Cannonball Read 17

Sticking It to Cancer One Book at a Time

Danielle’s Story

The Courage Party: Helping Our Resilient Children Understand and Survive Sexual Assault by Joyce Brabner

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TRIGGER WARNING (including but not limited to): talk of Sexual Assault on a minor; other sexual assaults; frank language    A few weeks ago, I started a sad, but interesting, book. It’s about a child (Danielle) who was sexually assaulted by an older boy. But that’s just the start. Because her guardian, Joyce, has always been honest with her; told her how to act in situations, especially this one; she is able to fight and run off. And unlike many stories like this, our young […]

Loosely based on the author’s life

I Run to Make My Heart Beat by Rachel Khan

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TRIGGERS (but not limited to): sexual assault, smoking, drugs, alcohol, cultural situations    When I found the online link to I Run to Make My Heart Beat by Rachel Khan and illustrated by Aude Massot I thought it was something radically different from what it was.  I assumed it was for the 10 and up crowd, or even younger. It was going to be about a girl who runs. Maybe she will have to overcome the fact she is of color, a woman, or maybe […]

The Girl, The Bully and what happens next

Yaqui Delgado Wants to Kick Your Ass by Meg Medina

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I read the graphic novel Yaqui Delgado Wants to Kick Your Ass. I had wanted to read the novel first, but never got around to it. But I found the graphic novel, read it and then found the novel version. And having read the graphic novel first, it was hard not to compare the two, but I tried not to. However, there is a large difference between the two.  While the graphic novel has a “today” feeling (21st century) there is a less modern feeling […]

“A queen offers her hand to be kissed; can form it into a fist while smiling the whole damn time.”

Clap When You Land by Elizabeth Acevedo

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One of the unexpected benefits of parenting my stepson is the introduction to books I wouldn’t know anything about. He’s a reluctant (but consistent) reader and I adore reading along with what he has for school, especially know that he’s at a high school level. Do we talk about the books? Absolutely not. But maybe someday he’ll take me up on the offer. (Fingers crossed). This was the summer reading book for sophomore honor’s English and neither of us started eagerly. I don’t read a […]

When you’ve got a fox in mind

A Fox in My Brain by Lou Lubie

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Kirkus Reviews (04/15/2024): A young woman chronicles her experience with cyclothymia in this translated title from France. This graphic memoir opens with Lou, 16, having just begun to experience symptoms of depression. As she goes on to attend art school and video game school, move in with her boyfriend, and create a video game, her significant mood swings cause her distress, at times leading to suicidal ideation. She’s told by psychiatrists that she’s too young and pretty to be anxious or depressed. Eventually, Lou finds […]

Second Verse, Same as the First! But a little bit louder and darker

Haru Book 2: Summer by Joe Latham

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In February 2024 I read book one of Haru by Joe Latham (or Haru 1: Spring). In August of 2024 I read Haru Book 2: Summer still by Joe Latham. Both were read via an online reader copy but I was thinking I would purchase copies of both when book two came out. However, it is not due until October 2024 and I am glad I did not wait. This is because Book Two is much darker than Book One was. Things are more layered […]



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