Cannonball Read 17

Sticking It to Cancer One Book at a Time

Honey I Shrunk the Sleepover and found a magical artifact

Forsynthia V02: The Shrink Ray Sleepover by Rachel DiNunzio

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A while back, I found Forsynthia V01: Rise of the Cupcakes  by Rachel DiNunzio in an online reader copy. I was blown away. I thought it was one of the most fun, cute, silly, adorable, graphic novels I had seen. It was “spooky” as we had to fight attacking cupcakes, but it was sweet (not just because of the cupcakes) but because it was funny, clever and the family dynamic was perfect. The sisters get along. The parents are modern and caring (if maybe a […]

Presenting Hesse and Karas awesome collaboration

Night Job by Karen Hesse

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Night Job by Karen Hesse and illustrated by G. Brian Karas was almost put aside to read. It is not due until later October 2025, but I needed to see how these two would work together. I think of Hesse as a slightly more serious author and Karas as a lighter illustrator. Not saying it couldn’t work, but first thoughts are first thoughts. And they became probably one of my new favorite duos. The story is a bit on the lighter side allowing Karas almost […]

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 […]

Talking to Dad

Dear Dad: Growing Up with a Parent in Prison—and How We Stayed Connected by Jay Jay Patton, Antoine Patton, Kiara Valdez and Markia Jenai

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I went to the library to drop off some books I had finished and to drop off my reading challenge form. My ride had some errands to run, so I told them to drop me off, and I would use the library as a way to pick up and read a few books I normally wouldn’t read. But first, I looked at the children’s room. I hadn’t been in there too often, and not since they had updated it. But the fist section I went […]

My Life is Weird and so are these books (in a good way)

My Life is Weird My Mom Is a Mermaid! by Bill Canterbury

My Life is Weird My Dad Is a Unicorn! by Bill Canterbury

My Life is Weird My Teacher Is a Dinosaur! by Bill Canterbury

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Online reader looking included three new titles from the My Life is Weird by Bill Canterbury  series that are due in April and June 2025. I almost did not read them, as they looked too easy for what I was looking for. However, while they were easy, they had a little something about them that made me think about reading them. It was only until I saw that if you liked the How to Catch series by Adam Wallace that sealed the deal. I enjoy […]

Told in English and Chinese

Grandpa’s Magic Mask: A Story of Growth and Bravery in English and Chinese by Siping Wu

A House Just for Mommy: A Bedtime Story Told in English and Chinese by Dayong Gan

The Boy, the Deer, and the King: A Legend Retold in English and Chinese by Xiaochun Tang

Little Malan’s Debut: A Story of Courage Told in English and Chinese by Lumin Qian

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I do not speak a second language. As an adult, I regret not working harder on that, but I take solace in the fact that there are bilingual books out there and I can read the English part and admire the second language. Usually this is French or Spanish, but I have noticed that Chinese is taking its place. I’m not sure if the Chinese in these four books is Mandarin or Cantonese, so please let me know if you know! All will be available […]



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