The Pretty Poodle
Rooted in one remarkable woman's story. Designed to inspire generations of achievers.
A Story of Legacy, Learning & Achievement
Celebrating history. Inspiring young minds.
A heartwarming story about perseverance, literacy, and achieving your dreams.
What would you do to earn something you’ve always wanted?Mary wants a poodle more than anything in the world. When her parents present her with a challenge she must complete before getting the pet she desires, Mary faces an important choice: give up on her dream or rise to the occasion. With encouragement from her teacher, support from her family, and her own determination and effort, Mary discovers that achievement is often the result of many things working together.The Pretty Poodle is a fully illustrated work of juvenile historical fiction that imagines a childhood experience in the life of educator Mary Lou Allison Gardner Little. The fictional story introduces young readers to enduring themes of perseverance, responsibility, literacy, goal-setting, family support, academic achievement, confidence, and leadership.
As an adult, Mary Lou Allison Gardner Little helped galvanize seven young Black women at Butler University in 1922 to establish what became Sigma Gamma Rho Sorority, Inc. The Pretty Poodle honors that educational and leadership legacy while helping children explore what they, too, are capable of achieving.
Library RecognitionPreserving History. Honoring a Legacy.
This permanent placement holds special significance because Indianapolis played a defining role in the life of Mary Lou Allison Gardner Little, the primary founder of Sigma Gamma Rho Sorority, Inc., whose life and achievements inspired The Pretty Poodle.It was in Indianapolis that she received her education, began her teaching career, and joined six fellow educators in establishing Sigma Gamma Rho Sorority, Inc., in 1922.Through its preservation in the library's special collections, The Pretty Poodle contributes to the historical record of a pioneering educator and helps preserve her legacy for future generations.View the Indianapolis Public Library Catalog Record
A Literacy and Empowerment Resource
Building Character. Inspiring Confidence. Encouraging Achievement.
The Pretty Poodle is a literary and educational property dedicated to
inspiring academic achievement, personal growth, and lifelong learning.
The Pretty Poodle honors the life and educational legacy of Mary Lou Allison Gardner Little while helping children build literacy, confidence, and achievement.Published in 2014, the original story celebrates the influence of education, family encouragement, and personal determination in shaping a young person's future.Today, The Pretty Poodle extends beyond its original publication through educational resources, including the Activity & Discovery Journal, Success Loop, and Facilitator Guide. These resources translate the story's central lessons into practical opportunities for children to explore their strengths, develop confidence, and pursue their potential.Rooted in one remarkable woman's story, the book's title character symbolizes growth and achievement, representing the potential within every child to learn, develop confidence, discover their strengths, and accomplish extraordinary things.
More Than a Book. A Foundation for Growth and Achievement.
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Hardcover Book
Written for children ages 6–12, The Pretty Poodle can be enjoyed independently or used at home, in classrooms, libraries, and youth programs to encourage reading, discussion, reflection, and meaningful conversations about goals, challenges, effort, support, and achievement.Hardcover | 42 pages | Full-color, hand drawn illustrations
ISBN 978-0-9911500-0-7
Activity & Discovery Journal
The Pretty Poodle Activity & Discovery Journal extends the reading experience beyond the story with guided activities designed to help children think more deeply about what they read, strengthen literacy skills, make personal connections, and discover more about themselves.Created for use with The Pretty Poodle, the journal includes vocabulary-building activities, word scrambles, a word search, text-to-self connections, narrative and reflective writing, drawing activities, evidence-based reading questions, and the 22 Questions: From Mary to You! literacy project.The activities encourage children to explore the story while also reflecting on their own goals, challenges, strengths, accomplishments, interests, and possibilities. Children may complete the journal independently or with support from a parent, teacher, librarian, or another trusted adult.Ages 6–12 | Full Color | Consumable Journal | 22 Interior Pages
The Pretty Poodle Success Loop Set
Turn one story into a life-long learning experience.The Pretty Poodle Success Loop Set combines The Pretty Poodle with companion materials designed to help children read, think, reflect, achieve, and learn from their own experiences.The set includes:
One copy of The Pretty Poodle
One Activity & Discovery Journal
One Facilitator Guide featuring The Pretty Poodle Success Loop™ framework and methodology
One Reading Achievement Award
The Facilitator Guide helps parents, educators, librarians, volunteers, and youth leaders deepen the experience through guided discussion, literacy support, and The Pretty Poodle Success Loop™ (TPPSL) — a five-stage instructional framework.Designed for children ages 6–12, the Success Loop Set can be used at home, in classrooms, libraries, mentoring programs, youth organizations, and literacy initiatives.
Author Visits & Events
Bringing Stories to Life. Inspiring Young Minds.
Since its publication in 2014, The Pretty Poodle has reached beyond the pages of a book and into classrooms, libraries, and community spaces, connecting young readers with a story of determination, encouragement, and achievement.Through interactive readings and conversations, author visits introduce students to the inspiring legacy of Mary Lou Allison Gardner Little while reinforcing the importance of literacy, education, self-confidence, and pursuing their goals.Each visit creates an opportunity to engage students, celebrate their potential, and demonstrate how the lessons found in a story can inspire growth beyond the classroom.
Explore highlights from past author visits and events in the photo gallery below.
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© 2026 Heiress Publishing. All rights reserved.
The Pretty Poodle and related educational materials may not be reproduced without prior written permission.
The Pretty Poodle is a work of juvenile historical fiction. The story imagines a fictional childhood experience in the life of Mary Lou Allison Gardner Little. Except for identified historical figures and documented historical context, characters, dialogue, incidents, and events are products of the author’s imagination and should not be construed as biographical fact. The Pretty Poodle honors the life and legacy of Mary Lou Allison Gardner Little but is independently created and published. It does not represent the official positions, views, or educational materials of any organization with which Mary Lou Allison Gardner Little was affiliated.