Cannonball Read 17

Sticking It to Cancer One Book at a Time

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 […]

Did you hear the one about…?

How to Make a Turkey Laugh by Chris Cate

Spooky Silly Halloween Jokes  by Chris Cate

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Hello Dads and Little Kids. I have two joke books for you. First, How to Make a Turkey Laugh by Chris Cate and second, Spooky Silly Halloween Jokes  also by Chris Cate. If you know a dad joke, you are ahead of the game. If you need to learn dad jokes, you came to the right place. Both of these books are due late summer 2025, and therefore, ready for the holiday season. You can eat your ‘taters and find out why the turkey shouldn’t be […]

Family, faith and More

Almost Sunset by Wahab Algarmi

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Almost Sunset by Wahab Algarmi is a relatable story of trying to balance it all, but with the addition of being a Muslim which many readers (strong 8 to 12-13) might not be familiar with. Overall, things are sweet, fun and informative. However, my score of a 3 is more of a 3.5 as there were a few things I would have liked to know more about and a few arcs in the story were not my favorite.  The cover gives you how the illustrations […]

Great for the Holidays and Any Days

The House Without Lights: A glowing celebration of joy, warmth, and home by Reem Faruqi

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I don’t think I saw The House Without Lights: A glowing celebration of joy, warmth, and home by Reem Faruqi and illustrated by Nadia Alam on my online reading site. If I had, I didn’t remember seeing and/or saving it. But one day I had an email that said, “Here is a book we are promoting and we hope you consider reading it.” I said, “Why not?” and I found an online copy. That is not where this book journey ends though. I will be […]

Actually I don’t mind socks 

Socks: A Kid's Christmas Lament by J.D. McPherson

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Unless we are psychic, only a few of us know what our parents and Santa will give us for the holidays (or we know the gifts because, like my parents, they got things I asked for). But the one thing the narrator of this story does not want, regardless of the situation, is socks. But since this book is tilted, Socks: A Kid’s Christmas Lament, we know that is the one thing he does get. J.D. McPherson explores how the joy of Christmas might be […]

The Reason for the Season

Silent Night by Lara Hawthorne

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I do not know how old I was before I realized that the song Silent Night had more than the one or two verses I knew. Lara Hawthorne’s book incorporates all of the verses with delightfully, (I assume) historical accurate illustrations that are simple, but give the reader everything needed. Their picture book, Silent Night (due October 2024), will be the perfect gift for the holidays and even year around. This book is going to be one of my religious holiday recommendations for everyone. However, […]



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