Cannonball Read 17

Sticking It to Cancer One Book at a Time

It’s time for the girls to get the job done

Aru Shah and the End of Time: the Graphic Novel by Roshani Chokshi

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Step aside all you Pandavas (heroes), Aru (and Mini) are in town! Aru Shah and the End of Time: the Graphic Novel is a heavy feminist take on the hero/heroine story arc. Two Indian American girls (who are two of the reincarnated Pandava brothers who battled in a civil war with their 1000 cousins), must battle mythical beings, with help from the Gods that claim them. With quirky humor mixed in, this heavy on text graphic novel has some fun illustrations, interesting adventures and a […]

Coming to you from across the globe

Beneath the Moon: Fairy Tales, Myths, and Divine Stories from Around the World by Yoshi Yoshitani

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Beneath the Moon: Fairy Tales, Myths, and Divine Stories from Around the World has some of the most amazing illustrations (almost all of my rating of five is for them) by Yoshi Yoshitani. They accompany each section of the book (or chapter) that includes a page of text to go along with them. All are short (just the one folktale, legend, myth, etc) but some are a story with the culture it comes from. While others are more of a description of the person/people talked […]

Girls just want to have graphic hyperbole

Girl Juice by Benji Nate

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Benji Nate is one screwed up person and you will love or hate their work. Sometimes at the same time, like Girl Juice was for me.  This graphic novel is broken down into two main sections. The first follows four roommates that might not really like each other, but they do seem to love each other and have each other’s backs. Unless there is a cute boy, or work, or you know, they have something better to do. We mostly focus on Bunny (the self-proclaimed […]

A Man and a Muse

Mother Christmas Volume 1: The Muse by Valya Dudycz Lupescu

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I would have preferred reading the completed story of Mother Christmas Volume 1: The Muse, but this first volume is strong, if not open-ended and left me with a few questions. Valya Dudycz Lupescu had a curious mind as a child and that took them into adulthood where they followed mythology, legends, folk and fairy tales to their “why.” AS St. Nicholas and Santa Claus played a role in their lives (St. Nicholas was from their Ukraine heritage  and Santa from their American side) they […]

Easier Said Than Done

Buddhism: Plain and Simple by Steve Hagen

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Four Stars Best for: Those interested in Buddhism. In a nutshell: Zen priest Hagen offers his take on Buddha’s observations. Worth quoting: “First, you must truly realize that life is fleeting. Next, you must understand that you are already complete, worthy, whole. Finally, you must see that you are your own refuge, your own sanctuary, your own salvation.” Why I chose it: Continuing my spiritual journey. (I’ve always assumed I’m way too sarcastic for that level of sincerity, but here we are.) What it left […]

Finding family

On the Move: Home Is Where You Find It by Michael Rosen

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A rating of 3 makes this seem like it On the Move: Home Is Where You Find It is not a good book/collection. However, this rating is because of the images of Quentin Blake, which I am not a fan of. However, they are perfect for the atmosphere of the writing (raw, desolate, almost hopeless) and since t there are no half points, this is a 3.5 lower 4. The idea of migration, refugees, immigrants, all come together while we follow Michael Rosen finding out about […]



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