Cannonball Read 17

Sticking It to Cancer One Book at a Time

A natural woman

Alice Guy: First Lady of Film by Jose-Louis Bocquet

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cbr15bingo History: Alice Guy was a woman who made history. And people did try to ban her (she talked about GASP birth control!) and if Texas or Florida got hold of this book?  You might think you know the film industry and/or know its history, but do you know about Alice Guy: First Lady of Film?  While I do not claim to know anything about the history of film, I never have. Of course, I am not one for knowing who directors are nor really […]

Pitch perfect

Love Is in the Bear by Judith Henderson

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Spring was a few weeks ago, or it will be in next year. But regardless of how you count the seasons, there is a special moment in the day, early when you can smell spring in the air, even in your sleep, like Bear does. And if Bear had slept one second longer, he would have missed the event that is the center of Love Is in the Bear. Okay, so that is a bit poetic, but so is this picture book (due mid-October 2023, […]

Parent Trap meets Freaky Friday without the magic but lots of music

Mirror to Mirror by Rajani LaRocca

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Awhile back I found a reader copy by Rajani LaRocca called Mirror to Mirror. I was interested in it due to the diverse characters and the prose poetry format.  However, as I started reading (at lunch) it was going slowly, and I put it aside. I picked it up months later and was able to finish it finally. It was mostly worth the wait. I say mostly, as for me, there were a few bumps. I was not a fan of some characters, and a […]

This kid has a better chance of getting to Broadway then I do Main Street and I *live* on Main!

Broadway Baby by Russell Miller

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When I started Broadway Baby my first thought was well, this is cut…. Whoa! That’s a bit off-putting!  The tone of the book is a 45-year-old man talking to us, but the character is wearing snazzy diapers and fabulous clothing. I got vibes of all the promos and images of Man From Oz (as I have not seen it) and realized there are several Broadway hits in the imagery. Russell Miller and Judith A. Proffer set out to honor the bright lights, and regardless of […]

The man who invited a dance style

Juba: A Novel by Walter Dean Myers

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CBR15Passport I own Based on true events of a little-known dancer of the pre-Civil War era, Juba: A Novel by Walter Dean Myers is a story of race and fame. This is the story of the man who invented modern tap dance. There is a mixture of humor and seriousness to the text as well as the overall tone. There is some language used (the N word and “racoon” without the “ra”) and talk of violence that happened (in the south and even north) therefore, […]

Performance jitters

Something Wild by Molly Ruttan

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Hannah loves playing violin, but not in front of people. Of course, she has a recital. On the day of, Hannah wishes for Something Wild to happen. And due to some wonderful imaginative situations, the laughs (and some well needed inspiration and self-confidence) happen. Molly Ruttan has created a tale of cleverness and overcoming stage fright in a fresh, vibrant, manner. Story and text mix together to create magic and humor. Overall, the ideas that Hannah get (her outfit disappears, dolphins in the fountain whisk […]



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