Cannonball Read 17

Sticking It to Cancer One Book at a Time

Picture it: 2002; rural Rigsby, Wisconsin

Foothold: Rigsby WI by S.E. Case

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Foothold: Rigsby WI by S.E. Case is a typical coming of age story that has some mature themes and language, therefore it is not for the too young or sensitive reader. Overall, it feels like a realistic and interesting portrayal of five high school students (four in high school, one who is homeschooled by her aunt). It is a story that is familiar and has a typical feeling of the era it is set (early 2000s, high school). As this seems to be volume one […]

Why does it matter who drew it if it’s good?

Botticelli's Apprentice by Ursula Murray Husted

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Botticelli’s Apprentice  is a nice cozy read that is not just a “girl wants to paint because can’t because, you know, “girl” story.”  While this book is not a “perfect five” (there are a few things I was not 100% liking (sorry Blue, you’re cute, but OMG what a problem pup!) it is almost there.  It was a book I read in almost one sitting (and probably would have if it hadn’t been online). Ursula Murray Husted has a story that is about the time, […]

Queen of Play Makes Everyone’s Day

Odder: An Otter's Story (Picture book) by Katherine Applegate and Charles Santoso

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I was in the right mood the other day when I found an online copy of Odder: An Otter’s Story (Picture book) by Katherine Applegate and Charles Santoso (the lovely illustrator). Because this book could be considered overly saccharine and too sugary sweet. And when something is overly sweet I can really be a real Scrooge and a Humbug it. Yet, I was in the mood for something sweet, cuddly that just might make you have a tear (or ten) in your eye. Due in […]

I’m trying to think of a clever title that will grab attention but it all seems to frivolous for the subject

Run and Hide: How Jewish Youth Escaped the Holocaust by Don Brown

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The haunting cover of Run and Hide: How Jewish Youth Escaped the Holocaust by Don Brown does not really give you the whole picture of what is going to happen inside this book, but it is a great start. There are layers that will overlap, some things are familiar, others will give you more insight and others might be new stories or concepts. It does not feel like a subject for a graphic novel, but the subject translates well into this format, but it works […]

Know When to Fold

The Marrowbone Marble Company by Glenn Taylor

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When I grew up, the surfaces of my childhood were sand, scraggly Bermuda grass, and gravelly asphalt for roads.  My parents, who grew up back East, had skills that I never had an opportunity to learn as a child, such as roller skating.  Even learning to ride a bike was a fairly dodgy proposition.  And one of those old school skills, for my Dad, was shooting marbles.  I understand he was pretty damned good at it.  The “Marble”, in the title of this book, is […]

“Oh Lord, give us the strength to survive the weariness of our lives.”

Voices from Chernobyl by Svetlana Alexievich

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I love oral histories. I’ll read them on any subject, even one I have no interest in. There’s just something about them that fascinates me. I love to hear all the different perspectives on the same topic. I’ve read sad oral histories before, but I’ve never read anything like Voices from Chernobyl. Voice from Chernobyl is hands down the saddest book I’ve ever read. “Sad” isn’t even the word. The grief flies right off the page and envelops you. It’s also incredibly moving and downright poetic. […]



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