Cannonball Read 17

Sticking It to Cancer One Book at a Time

One gutsy kid

Guts by Raina Telgemeier

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Guts is a graphic novel by Raina Telgemeier that is right up there with her other books. Her classic writing style of charm, realism, humor and basing events on her own experiences, Guts is a great book for the fan of Telgemeier. If there is one issue with the book, it is that it is just like Telgemeirer’s other books. Though the subject matter is different (this time Telgemeier talks about the times she was learning about her anxiety and fears and the effects it […]

When Jitterbug meet Pudding

The Someone New. by Jill Twiss

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From the author and illustrator team of Last Week Tonight with John Oliver Presents A Day in the Life of Marlon Bundo, you get another clever story with a modern twist. E.G. Keller’s signature illustration style mixes with Jill Twiss’s story smoothly in this new picture book, The Someone New. Jitterbug is a chipmunk that likes things to stay the same. If things are new, well she starts to get the jitters something awful. And one day she knows something Brand New is going to […]

Friends! Adventure! Robots! All she needs now is a catch phrase.

Legends of Zita the Spacegirl by Ben Hatke

The Return of Zita the Spacegirl by Ben Hatke

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The graphic novels featuring Zita the Spacegirl are back in two more adventures (from 2012 and 2014). The first (technically second) book is Legends of Zita the Spacegirl #2 and the second (technically third) book is The Return of Zita the Spacegirl. Ben Hatke published Zita in 2011 but had been working on her for years. Both stories flow well and are solid stories. Even though the first two books “wrap up” that books story, there are open endings to each of them. Therefore, it […]

Intruder alert!

This is My Room: (No Tigers Allowed) by Jennifer Richard Jacobson

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This is My Room: (No Tigers Allowed) starts off as the classic “afraid of the dark” story. However, Jennifer Richard Jacobson puts a slightly different and fun twist ending to show a modern take on the story. Jojo is ready for her first night alone in her own room. But her sister, Margaret, is sure that JoJo will be back. And Jojo does come back, but not the way you think. Yes, there are critters in her room, hiding, ready to pounce but Jojo knows […]

Law and Order Ennui

The Department of Sensitive Crimes by Alexander McCall Smith

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Imagine that some old school British comic sitcom stars decided to take over Saturday Night Live and do the entire episode as a Law and Order spoof. The result I imagine would be something very much like The Department of Sensitive Crimes. I’ve read a few of Alexander McCall Smith’s Lady Detective series, and the tone and style are both similar yet different. The humor is really understated, and the plot and overall style are kind of generally meandering. To quote the inside fly-leaf: “In […]

Not a creature was stirring… okay TWO mice were stirring

Paper Mice by Megan Wagner Lloyd

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While first blush, Paper Mice looks like it will be AMAZING, it turns out to be only amazing (lower case). When talking to a coworker about it she mentioned that it is pretty. And that is exactly what I was trying to say to her when I was talking about it being cute. There is nothing wrong with this book, but it is not completely living up to how it starts out for my tastes. Yet, there is a pleasant enjoyment to this book that adds […]



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