MOWMT: Three Ts with Heather Stigall

March 24, 2025

MOWMT: Three Ts: Theme, Tone, and Takeaway

[Click on the Titles / Links to buy the books.]

My newest picture book, Gilbert and the Ghost (illustrated by Jess Mason, Beaming Books,

August 2025), began with two things: A title idea and a childhood memory.

The title came about during Tara Lazar’s 2020 StoryStorm challenge. I like wordplay and

thought “ghost writer” had potential for a picture book title (notice it’s not the title of my book

now, but that’s a story for another day).

The childhood memory came from my happy place – the beach. Beginning when I was two years old, my parents and my aunt and uncle rented the same beach house every year. I have many fond memories of summer days with my cousins at the beach, but as I brainstormed ideas for what to do with my fabulous title, I recalled one memory in particular. Before we left our rental for the season, we would hide a note somewhere in the house, hoping to find a reply when we returned the following year. Surely someone would want to be our pen pal! The next year, we’d check our secret hiding spot. Did anyone reply? No. But our note was missing! Someone must have read it, right? Maybe they did reply, but another renter received the note before us. So, we tried again, for several years, believing that eventually we would become friends with another beach lover, even if we never met.

With that memory in mind, I wondered if I could write a story about a child who wrote notes to a ghost he believed lived in his neighborhood, even though no one else believed. A friendship story between a child, who understood what it was like to feel invisible, just like a ghost, and a ghost, who might want a friend too.

I had a title. I had a story idea to go with it. I jotted down ideas for plot, wrote a rough draft, and revised. But during all those steps, I read mentor texts. I read a lot (A LOT) of picture books, but when I was reading with GILBERT specifically in mind, I homed in on the Three Ts: Theme, Tone, and Takeaway. Here are some of the books I studied:

LEO: A GHOST STORY (Mac Barnett & Christian Robinson, Chronicle Books, 2021) is about a misunderstood ghost who longs for a friend. This book had a similar theme to my story idea (friendship between a ghost and a child) but was told from the point of view of the ghost character (mine is told from the point of view of the child). Leo also had a charming tone that I was aiming for.

TO THE SEA (Cale Atkinson, Little, Brown Books for Young Readers, 2015) is about a boy who feels invisible until he befriends a whale no one else seems to see. Like my story idea, this book had themes of friendship and a character feeling invisible to the outside world, and was told in the kind of sweet tone I hoped Gilbert would have.

THE COW WHO CLIMBED A TREE (Gemma Merino, Macmillan Children’s Books, 2015)

tells the tale of an adventurous cow who believes there’s more to life than her pasture. But when Tina shares her dreams, her sisters say, “Impossible! Ridiculous! Nonsense!” Tina pursues her dreams despite her doubting sisters, and her steadfast belief was one of the themes I was looking to convey in my story.

EDWINA, THE DINOSAUR WHO DIDN’T KNOW SHE WAS EXTINCT (Mo Willems,

Hyperion Books for Children, 2006) is a humorous story about a boy who is determined to prove that Edwina, the dinosaur everyone else sees and loves, is extinct. No one will listen to Reginald except, finally, (spoiler alert) Edwina. He is successful in achieving the goal he wants, but the real takeaway is that Reginald gets what he really needs – someone really listens to him. This is a similar takeaway I wanted for my story. Gilbert wants to befriend a ghost, but he really needs to be seen.

Studying these mentor texts provided insight into how their creators conveyed similar themes, tone, and takeaway to the ones I wanted in my own story, but I made it my own.

GILBERT & THE GHOST, (Beaming Books) is the story of a boy who often feels invisible, just like the ghost living at 632 Savannah Street. Despite his family's disbelief, Gilbert leaves gifts for the ghost: a friendship bracelet, a plate of cookies, even a drawing with a note. When each disappears one by one, Gilbert finds that believing and friendship are worth the effort.

For kids who might often feel unseen, Gilbert and the Ghost is a ghostly tale of overcoming

obstacles and finding friendship in mysterious places. Gothic, whimsical illustrations, created by Jess Mason, make this picture book perfect for spooky season, while its earnest themes make it worth a read all year round.

Have fun reading mentor text that inspire your stories!

PRIZE: Heather will be giving away a picture book manuscript (fiction preferred) and query letter critique (fiction preferred). Please comment below to be considered in the drawing.

BIO: Heather Stigall uses her experience with children and her degrees in Child Development, Psychology-based Human Relations, and Social Work to create stories that speak to kids. She is an active volunteer for the Eastern PA Chapter of the Society of Children's Book Writers & Illustrators, a member of the 12x12 Picture Book Challenge, and wife and parent to five children and one pup. When she’s not writing, you can find Heather hanging out with her kids (hopefully at the beach), reading, eating chocolate, baking, or creating all sorts of treasures. Her debut picture book, PAISLEY’S BIG BIRTHDAY (Clavis Publishing), was released in August 2023, is available in five additional languages, and is a 2023 Keystone to Reading Elementary Book Awards nominee. Her second picture book, GILBERT & THE GHOST, (Beaming Books) is due out August 2025. You can connect with Heather through the following links:

Website: www.HeatherPierceStigall.com

Instagram: @heather_stigall7

Facebook: Heather Pierce Stigall

BlueSky: @heatherstigall7

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