Cannonball Read 17

Sticking It to Cancer One Book at a Time

When in a pinch use a banana

The Book of Candles: Eight Poems for Hanukkah by Laurel Snyder and Leanne Hatch

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After reading the book, Shrinking Violet by Laurel Snyder, I wondered what else they had written. I found The Book of Candles: Eight Poems for Hanukkah (illustrated by Leanne Hatch). It is currently available (it came out mid September 2025) but I was able to find an online reader copy. I might purchase a few copies for some adult friends and/or my local library as it had a fresh take that makes it “not another Hanukkah” story. Most Hanukkah books have an ideal setting for […]

Love, family, friendship makes it all right

Lost and Found Hanukkah. by Joy Preble

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When you are browsing online reader copies you can find everything from books about women’s health, sexuality, horror, mystery, humor, dogs, cats, rhinos, birds, environmental war, Christmas, Easter, Halloween, various New Year celebrations and Hanukkah books. And that’s all in April and May.  And one of those books is one called Lost and Found Hanukkah. The author Joy Preble and illustrator Lisa Anchin put together a book with many layers. In no particular order, it is a book about family, friendship, community, parents, same sex couples, […]

Friends and differences

Don't Invite a Bear Inside for Hanukkah by Karen Rostoker-Gruber

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Don’t Invite a Bear Inside for Hanukkah by Karen Rostoker-Gruber and illustrated by Carles Arbat was exactly what I expected it to be. With that said, it is cute, funny and shows the values of the season. I wish I had found it before today (the first day of Hanukah), but it will work for the other days of the celebration, and for next year as well. We have a young child decorating for the holiday. They see a bear outside and though the narrator […]

Spicy pancake celebrations

Gingerbread Dreidels by Jane Breskin Zalben

Attack of the Scones (Lady Pancake & Sir French Toast by Josh Funk

Spicy Spicy Hot! by Lenny Wen

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Who doesn’t love food? I mean most people at least like it or have at least one thing they like. And if you know me, I like books as well as food. So when I can combine the two likes it is always fun.  I will start with Gingerbread Dreidels by Jane Breskin Zalben with illustrations by Thai Phuong. Due late August 2024 (read via an online reader copy), this picture book shows how we can have a lot of celebrations in our lives, and […]

A real upside-down holiday

Hanukkah Upside Down by Elissa Brent Weissman

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CBR15Passport  author  The cover of Hanukkah Upside Down was what first caught my eye. The character at the top is upside down. Or is the one on the bottom? After all, she (the top of page) is right side up on her side of things. But then again, the boy at the bottom thinks things are right on his side, too.  This clever book about two cousins in different countries (one New York, USA and the other in New Zealand) shows how “the better cousin” […]

Theme of the day: Crazy and pets.

Bathe the Cat by Alice B. McGinty

Latke, the Lucky Dog by Ellen Fischer

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Bathe the Cat is a love it or not book. And it all depends on what you think of insanity and a very naughty cat. One of the dads of the story wants everyone to clean up as Grandma is coming soon. But even though he has a very put together list of chores posted, the cat (who is on the list as the recipient of a bath) decides to mix things up and mayhem ensues to the point of sweeping the fish, mopping the […]



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