Cannonball Read 17

Sticking It to Cancer One Book at a Time

Yo-Yo means: Come back

Pedro's Yo-Yos: How a Filipino Immigrant Came to America and Changed the World of Toys by Rob Peñas

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Who invented the yo-yo? Well, that I can’t tell you, but what I can tell you is that a Filipino immigrant helped make it one of the most popular toys of not just its time, but even today. Born in 1896, Pedro Flores was a young man from the Philippines. He would work hard under the conditions of events of the  time. When he was finally allowed to leave the country, he found his way to America. But it was not an American Dream right […]

Finding Home

As Long as the Lemon Trees Grow by Zoulfa Katouh

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If you want a really tough read, and not just because of the theme, then pick up As Long as the Lemon Trees Grow by Zoulfa Katouh. None of the difficulties I had with this book comes from the story or even technically the writing itself. However, my issues were that the beginning is slow. There is a lot of build up, taking what feels like forever to “get to the point.” The author, like her main characters, are terrible flirts (as in they like […]

Ching Ming Festival, or Tomb-Sweeping Day

Clear and Bright: A Ching Ming Festival Story by Teresa Robeson and William Low

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Clear and Bright: A Ching Ming Festival Story by Teresa Robeson and illustrated by William Low is currently available, but I read via an online reader copy. This book is a nice book on diversity. It is a fun read, not a WOOW BEST BOOK EVER (or WBBE) but it has a lot of great points. We learn about the Ching Ming Festival, or Tomb-Sweeping Day. We see how a family passes down their traditions to the next generation. As the publisher’s description says, our […]

I’m on a role with Author Leila Boukarim

Rima and the Painter by Leila Boukarim

Lost Words: An Armenian Story of Survival and Hope by Leila Boukarim

Sundays Are for Feasts by Leila Boukarim

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Once upon a time there was a day where picture books were read. Each one was special in their own way, but since they were picture books I didn’t want to weaken their goodness with a too long review for each one individually, Therefore, I put them in one review. Each one was read via an online reader copy. I will start with Rima and the Painter by Leila Boukarim and illustrated by Melissa Iwai. Due later in July 2025, this book is about a […]

Forced to leave home

Wings to Soar by Tina Athaide

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Diversity CBR17 Pie Chart Challenge April is Poetry Month. Therefore in March I decided to find a few books of poetry or novels that were prose poetry. And one of them was Wings to Soar by Tina Athaide. Currently available, I read it via an online reader copy. I do not think I will purchase copies for myself, but I think anyone who is interested in refugees, women authors or places we do not normally read about, this is the book for you. Aimed at […]



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