Cannonball Read 17

Sticking It to Cancer One Book at a Time

Honey I Shrunk the Sleepover and found a magical artifact

Forsynthia V02: The Shrink Ray Sleepover by Rachel DiNunzio

by Leave a Comment

A while back, I found Forsynthia V01: Rise of the Cupcakes  by Rachel DiNunzio in an online reader copy. I was blown away. I thought it was one of the most fun, cute, silly, adorable, graphic novels I had seen. It was “spooky” as we had to fight attacking cupcakes, but it was sweet (not just because of the cupcakes) but because it was funny, clever and the family dynamic was perfect. The sisters get along. The parents are modern and caring (if maybe a […]

Once upon a time, Roller Derby met Wrestling. They fell in love and made Extreme Pillow Fighting

Pillow Talk: A Graphic Novel by Stephanie Cooke

by Leave a Comment

Pillow Talk: A Graphic Novel by Stephanie Cooke and illustrator Mel Valentine Vargas is almost a perfect 5, but there were a few small things that I would have liked to have seen. With that said, this is a fun book about body image, taking back sexuality and standing up for yourself. If wrestling and roller derby got together and added pillows (and minus the roller skates) you have Pillow Talk. It is a clever way of taking a familiar story that could have just […]

A kid asked me to do define communism. Um…

Red Scare by Liam Francis Walsh

by Leave a Comment

Fear of communism is rampant in America, but at the moment, Peggy is more concerned with her ongoing complications from polio, her parent’s struggling marriage, and oh yeah: witnessing the murder of a mysterious man the feds are calling a Russian spy. The spy was carrying a glowing red rod, and before he died, he hid the item in one of Peggy’s crutches. Not only does Peggy find herself hiding a mysterious Russian artifact, but that artifact enables her to fly! Suddenly, her health woes […]

Raise the curtain

Upstaged by Robin Easter

by Leave a Comment

I have read a lot of middle reader novels and a lot of graphic novel middle readers. I have read a lot of stories that deal with LGBTQ issues. And of course, most (if not all) have dealt with growing up, coming of age, finding yourself and situations like those. Therefore, it takes a lot for me to really love a book with the above criteria. And while I liked and enjoyed Upstaged by Robin Easter, I did not love it.  However, I did like […]

Describe in two words: FREAKING WOW

Chance: Escape from the Holocaust by Uri Shulevitz

by Leave a Comment

The book: Chance: Escape from the Holocaust by Uri Shulevitz One word: WOW. Okay two words. FREAKING WOW I cannot tell you how fantastic this book is. Just read. It is not easy, it is sad, heartbreaking, scary, beautiful, hopeful and more. It covers all the emotions. It shows you a piece of World War II that we don’t know about. Again, WOW and go read. For mature readers at least 12-13 and up, but I would recommend older. But if you read with them, […]

Roaming pack of dogs and her own worn out memories to keep her company

Land of Mirrors by María Medem,

by Leave a Comment

Every so often I find myself reading a book that I think I like but am not sure. Land of Mirrors by María Medem, Aleshia Jensen (translator) and Daniela Ortiz (translator) is one of those books. It is a graphic novel, but does not flow necessarily as a “pure” one. There is something “different” about it. It might be because it is translated or it might be because of the almost abstract minimal illustrations. However, whatever the reason this is the most organized piece of […]



Help Our Mission

You can donate to CBR via:

  1. PayPal
  2. Venmo