Cannonball Read 17

Sticking It to Cancer One Book at a Time

Dogs (and tigers and sheep and iguanas and jackalope and goldfish and krill and crocodiles and dinosaurs and unicorns…….) in Space!

Star Beasts by Stephanie Young

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Star Beasts is a fun story that Stephanie Young has created. However, due to a lot of characters you will meet (some even for a short moment), sometimes that can make things a smidgen confusing. However, this story has great potential for being the new “IT graphic novel” for ages 8 to 12. The story is if Star Trek, Firefly, and Andromeda hooked up with all the science-fi spoof and most of the animal stories, you might get something like this. And plot? All I […]

Dot isn’t dotty but the situation just might be!

Dot: For Pet’s Sake by Randi Zuckerberg

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The Dot character was originally created Randi Zuckerberg and now has a book based on the television series. It is called Dot: For Pet’s Sake. Candlewick Press and The Jim Henson Company put their marks on this chapter book as well. I am not familiar with the show, but figure this book is close to the things that happen there. This is a story about taking on too much and then asking for help. It is basic, been done before, but still is a good […]

And your little fox, too

Ooko by Esme Shapiro

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I can see where some people would absolutely love Ooko by Esme Shapiro. It is terribly quirky and has an offbeat sense of humor that is both charming and goofy. I can also see where some people would absolutely hate Ooko by Esme Shapiro. It is terribly quirky and has an offbeat sense of humor that is both annoying and sophomoric. At first, I thought the character Ooko, based off the cover, was fennec fox. Or a squirrel. Possibly a raccoon. Or one of those […]

My feathered and not so feathered friends

Bird Boy by f Matthew Burges

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Bird Boy is marketed as an “Inclusive Children’s Book.” And while I am not sure what the criteria is for that, the results of Matthew Burgess and Shahrzad Maydani’s book is one that shows you how to be yourself and shows that we are all different but similar at the same time. We are rainbow colors, and maybe use wheelchairs or have glasses, but we can play, have fun, and enjoy nature, and be ourselves with our friends. What happens when you are a shy […]

This is a beautiful book with a sensitive subject

Fox: A Circle of Life Story by Isabel Thomas

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I was thinking Fox: A Circle of Life Story was going to be more about the cycle of trees, plants, the seasons, the forest and not about the cycle of life of a mother fox. Isabel Thomas created a poetic, beautiful story of life and death. We follow a fox as she wanders the woods, crossing the human road, and her unfortunate end. The concept of death is lightly presented, but also nothing is held back. It is a serious look at the cycle of […]

Watch your penguin… I mean baby!

Vampenguin by Lucy Ruth Cummins

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Vampenguin written and illustrated by Lucy Ruth Cummins cannot have 250 words written about it. When you say, “A baby vampire trades places with a penguin at the zoo for the day and they cause a bit of mischief.” You have said it all. Of course, you can then say things like, “Why were the parents so clueless?” They and the older sibling had plenty of opportunities to notice the change. Even if they are looking at the other animals or talking on the cellphone. […]



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