Cannonball Read 17

Sticking It to Cancer One Book at a Time

And she lived stinky ever after

Ra Pu Zel and the Stinky Tofu by Yin Chang Compestine

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I enjoy a good folk tale, and non-western ones can be a favorite. However, when it is a retelling of a western one just to be politically correct, then I can be 50-50 with it. Now if it is based in the culture (such as there are Cinderella stories from around the world, not just redoing the western version), then that I usually will enjoy. But if it is done just to have diverse characters and/or setting, but everything else is the same, those are […]

The shade of a tree is sweeter shared

The Shade Tree by Suzy Lee

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CBR15Passport country   If you like folktales and legends, The Shade Tree is a great one to add to your collection. It takes a classic Korean folktale and updates it, while keeping a classic feeling. Suzy Lee’s story shows how a traveler tricks a rich man into selling him something that in the end, probably cannot be owned, but due to perception and the entitlement, the rich man thinks if he wants, he can own. And though he might have wealth he is lacking in […]

Athena growing up

Athena: Goddess of Wisdom and War by Imogen and Isabel Greenberg

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Imogen and Isabel Greenberg know Greek mythology. I am sure they know a lot of things, but we will focus on Greek Mythology and the Goddess of Wisdom and War: Athena.  Or more accurately the title is, Athena: Goddess of Wisdom and War. This is the first in a stand-alone series. Athena’s grandmother, Gaia is book two, but you can read it first if you wish. And since I had read her story first, my opinion of Athena was a little jaded. I was expecting […]

Bring out the Gnomes

The Magic Cap. by Mirelle Messier

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It was a picture book kind of day and Edelweiss was very obliging with the future publications being available. One due late May/early April 2023 was The Magic Cap. This fairytale (possible retelling, but modern tones) is about two siblings who lived in a cottage next to the woods. This was long ago, and they had just themselves (Arlo and Isaura), their pet hedgehog, Crispin but little else. When Crispin becomes ill the children try to capture a gnome for help. Things do not work […]

Daydreams and reality

Shahrzad and the Angry King by Nahid Kazemi

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Shahrzad and the Angry King is one of those books that I did not know if I liked or not. Now, I am not saying that Nahid Kazemi wrote a bad book, but they did write one of those picture books that has a lot going on and it is not a one time read. Also, I think what I had was only an online sample from Edelweiss, so perhaps some parts were missing. But regardless, there was enough there to really sink my teeth […]

I want the bat on my team

The Great Ball Game: How Bat Settles the Rivalry Between the Animals and the Birds; A Circle Round Book by Rebecca Sheir

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The Great Ball Game: How Bat Settles the Rivalry Between the Animals and the Birds; A Circle Round Book came onto my radar due to the fact my bookstore will be having an event with this person in a few days. I figured, if I was to come and view it might be nice to have read the book (author appreciate that you know). When I read it online via a reader copy, I was glad I did not purchase it. I mean, it was […]



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