Cannonball Read 17

Sticking It to Cancer One Book at a Time

Politics, Economy and Gender of Gaming

In Real Life by Cory Doctorow

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My review of In Real Life by Cory Doctorow has borrowed pieces from a couple online reviewers. I figured they said what I was feeling, and it’s validating to know I wasn’t the only one that wasn’t “wowed” but the book, yet still found enjoyment. I will start  with: This is not a perfect story, still, I had… fun reading it. The online world vs real world has been done before.  You can … connect on a virtual level, but it can’t replace human (…) […]

A really long review about two books but I think worth the read

Ash’s Cabin by Jen Wang

Saving Sunshine by Saadia Faruqi

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The graphic novels below have little in common. Or so I thought at first. While I was reading Saving Sunshine by Saadia Faruqi I kept thinking that it would pair nicely with Ash’s Cabin by Jan Wang. I think that was because they both deal with identity, but nothing else. It was while writing this review I found more similarities.  Saving Sunshine is about twins who are punished for their behavior by being in forced proximity. Ash’s Cabin is about a nonbinary child coming of […]

Sweet story about the joys and challenges of friendship, identity, and privilege

Stargazing by Jen Wang

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Stargazing is the most recent graphic novel from Jen Wang of The Prince and the Dressmaker fame.  My 10 year old spotted Stargazing at San Diego Comic Con and we had to bring it home.  She read it in one sitting and then began insisting that I needed to read it.  The Prince and the Dressmaker blew me away so I had high expectations for Stargazing, and Wang did not disappoint.  Once again she explores themes of friendship, identity, and privilege. Christine Hong is Chinese American in a […]

“My whole life is other people deciding what’s acceptable. When I put on a dress, I get to decide what’s silly.”

The Prince and the Dressmaker by Jen Wang

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4.5 stars Official book description: Paris, at the dawn of the modern age:   Prince Sebastian is looking for a bride―or rather, his parents are looking for one for him. Sebastian is too busy hiding his secret life from everyone. At night he puts on daring dresses and takes Paris by storm as the fabulous Lady Crystallia―the hottest fashion icon in the world capital of fashion!   Sebastian’s secret weapon (and best friend) is the brilliant dressmaker Frances―one of only two people who know the […]

Get your head out of the clouds and gaze at this!

Stargazing by Jen Wang

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Stargazing by Jen Wang is not only less controversial than other graphic novels from this publisher (which deal with issues such as transgender, being gay, and bullying) it is less controversial than their other book, Prince and the Dressmaker (known as PATD from now on). In fact, until I read the other books Wang has done, I did not realize PATD was theirs. Once you see that, there are style similarities to Wang’s illustrations, but that where similarities end. The voices of both graphic novels […]

Prince Sebastian would like to introduce you to himself, Lady Crystallia

The Prince and the Dressmaker by Jen Wang

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The Prince and the Dressmaker most likely was pretty cutting-edge when it came out last year. We were started to talk about sexual identity and gender fluidness and the issues that come from that. Using the graphic novel format also is a bit different. But this publishers imprint seems to be the one to go to for cutting-edge stories in this usually more approachable format. However, a year later, having a young man dress in woman’s clothing as sometimes he feels male and sometimes female, […]



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