Cannonball Read 17

Sticking It to Cancer One Book at a Time

The community of solstice

Winter Solstice Wish by Kate Allen Fox and Elisa Paganelli

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I am not jumping up and down and saying Winter Solstice Wish by Kate Allen Fox and illustrated by Elisa Paganelli (currently available, but I read via an online reader copy) is the best solstice book ever, but I am jumping in to say this is a nice and slightly different approach to the subject. What I have seen for solstice books tend to show more winter scenes and events done to celebrate the seasonal moment. When we find the shortest day of the year, […]

Grecia the toucan Can!

Building a Beak: How a Toucan's Rescue Inspired the World by Becca McMurdie

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We can have artificial intelligence, limbs, and more for humans and we can even have a 3-D printed beak for a toucan. Don’t believe me? Then read all about it in Building a Beak: How a Toucan’s Rescue Inspired the World by Becca McMurdie and illustrated by Diana Hernández due in June 2025. (I had the opportunity to read it via an online reader copy). Not to spoil things, but I will say that how a toucan got a life saving “nose job” is probably […]

For the dog lovers (you’ll need tissues for the funny and the sad moments)

Hazel the Handful by Jamie Michalak and Matt Myers

Where Are You, Brontë? by Tomie dePaola and Barbara McClintock

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Are you a dog person? Are you looking for two new books to read about dogs? Well the first book below has a theme of dog and sibling rivalry. And the second, well it is a bit more sad. It is about the loss of a beloved pet named Bronte by one of my all time favorite authors. Hazel the Handful by Jamie Michalak and illustrated by Matt Myers (due early April 2025; read via an online reader is a cute story about sibling rivalry […]

The Storms story

Hurricane by Jason Chin

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Hurricane by Jason Chin (due May 2025; read via an online reader copy) is exactly what you think it is. It is about hurricanes. Now, as an adult, I thought I knew a few things about it, but this really gets into everything on an introduction level and makes it fun to read. Even if you do know a little, this can expand that knowledge. Granted, it is all facts and very minimal in an actual story arc, so it can be dry, but it […]

The size of history

We Are American, Too by Kristen Mei Chase and Jieting Chen

The Memory Cake by Caroline L. Perry and Jen Bricking

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History is all around us. And history can be as large as World War II or as small as being the second person of your race being born in a town.  We Are American, Too tackles that second theme. Kristen Mei Chase and illustrator Jieting Chen follow a family on an important day of celebration. They are honoring their history, family, their people and even themselves. The originality of the book comes from how the story is told, instead of “just another immigrant story” which […]

She climbed and protected so we all could enjoy

Up, Up, Ever Up! Junko Tabei: A Life in the Mountains by Anita Yasuda and Yuko Shimizu

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I am not a sports person. I am not an outdoors person. I am not a hiking person. And I am certainly not a mountain climbing person. I am a person who will read a book outside (but it’s a porch and there better be running water/bathroom and cool drinks nearby). And I am a person who will read a book about someone who is an outdoors, sporty, mountain climbing person. And  Up, Up, Ever Up! Junko Tabei: A Life in the Mountains by Anita […]



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