Cannonball Read 17

Sticking It to Cancer One Book at a Time

Magical foodie middle grade~

Just a Pinch of Magic by Alechia Dow

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Gosh. This was such a delightful book, full of yummy food, new friendships, and so much magic! I keep wanting to read Alechia Dow’s books because the themes are always exactly my jam, but I struggle with scifi, so when I saw she had a contemporary fantasy middle grade coming out, I couldn’t wait to get my hands on it! Wini is from a family of Food Enchanters, but the small town she lives in all seems to hate her because her mother cast a […]

Queer as Folk(tales)!

Tales From Beyond the Rainbow by Pete Jordi Wood

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In pursuit of the idea that queer people have always existed (and therefore will persist), Pete Jordi Wood has put together this gorgeous collection of folk and fairy tales that earlier folklorists chose to “clean up” or dismiss. Tales From Beyond the Rainbow: Ten LGBTQ+ Fairy Tales Proudly Reclaimed is a darling little book with big important stories. While earning his folklore degree, Pete found a Danish folktale “The Dog and the Sailor” that felt undeniably queer. He self-published his translation of the tale, and […]

“‘And whatever you do, don’t close your eyes.’ ‘What happens if I close my eyes?’ ‘You miss the fun.'”

Nevermoor: The Trials of Morrigan Crow (Nevermoor, #1) by Jessica Townsend

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30 Books in 30 Days, Vol. 3 Book 17/30 I don’t read a lot of middle grade anymore, but when I do, this is exactly what I want. What a magical good time. The combo of whimsical worldbuilding, magical trials, friendship and found family, secrets, and darker elements that many people would say don’t belong in children’s books makes for something rather intoxicating (I’ve never yet read a favorite children’s book without those darker elements btw). I’ve seen a lot of people talking about the […]

Who wanted this banned and why?

Class Act by Jerry Craft

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Drew Ellis goes to the prestigious Riverdale Academy Day School, but unlike a lot of his more privileged classmates, he feels like he has to work way harder and he still might not get the same opportunities that they do. While a lot of his fellow students live in enormous mansions, Drew lives alone with his grandmother (who has to work almost constantly to provide for him). He also knows that no matter how good his grades are or which school he attends, most people […]

A truly international and diverse magical school

The Marvellers by Dhonielle Clayton

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CBR15 Bingo: Edibles – Dhonielle Clayton ramped up the concept of magical food to an almost absurd level, many sound down right hard to eat. Things like Jamaican patties that sing reggae when you cut them open and hummingbird cakes that fly around are two that stick out in my memory. A few years ago I discovered Clayton through her YA Belles duology, The Belles and The Everlasting Rose, which I thought were both 4 star reads. The Marvellers came to my attention due to the […]

To help create a more empathetic society, this should be mandatory reading for middle grade readers (and everyone else, honestly)

Melissa by Alex Gino

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CBR15 Bingo: Bodies, Bodies – When Melissa was born everyone assumed she was a boy because of her body. Melissa is a girl but no one else knows she is, as it was assumed at birth she was a boy.  As a result, she was given the name of George.  Melissa is her secret name, admitted only to herself.  We are introduced to Melissa while her 4th grade classroom is reading Charlotte’s Web.  Melissa is moved to tears when Charlotte dies and the boys in […]



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