Cannonball Read 17

Sticking It to Cancer One Book at a Time

Queen of Play Makes Everyone’s Day

Odder: An Otter's Story (Picture book) by Katherine Applegate and Charles Santoso

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I was in the right mood the other day when I found an online copy of Odder: An Otter’s Story (Picture book) by Katherine Applegate and Charles Santoso (the lovely illustrator). Because this book could be considered overly saccharine and too sugary sweet. And when something is overly sweet I can really be a real Scrooge and a Humbug it. Yet, I was in the mood for something sweet, cuddly that just might make you have a tear (or ten) in your eye. Due in […]

I came in like a Cannonball!

One Can by Eric Walters

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One Can by Lana Button, Eric Walters and Isabelle Malenfant  is due in September 2025 and I had the opportunity to read it via an online reader copy. And I was not prepared for the story. I figured it might be something about how wonderful a can is and all the wonderful things it can do (store food, pennies, shells, etc) or how you can recycle it and it can have a second life. Instead of something nice and cute, something that has been done […]

On guard that cha-cha-cha!

On Guard!: A Marshall Middle School Graphic Novel by Cassidy Wasserman

Swing by Audrey Meeker and Sarah Davidson

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Graphic novels are one of my favorite genres to read.  They cover several themes and ages. Currently middle and young adult graphic novels have several being published. Most of the middle readers are nice, not too in-depth but have a good message. They are fun and relatable without being too heavy for the (strong) 8-9 to (younger) 13-14. Two of those books are reviewed below.  Over a weekend that was cold, I found a quick graphic novel that I hoped wouldn’t go too deep into […]

Kissed by an angel, second life or Toto, whatever you call it, it’s all about love

Toto by Hyewon Yum

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Toto by Hyewon Yum is currently available, but I had an online reader copy. Things are cute, but also serious as we are dealing with a birthmark on our narrator’s face. The usual things happen (people stare, the girl is nervous about it, her mother tries to hide it) but it is at school when our gal learns how special her mark (that she calls Toto) is. Things did not “wow” me, but I enjoyed the book. It is a nice addition to the idea […]

Part cloud, part puppy all fun and (video) games

Cloud Puppy V02 Game On! by Kelly Leigh Miller

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Cloud Puppy V02 Game On! by Kelly Leigh Miller is a fun continuation of Cloud Puppy V01. I read this via an online reader copy. It is due in early March 2025.  While I like Cloud Puppy (part cloud, part puppy) it can be visually overly cute and sugary. It is for for the reader who likes friendship stories and stories about gaming (including LARPING). It does lend itself to a more stereotypical “girl story” but as one of the stories included tells us, we […]

A little hope goes a long way

Two Pieces of Chocolate by Kathy Kacer and illustrated by Gabrielle Grimard

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Two Pieces of Chocolate by Kathy Kacer and illustrated by Gabrielle Grimard is not an easy book to talk about. It is a story about strength and survival illustrated by imagery that brings to life the situation realistic, but also does soften the seriousness. But after that if you tell what happens, it really tells the whole story and you will not need to read it. Based on real events that happened to a young girl, her mother and fellow prisoners in their final concentration […]



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