Cannonball Read 17

Sticking It to Cancer One Book at a Time

I want to try the dish and get a doll of our gal Anni!

Anni Dreams of Biryani by Namita Moolani Mehra

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Anni Dreams of Biryani has a bittersweet ending. And that colored my feelings about the story Namita Moolani Mehra tells. I was on board with our young hero, Anni, as she tries to figure out how to make biryani as well as Uncle (as the man who owns the café across the way is called) does. But no matter what she does, she cannot get the secret from this grumpy (but eyes shining) man. Oh, her biryani comes close, but is not exactly right. And […]

A satisfying job

The Baker by the Sea by Paula White

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cbr14bingo Hot Level 2 & 3 In a village by the sea a young boy’s father is the local baker. And to the young man, nothing could be duller. Baking bread and such must be the worst job. Why would someone do that when you can be a fisherman? But by the end of The Baker by the Sea by Paula White, our young boy learns that if his father did not get up early and make the goodies that he does, the village would […]

One Turnip Child to go please

Alcatoe and the Turnip Child by Isaac Lenkiewicz

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I do not know who Alcatoe is in Alcatoe and the Turnip Child, but I do know this book by Isaac Lenkiewicz is a silly folktale with a few odd twists and turns. Okay, that is not totally true, Alcatoe is a grumpy old witch (they came to magic late in life at age 54), who does not fit in. They do not like the other witches, think the kids of the story are annoying and wants to cause trouble wherever they go. The story […]

I think my house might be Ivy’s….

Ivy by Katherine Coville

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Digging, digging through my junk, I found this book. What luck! As the above said, I was cleaning the other day and found this reader copy of Ivy by Katherine Coville. Therefore, the illustrations were not completed, so I can only tell you that the images I did see look fun, cozy, and good for the ages aimed at. Which is kindergarten to second grade. The younger are listeners, the older with help and solo reads. I can also tell you that this is an […]

Jean Reidy has style

Group Hug by Jean Reidy

Sylvie by Jean Reidy

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Some people like hugs, some do not, but in Group Hug by Jean Reidy, Slug likes them and wants to give a hug. They find a lonely beetle and hug them. And then they find Mouse, and Skunk and Squirrel and all their other friends and pass along big group hugs. That is until Bear wants a hug. But nobody wants to be brave enough, after all bears are not known for their, shall we say vegetarian diets. This story is about kindness and knowing […]

Hop on Board

Room for Everyone by Naaz Khan

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Room for Everyone is not exactly what it seems at first. Yes, it is a book about community and inclusion, but there is a not so “in your face” counting aspect to it as well. When Musa and his sister travel to the local beach, their minibus stops along the way to pick up various passengers (an old man with his seat less bicycle, a farmer, goats, even scuba divers) and Musa is afraid there will be no room for him, or they will never […]



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