Cannonball Read 17

Sticking It to Cancer One Book at a Time

Little book, big story

The Golden Hour by Niki Smith

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Triggers with experiencing violence event are explored in The Golden Hour. This is a sweet look at the difficulties one boy faces with anxiety, depression, and his PTSD after witnessing gun violence involving a teacher at school. Through therapy, grounding techniques and new friends Manuel starts healing. I know it seems odd that it is sweet, but Niki Smith tastefully shows you the journey Manuel takes. Smith brings in elements of Manuel coming from a single parent home. They show you a bit of his […]

Find your way to this book come April 2022

Mapmakers and the Lost Magic (A Graphic Novel) by Cameron Chittock

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Mapmakers and the Lost Magic (A Graphic Novel) is an odd little story. At first it seemed like Cameron Chittock was creating it to be straightforward: Alidade, a young girl of the village, wants to leave. You assume that she will learn “there is no place like home” but it quickly takes a turn for the slightly darker. There are the guards that stop anyone from leaving the village, they curb individuality, and are controlled by a woman who (due to illustrations placing her in […]

Mystery at the Zoo with lots of fun new friends

Mysteries on Zoo Lane V01 Meet the Crew at the Zoo by Patricia Reilly Giff

Mysteries on Zoo Lane V02 Animal at Large by Patricia Reilly Giff

Mysteries on Zoo Lane V03 Zebra at the Zoo by Patricia Reilly Giff

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I purchased the Mysteries on Zoo Lane volumes one, two and three right after Patricia Reilly Giff passed. I was going to use them for Bingo (animals on cover), but while they would have been easy to read, I found other books instead. The nice thing about this series is, even if I was not crazy about it, I knew some of my younger cousins would get a kick out of it. However, I did enjoy reading each one (a quick, hour or so to […]

Fun new graphic novel series

Wingbearer by Marjorie M. Liu

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Wingbearer by Marjorie M. Liu is a diverse story that emphasizes friendship, loyalty, conservation, spirituality, family, and the past with how it shapes the present and ultimately the future. These characters are sweet, naive, sassy, brassy and full of themselves. There is magic, adventure, and a journey that is as familiar as it is fresh. The story is cozy as we know these people from other stories, but there are fresh eyes, experiences, and influences. The 10 to 14 range would be the best suited as […]

If you have background these graphic novels rock

Suki, Alone (Avatar: The Last Airbender) by Faith Erin Hicks

Ms. Marvel: Stretched Thing (Original Graphic Novel) by Nadia Shammas

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Recently I picked up two graphic novels that were fun, but not necessarily making me hoot and holler. Oh, there were a few chuckles, but overall, just enjoyment. I started with Suki, Alone (Avatar: The Last Airbender) by the awesome Faith Erin Hicks and Peter Wartman. If you know the series that features the Kyoshi Warrior, Suki, then you know that she was imprisoned for some time and this graphic novel explores that time as it was not explored in the show. As a story […]

Might not kill you but just might help cure insomnia

This Lie Will Kill You by Chelsea Pitcher

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When I was between ages 12 and 15-16, I would have devoured this young adult novel, This Lie Will Kill You by Chelsea Pitcher. It has everything: romance, love triangles, a good bad boy, murder, mayhem, mystery, red herrings, strange person in a mask, and metaphorical masks as friends have secrets. As an adult, I feel that this book was cliched, convoluted, with a too neat ending, and had an obvious twist. The characters were unlikable to my adult-self, but as a teen I would […]



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