Cannonball Read 17

Sticking It to Cancer One Book at a Time

I came in like a Cannonball!

One Can by Eric Walters

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One Can by Lana Button, Eric Walters and Isabelle Malenfant  is due in September 2025 and I had the opportunity to read it via an online reader copy. And I was not prepared for the story. I figured it might be something about how wonderful a can is and all the wonderful things it can do (store food, pennies, shells, etc) or how you can recycle it and it can have a second life. Instead of something nice and cute, something that has been done […]

One summer of food, friends, family

Speak Up, Santiago!: A Hillside Valley Graphic Novel by Julio Anta

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Speak Up, Santiago!: A Hillside Valley Graphic Novel by Julio Anta and illustrator Gabi Mendez is a story about friendship (even to yourself), family and finding your place. The cultural references, the ideas of community and more comes to life. The feeling is a younger The Misfits by James Howe, with colorful illustrations that brings Santi and his four new friends together.  In the end it is a cozy read that is both familiar and fresh. Santi is trying to come to terms with not […]

Junie B. and the kinda smelly book

Junie B. Jones and the Stupid Smelly Bus: The Graphic Novel by Barbara Park and Colleen A. F. Venable

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I can see why people did not like Junie B. Jones novels after reading Junie B. Jones and the Stupid Smelly Bus: The Graphic Novel, and not just because of the words “stupid” and “smelly” are used by Junie B. I will say her attitude could be likened to Eloise or DW Read from the Arthur tv series. So if you like Eloise or DW like characters, you will love Junie B. Jones. The author Colleen A. F. Venable adapted Barbara Parks’ beloved Junie B. […]

On guard that cha-cha-cha!

On Guard!: A Marshall Middle School Graphic Novel by Cassidy Wasserman

Swing by Audrey Meeker and Sarah Davidson

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Graphic novels are one of my favorite genres to read.  They cover several themes and ages. Currently middle and young adult graphic novels have several being published. Most of the middle readers are nice, not too in-depth but have a good message. They are fun and relatable without being too heavy for the (strong) 8-9 to (younger) 13-14. Two of those books are reviewed below.  Over a weekend that was cold, I found a quick graphic novel that I hoped wouldn’t go too deep into […]

Part cloud, part puppy all fun and (video) games

Cloud Puppy V02 Game On! by Kelly Leigh Miller

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Cloud Puppy V02 Game On! by Kelly Leigh Miller is a fun continuation of Cloud Puppy V01. I read this via an online reader copy. It is due in early March 2025.  While I like Cloud Puppy (part cloud, part puppy) it can be visually overly cute and sugary. It is for for the reader who likes friendship stories and stories about gaming (including LARPING). It does lend itself to a more stereotypical “girl story” but as one of the stories included tells us, we […]

You are my Sunny, you’re so funny! You make the case when you debate in their face! 

Sunny Makes Her Case: A Graphic Novel by Jennifer L. Holm and Matthew Holm

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Jennifer L. Holm and Matthew Holm are a team for several books. Some of my favorites are from the Sunny series. I did not love  all of them, but for the most part, they have been fun. They are slightly younger than some of the others out there, but work for multiple ages. I like that Sunny is from the late 1970s. And is mostly a relatable character because growing up and growing pains do not change much.  Now, book five, Sunny Makes Her Case: […]



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