Cannonball Read 17

Sticking It to Cancer One Book at a Time

A really long review about two books but I think worth the read

Ash’s Cabin by Jen Wang

Saving Sunshine by Saadia Faruqi

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The graphic novels below have little in common. Or so I thought at first. While I was reading Saving Sunshine by Saadia Faruqi I kept thinking that it would pair nicely with Ash’s Cabin by Jan Wang. I think that was because they both deal with identity, but nothing else. It was while writing this review I found more similarities.  Saving Sunshine is about twins who are punished for their behavior by being in forced proximity. Ash’s Cabin is about a nonbinary child coming of […]

Come for the story, leave appreciating some lovely art

Is This a House for Hermit Crab? by Megan McDonald

A Happy Place by Britta Teckentrup

Imperfectly Perfect: A Story That Cherishes Beauty in Imperfection by Perry Emerson

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There was an email in my work email inbox that first was thanking the booksellers who had nominated several titles from the publisher for the Indie Next newsletter. They then asked us to consider some other titles for the next one (as the deadline was in a few weeks). This made me browse the titles they were promoting and found one that worked for my particular mood at the time.    The one that caught my eye was the picture book, Is This a House for Hermit Crab? by Megan McDonald and illustrated by […]

Sparkle Dragons are a blast(ish)

The Sparkle Dragons (The Sparkle Dragons, 1) by Emma Carlson Berne

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cbr15bingo Strange Worlds doesn’t get more strange than Trolls making smoothies  I was not the audience for the book, The Sparkle Dragons (The Sparkle Dragons, 1). However, I know a lot of girls ages six to about nine who will love the pretty dragons, the bratty princess, and the (probably) evil unicorn (okay he is SO the evil genius of the book). The story is both typical (magic and adventures) and modern (dealing with an environmental issue and civil rights). The illustrations were minimal colors (mostly […]

When the spirits ask for help

Guardian of Fukushima (Junior Library Guild) by Fabien Grolleau

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cbr15bingo Asia/Oceania  set in Japan While I am giving Guardian of Fukushima (Junior Library Guild) a five, there are a few bumps that make this graphic novel 4.5 to a 4.7.  However, while this is not a perfect story, it is wonderfully done and is the story that was needed. The emotional and human aspects of the earthquake, the tsunami and nuclear devastation of March 2011 is explored in ways we do not usually see. Which tends to be, when a disaster happens, we usually find the […]

Superheroes have all sorts of super powers

Camilla Super Helper by Julie Dillemuth

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Learn how to be a superhero in, Camilla Super Helper. When Camilla thinks about being a superhero, she thinks about being fast or strong, but when her bee friend needs help, Camilla learns that you can be a superhero in many different and special ways. This is a story about conservation and helping plant flowers and plants for the bees. The Julie Dillemuth story maps out how a group of animal friends listen to the bees needs, adapt their plans, and find ways to plant […]

Stop, Thief! That’s my color!

The Great Barrier Thief by Dr. Sue Pillans

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CBR15Passport from another country Dr. Sue Pillans (or Suzie Starfish) is an Aussie marine scientist and artist. She has created a story about the Great Barrier Reef and the loss of the color of the coral, aptly named The Great Barrier Thief. We learn t hat there is something called climate change and how it is human controlled. I word it that way as Pillans presents the idea as if she is the first to do so. And she tries a bit of humor to make […]



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