, a seal, caribou, and the northern lights, but eventually he realizes that not a single other narwhal can be found. After coming too close to a propeller for comfort, Narwhal falls in with some white whales who seem friendly enough. Unfortunately, they speak a different language, their songs are unfamiliar, and they favor a different type of fish. But in time Narwhal recognizes and appreciates all their important similarities. A Kirkus Reviews writer affirmed that Stone’s “rhyming story of a real-life friendship is compelling not only for its plot, but also for its underlying message about how diversity makes us stronger.”[suspend new]
Stone went in a somewhat different direction with Super Small: Miniature Marvels of the Natural World. This nonfiction picture book, with illustrations by Ashley Spires, is designed to amaze young readers with various feats by some of the world’s smaller animals. Starring creatures include jellyfish, salamanders, and an animal that can live in outer space. Stone makes the learning fun with some of the text in rhyme. Emilia Packard, writing in School Library Journal, called the book a “gentle introduction” to wee animal life with “sugary-sweet illustrations and giggle-grabbing verse.” A writer in Kirkus Reviews called the message that small children can be special, too, “reassuring” and appreciated Spires’s “clever touches” in the “brisk” text.
[re-resume new]Stone was also inspired to write The Day Dancer Flew by a real-life story, from flooding caused by heavy rains in British Columbia in 2021. One horse had to be saved by volunteers and an air-rescue team. Stone told the Orca Blog, “This particular story … resonated with me in many ways—with my love of animals, my belief in community and how a helicopter played a crucial role in the rescue; this last detail spoke to me personally as my dad was a helicopter engineer.” In the book, a young girl has formed a strong bond with a horse she rides daily, named Dancer after the way he moves his hooves. When heavy rains threaten flooding, the horses dances to warn of the danger, and the girl and her mother must be flown away by helicopter. To rescue Dancer, they get help from a policeman, who points out a woman who helps horses, who recruits a veterinarian and a helicopter pilot, and all together they save the day. A Kirkus Reviews writer declared that “readers will be moved by how the protagonist’s flights of fancy turn into concrete solutions” in this “tremendous example of collective efforts in the wake of disaster.”
The seed for Stone’s next book, Six Little Sticks, was the pair of stick bugs, named Charlotte and Wilbur, that her daughter kept as pets during her youth and which produced some baby stick bugs—suitable for counting. Aiming to ensure her six children know how to stay safe in the world, Mama stick bug teaches them how to camouflage themselves, leaving readers to locate them among their tiny toys at first and then amidst branches, leaves, and the surrounding woods. With bug facts and a challenge to search for additional bugs—in book and real world alike—rounding out the text, a Kirkus Reviews writer proclaimed that “eagle-eyed junior entomologists will go buggy for this one.”[close new]
BIOCRIT
PERIODICALS
Canadian Book Review (annual), 2006, Sylvia Pantaleo, review of Baaaad Animals, p. 531.
Kirkus Reviews, January 15, 2013, review of Rainbow Shoes; February 15, 2018, review of Tree Song; August 1, 2019, review of Tallulah Plays the Tuba; February 1, 2020, review of Knot Cannot; May 15, 2020, review of Silli’s Sheep; August 15, 2021, review of Little Narwhal, Not Alone; February 1, 2023, review of Super Small: Miniature Marvels of the Natural World; August 15, 2021, review of Little Narwhal, Not Alone; March 15, 2024, review of The Day Dancer Flew; March 1, 2025, review of Six Little Sticks.
Publishers Weekly, June 29, 2020, review of Silli’s Sheep, p. 63; February 15, 2021, review of Wood Could, p. 189.
Resource Links, December, 2004, Rosemary Anderson, review of Floyd the Flamingo and His Flock of Friends, p. 10; April, 2007, Linda Berezowski, review of Baaaad Animals, p. 9.
School Library Journal, July, 2021, Elizabeth Willoughby, review of Wood Could, p. 40; April, 2023, Emilia Packard, review of Super Small, p. 148.
ONLINE
Book Q&As with Deborah Kalb, http://deborahkalbbooks.blogspot.com/ (October 11, 2019), author interview; October 15, 2021, author interview.
Children’s Writers & Illustrators of British Columbia Society website, https://www.cwillbc.org/ (November 3, 2025), author profile.
Maria Marshall website, https://www.mariacmarshall.com/ (November 3, 2025), “The Picture Book Buzz—Interview with Tiffany Stone.”
Orca Blog, https://blog.orcabook.com/ (May 7, 2024), “Q&A with The Day Dancer Flew Author Tiffany Stone.”
Tiffany Stone website, https://www.tiffanystone.ca (November 3, 2025).
Tiffany Stone is a children’s poet, picture book author and editor. She loves playing with words, especially writing rhymes, penning puns and using a lot of alliteration. Tiffany lives by the forest in Maple Ridge, BC, Canada, with her family and a plethora of pets, including two snakes.
Tiffany is represented by Hilary McMahon at Westwood Creative Artists.
Six more Things about Tiffany:
Tiffany was born in the province of Quebec the year Canada turned 100 but has lived in the province of British Columbia since she was two.
Tiffany knew she’d be a writer when she grew up because she has always loved playing with words. (She has been a word acrobat almost since she could hold a pencil!)
Tiffany earned her Bachelor of Fine Arts in Creative Writing at the University of British Columbia.
Besides being in books, Tiffany’s work has appeared in children’s magazines such as Chirp, on buses and even on a plaque at a beach.
Before focusing on her writing career, Tiffany worked at a veterinary clinic, iced cinnamon buns at a bakery and dropped out of hairdressing school.
When Tiffany isn’t working or spending time with her family, she likes growing vegetables, baking vegan goodies, learning French, practising tuba, traveling to northern places (like the Yukon, the Northwest Territories and Iceland) and volunteering to help immigrants.
About Me
I'm a children's poet, picture book author and, as author-illustrator Christina Leist* so creatively dubbed me, a word acrobat. My poems have been featured in Chirp magazine, on buses for Poetry in Transit and on a plaque at Kits Beach as part of the Reading Lights initiative. For two decades, I've been entertaining kids of all ages with interactive poetry performances and readings at schools and libraries, as well as at public events, like Coquitlam’s 125th anniversary celebration. I live in Maple Ridge with my family, which includes a plethora of pets.
*Check out Christina's profile on this site! Show Less
Q&A with The Day Dancer Flew author Tiffany Stone
Author Interviews | Interview May 7, 2024
The story is a much-needed reminder about the importance of community; it also offers a crucial takeaway: Even in the face of natural disaster and trauma, we must never stop attempting the seemingly impossible…A tremendous example of collective efforts in the wake of disaster.
—Kirkus Reviews
In author Tiffany Stone’s new picture book, The Day Dancer Flew, a young girl works to rescue her horse after a devastating flood.
What inspired you to write The Day Dancer Flew?
In 2021, heavy rainfall caused severe flooding in parts of BC, including in Abbotsford, an agricultural community near where I live. This meant I got to witness some of the devastation firsthand. Roads were washed out and farmers’ fields were underwater. The impact on both people and farm animals was enormous. Yet among all the tragic news stories, I found stories of hope, of strangers coming together to help in whatever ways they could. One of these was the real-life air rescue of a horse. Although this particular story took place in another part of BC, it still resonated with me in many ways—with my love of animals, my belief in community and how a helicopter played a crucial role in the rescue; this last detail spoke to me personally as my dad was a helicopter engineer.
What did your process for writing the book look like?
I started by researching the real-life event, going through as much news coverage as I could find, including this short video clip of the moment the horse was lifted off the ground and into the air. Notice how he relaxes once he’s “flying”. I also did some additional research about horses, particularly about their behavior. Also, because I wanted the protagonist to be a child, and no children played major roles in the actual event, I decided that my book would be inspired by what happened rather than a factual retelling.
Next, I went through my notes and selected elements I would use to frame my fictional story. One of these details was that the horse had “danced” to warn its owner of impending danger from the flood. I knew that my fictional horse had to be called Dancer and that the book’s title would be The Day Dancer Flew. Feeling well informed, I plotted everything out and experimented with how to tell the story. I am, at heart, a kids’ poet, and one who loves to write in rhyme. However, I decided that format would feel too contrived in this case. Instead, I thought a prose poem of sorts, told in the first person, would allow readers to immerse themselves in what was taking place rather than watch the girl watch her horse being rescued. And I felt the poetic language and line breaks would capture the natural cadence of speech.
Finally, it was time to write—first by hand, in a notebook (which soon became a mess of cross-outs, insertions and procrastination doodles), and then on my laptop, where I polished up the draft. Once Orca acquired the manuscript, there were several rounds of revisions with my wonderful editor, Sarah Howden. A few further changes were made once the illustrator had finished the artwork. And what gorgeous artwork it is! Even as someone who is very much not a visual artist, I know how hard it is to draw horses, and Brittany Lane absolutely nailed it. What a gift to have a former wildlife biologist bring my words to life!
Pages from The Day Dancer Flew, written by Tiffany Stone and illustrated by Brittany Lane.
Did the ongoing impact of the climate crisis play a role in your desire to tell this story, especially with the fires and flooding it has caused?
Definitely. It’s easy to get overwhelmed by all that’s going on in the world. I wanted to write something honest but ultimately optimistic. I think Mister Rogers said it best: “Look for the helpers. You will always find people who are helping.”
You have written quite a few books about animals! What excites you about telling stories with animals in them?
I really love animals. (I may have mentioned this already, hehe!) And I really love sharing my love of animals. It’s a way to connect instantly with kids. I also really enjoy the challenge of stepping not only outside of myself, but outside of being a human, and imagining what it’s like to be one of the many, many other living creatures that share the planet. Plus, there’s the awesome perk of getting to watch tons of animal videos for research!
Do you have a horse (or pets)? And if you had to choose, what would your favorite animal be?
I don’t have a horse, but I do live in a rural area with a horse and donkey as my neighbors. In the past, my family has had dogs, rabbits, hamsters, gerbils, rats, fish, stick insects and triops (a type of freshwater crustacean). Right now, our household includes five humans, five cats, two snakes (a ball python and a Kenyan sand boa), a land hermit crab, isopods and springtails. Some of our pets have already shown up in my work, and others are extremely likely to do so.
Choosing a favorite animal is nearly impossible, but in terms of a pet, I would love to adopt a tortoise one day. I feel we share similar personalities and both love plant-based foods! As for wild animals, I have a soft spot for turkey vultures. Like me, they seem to be a mix of confident and awkward. Plus, as scavengers, they help the environment by being part of nature’s cleanup crew. And their scavenging behavior can even help forensic scientists solve crimes. I think there might be a story about vultures in my future as well…
What main takeaways do you hope for readers after they finish your book?
I hope the book will encourage readers to think creatively when it comes to problem solving, especially when they are having trouble finding a solution. “Impossible” options might not be so impossible after all. In the book and in real life, people were able to make a horse fly! I also hope that the story inspires collaboration between kids and adults. I have learned so much from my three kids, and I love visiting schools and libraries because I learn a lot from the kids I meet there too. Ultimately, I would be thrilled if readers were able to take Mister Rogers’ advice one step further and not only look for the helpers but feel empowered to be the helpers themselves.
What’s next for you? Do you have any other books in the works?
I do! I have a picture book coming out next year from Greystone Kids and—surprise!—it’s about animals…well, stick insects, to be exact. It’s called Six Little Sticks and is about a mama stick bug that is trying to teach her six little ones how to stay safe outside. But every time she tries to count them to keep track of them, one more is missing, playfully hiding nearby. It’s a search and find, with a fun math component, and absolutely adorable illustrations by Ruth Hengeveld, an artist in the Netherlands.
Tiffany Stone is an acclaimed children’s poet and author of more than ten picture books, including Little Narwhal, Not Alone and Super Small. She is constantly inspired by animals of all kinds and loves to write about them. Tiffany lives with her family in Maple Ridge, British Columbia.
The Picture Book Buzz - Interview with Tiffany Stone
Tiffany Stone is a children’s poet, picture book author, and editor. She loves playing with words, especially writing rhymes, penning puns, and using a lot of alliteration. Tiffany lives by the forest in Maple Ridge, BC, Canada, with her family and a plethora of pets, including two snakes.
Photo of author Tiffany Stone.
When Tiffany isn’t working or spending time with her family, she likes growing vegetables, baking vegan goodies, roller skating and volunteering helping immigrants learn English.
Collage of eight of Tiffany's book covers.
Tiffany is the author of 13 books, including The Day Dancer Flew, illustrated by Brittany Lane (2024), Super Small: Miniature Marvels of the Natural World, illustrated by Ashley Spires (2023), Little Narwhal, Not Alone, illustrated by Ashlyn Anstee (2021), Wood Could, illustrated by Mike Lowery (2021), Knot Cannot, illustrated by Mike Lowery (2020), Silli's Sheep, illustrated by Louis Thomas (2020), Tallulah Plays the Tuba, illustrated by, Sandy Nichols (2019), and Teatime, illustrated by Jori van der Linde (2017)
Her newest picture book, Six Little Sticks, releases on May 6th.
Welcome Tiffany,
Tell us a little about yourselves. (Where/when do you write? How long have you been writing? What is your favorite type of book to write?)
A lot of my writing takes place in my head as I go about my day. Some of my best lines seem to come to me when I’m taking a shower or driving my car, which means I have to keep repeating them to myself until I have a chance to type them into my phone or jot them down on paper. When I actually sit down to write, it tends to be on the couch, where I get ‘help’ from at least one of our cats. Sometimes, though, I manage to write in my bright orange office!
I have been writing for as long as I can remember, since I was five, I think. Except for a brief period in about second grade when I wanted to be a veterinarian (until I learned that there are sad parts of that job), I have always wanted to be a writer.
I’m a poet at heart and am happiest when I’m writing rhymes!
It is really nice to "meet" you, Tiffany. What is one of the most fun or unusual places where you’ve written or illustrated a manuscript?
I worked on a very early version of Super Small in various campgrounds while on a road trip partway across Canada with my family, and I began Silli’s Sheep on the airplane ride home after visiting Iceland with my husband. Probably the most epic—and frustrating—writing experience I’ve had was back in the early 2000s when I did the final proofread of one of my books on my laptop from a remote location (also while camping with my family) via dial-up modem. It took HOURS because the connection kept cutting out, and I had to keep paying for additional time.
That is SO tough! We did something like that once in the Bahamas. What was your inspiration or spark of interest for Six Little Sticks?
Book cover - six little walking sticks perch about on blades of grass.
I was inspired to write the story by a pair of stick insects my now grown-up daughter had as pets when she was a kid. Charlotte and Wilbur, who arrived already named, were both mama stick bugs but went on to have many little sticks of their own. A fun stick bug fact that isn’t in the book: A female stick insect doesn’t need a male to have babies. Female stick insects can reproduce by parthenogenesis, a form of asexual reproduction in which the unfertilized females produce eggs that hatch into more females. If there are no males around, all the stick bugs will continue to be females. If a male does fertilize an egg, the baby (or nymph) has a fifty percent chance of being male.
It's my understanding that it’s no longer legal to keep non-native stick insects as pets in Canada because they are considered ecological pests, so we were lucky to welcome Charlotte, Wilbur and their little sticks into our family when we did!
Cool fact and interesting that they are now "pests." By the way, it is illegal in the U.S. to have non-native stick insects, too. What is the hardest or most challenging thing for each of you about writing Six Little Sticks?
For me, it was figuring out the most fun, yet still realistic, way to incorporate stick insects’ real-life ability to camouflage into a unique story for younger kids.
I can see how that would have been a fun challenge. How many revisions did Six Little Sticks take from first draft to publication?
So many I lost count! It started off as a story called Fantastick back in 2019, which was nothing like what it became, other than that it was about a stick insect. Despite always having very few words, the story went through multiple iterations until I finally landed upon the idea of including counting and subtraction. Adding numbers seemed to be the charm!
Interesting. Finding the format can be tough. When you first saw Ruth Hengeveld’s illustrations did anything surprise, amaze, or delight you? Which is your favorite spread?
I absolutely love how Ruth manages to combine realism with whimsy. All the insect species in the book are clearly recognizable, and yet I feel I could sit down and have a cup of tea (or lemonade) with any one of them!
Internal spread - on the left mam stickbug on a branch. On the right, six little stick bugs rest on branches and leaves with their favorite items - pinwheel, binoculars, wagon, crayons, lantern, pear, and a slingshot.
Text © Tiffany Stone, 2025. Image © Ruth Hengeveld, 2025.
The big, bold first spread really speaks to me. But I also adore the tiny details throughout, like the personal items, such as the binoculars, pinwheel, and colored pencils, that help us tell the six little sticks apart.
What's something each of you want your readers to know about or learn from Six Little Sticks?
I hope readers will be inspired to learn more about stick insects (there are around 3,000 different species!) and other insects who use camouflage. Maybe they’ll use the search-and-find skills they hone reading the book to really notice the world around them. You never know what cool creatures you might find!
I didn't realize there were so many species of stick bugs! I've actually found a few throughout my life and travels. What was the most fun part of writing Six Little Sticks?
I always love the challenge of finding rhymes that aren’t merely convenient but actually serve the story I want to tell. I also really enjoyed coming up with the title. It’s fun to say: Six Little Sticks, Six Little Sticks, Six Little Sticks…
Rhymes can be so tough and even more so when you eschew the easiest ones. Are there any upcoming books or new projects you are working on now that you can share a tidbit with us?
I can’t share specifics yet, but I’m super excited (and a little nervous) to be working on my first early chapter book series!
Congrats! We'll have to keep our eyes open for the series. Last question, what is your favorite National Park or Forest, regional park, or city park? Or the one you’re longing to visit. Why?
I’m rather spoiled since our property backs onto forest in Kanaka Creek Regional Park. I can hear the creek from our house, and black bears sometimes pay a visit.
Photo of a Buffalo herd in Wood Buffalo National Park. https://www.naturalworldheritagesites.org/sites/wood-buffalo-national-park/
www.NaturalWorldHeritageSites.org/EverythingEverwhereTravelBlog
Seeing herds of bison in Wood Buffalo National Park (Canada’s largest national park), on the border of Alberta and the Northwest Territories, on the traditional territory of the Dene, Cree and Métis, was a bucket list moment, for sure!
Thank you Tiffany for sharing with us a bit about yourself and your newest picture book.
To find out more about Tiffany Stone, or to contact her:
Website: https://www.tiffanystone.ca/
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/tiffanystonewriter/
Stone, Tiffany LITTLE NARWHAL, NOT ALONE Greystone Kids (Children's None) $17.95 10, 12 ISBN: 978-1-77164-620-8
In the middle of a frozen ocean, curious Narwhal goes exploring.
At first, every wonderful thing he sees is somewhat familiar; he spies arctic char and cod, a seal, a caribou, and seabirds swooping through what appear to be the northern lights. Before he knows it, though, Narwhal has wandered so far that he can’t find a single other narwhal anywhere. After a close run-in with the propeller of a boat, a nervous Narwhal runs into a pod of white whales. Although none of them has a tusk, they do seem to be similar enough to Narwhal that they could be potential friends. As Narwhal spends more time with the whales, he becomes overwhelmed with their differences: Narwhal speaks a different language, doesn’t know the whales’ song, and eats different fish than they do. But then, slowly, Narwhal gets to know his new friends—and realizes that they have much more in common than he first believed. Based on a true story about a narwhal who wandered so far away from its arctic home that it ended up joining a pod of beluga whales, this rhyming story of a real-life friendship is compelling not only for its plot, but also for its underlying message about how diversity makes us stronger. The illustrations make use of a varied, watery color palette to give the story a truly marine feel.
This picture book about an interspecies friendship has plenty of lessons for humans, too. (note) (Picture book. 3-6)
Copyright: COPYRIGHT 2021 Kirkus Media LLC
http://www.kirkusreviews.com/
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MLA 9th Edition APA 7th Edition Chicago 17th Edition Harvard
"Stone, Tiffany: LITTLE NARWHAL, NOT ALONE." Kirkus Reviews, 15 Aug. 2021. Gale General OneFile, link.gale.com/apps/doc/A671783150/ITOF?u=schlager&sid=bookmark-ITOF&xid=28f26e31. Accessed 27 Aug. 2025.
Stone, Tiffany THE DAY DANCER FLEW Orca (Children's None) $21.95 5, 14 ISBN: 9781459837393
A community rallies to rescue a horse from a flood, led by a child.
At first, the nameless protagonist is afraid to ride the horse, named Dancer ("because of how he moves his hooves"). But the two quickly bond. Every day, they joyfully "fly" through the fields--until the day Dancer warns the child and Mom that there's danger ahead. It's been raining for days, and the valley where they live is about to flood. Mom and the young narrator must leave Dancer behind as they evacuate by helicopter. The child is determined to help Dancer "fly" to safety. The protagonist imagines Dancer soaring with wings, and the next day, Mom and the child ask a policeman for help. He refers them to a woman who helps horses, who in turn finds a helicopter pilot and a veterinarian. "If we can make a horse fly, we can do anything," the young narrator reflects. Readers will be moved by how the protagonist's flights of fancy turn into concrete solutions. The story is a much-needed reminder about the importance of community; it also offers a crucial takeaway: Even in the face of natural disaster and trauma, we must never stop attempting the seemingly impossible. Lane's impressionistic illustrations ramp up the drama but never get too scary. The author notes that she was inspired by actual events in 2021, in the Pacific Northwest. Mom and the child are brown-skinned; the community is diverse.
A tremendous example of collective efforts in the wake of disaster. (Picture book. 4-8)
Copyright: COPYRIGHT 2024 Kirkus Media LLC
http://www.kirkusreviews.com/
Source Citation
Source Citation
MLA 9th Edition APA 7th Edition Chicago 17th Edition Harvard
"Stone, Tiffany: THE DAY DANCER FLEW." Kirkus Reviews, 15 Mar. 2024. Gale General OneFile, link.gale.com/apps/doc/A786185727/ITOF?u=schlager&sid=bookmark-ITOF&xid=0b3105d8. Accessed 27 Aug. 2025.
Stone, Tiffany SIX LITTLE STICKS Greystone Kids (Children's None) $18.95 5, 6 ISBN: 9781778401237
Readers are tasked with locating Mama stick bug's six children.
The book opens with a spread depicting Mama on a branch; a page turn reveals her offspring, numbered one through six. They're already a bit hard to distinguish, between camouflaging leaves and branches and an assortment of tiny toys, including a pinwheel, crayons, and a scooter. "Mama's going to teach them how to hide so six little sticks stay safe outside." By the next page, five of the stick bugs are riding Mama's back, but one is already missing. Mama keeps losing her children, but observant viewers will find them, although it may take some time to spot the little critters blending into the woods. Other insects will become visible as children investigate the illustrator's delicate, playful multimedia images. This is a book to peer at closely and won't make for an effective group read-aloud. While the rhyming text is appropriate for very young listeners, the pictures are meant for kids who can really concentrate. Sometimes, only the bugs' heads are visible, and when "friends and cousins" come to join the game of hide-and-seek, only the most able bug detectives will track them all down. Still, those up for the task will have a field day. Facts about the bugs and a final challenge to search for other bugs will send kids back to the book and out into nature.
Eagle-eyed junior entomologists will go buggy for this one.(Picture book. 4-9)
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"Stone, Tiffany: SIX LITTLE STICKS." Kirkus Reviews, 1 Mar. 2025. Gale General OneFile, link.gale.com/apps/doc/A828785092/ITOF?u=schlager&sid=bookmark-ITOF&xid=0f7ad776. Accessed 27 Aug. 2025.