Cannonball Read 17

Sticking It to Cancer One Book at a Time

She blinded me with science… stories in rhyme

Meet the Universe: I'm a Black Hole by Eve M. Vavagiakis

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I’m a Black Hole by Eve M. Vavagiakis and Jessica Lanan being the illustrator, is currently available, but I read via an online reader copy. And I think twice. This might sound like, since I can’t remember it, that I did not like it, and maybe the first time it didn’t “grab my attention,” but this time around I appreciated it more. And that is why I should allow myself to read again, but there are so many new books out there. Like I’m a […]

Little box of crayons, a lot of hope

Simone by Viet Thanh Mguyen

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I was expecting Simone to be an immigration story or one about fitting in when you look different. I was surprised to learn that the book was about strength in the middle of a traumatic event. This makes Viet Thanh Nguyen’s book relatable on several levels. Anyone can have a tragic event occur. Now, ours might not be a forest fire, but we could have had a flood, a loss of a home, or a death in the family. Simone (the character) is a young […]

Climate change and one result

Wildfire by Breena Bard

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The graphic novel Wildfire by Breena Bard has a heavy push of environmentalism and that which causes them, and how to try and fix them. Which is, of course a fantastic subject, but at times it felt a smidgen pushy. However, overall it is well done and introduces the subject well. I had a few spots where I had wished something else had happened or was handled differently, but I enjoyed things. A modern tone with bubbly, colorful, minimal detailed illustrations to help counter the […]

Poetry + science + activism = one heck of a book

The City Sings Green & Other Poems About Welcoming Wildlife by Erica Silverman

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I do not think I was halfway through The City Sings Green & Other Poems About Welcoming Wildlife by Erica Silverman and illustrated by Ginnie Hsu before I knew this was probably going to be my top April read (and yes, it is only a week into the month) and probably in my top picks for the year (and yes, it’s only four months old). The story is actually poems, but don’t let that stop you from reading! No, these are not artsy-fartsy ones! These […]

Happy April and Happy Poetry Month

All of Those Babies by Mylisa Larsen

Aunt Sue's Stories by Langston Hughes

Bless Our Pets : Poems of Gratitude for Our Animal Friends by Lee Bennett Hopkins

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Happy April and Happy Poetry Month. I am sure I will find other poetry books for kids, but I will start with three that I just found. All are available (or with the last one “soon” in April 2024) but all have been read via online reader copies. The first is All of Those Babies by Mylisa Larsen and illustrated by Stephanie Laberis . This book is one solid poem that rhymes and has repetition. The idea is how all babies, be they lizard, human […]

A winter walk

A Quiet Conversation with the Snow by Lori Colvin

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A Quiet Conversation with the Snow by Lori Colvin and illustrated by Lee Steadman has a few tones and levels to it. The first thing I noticed was the repetition of the images. There is a lot of white and blue. When other colors come out, it is usually red and specifically the red of a male cardinal. This bird is on almost every page, allowing for the listener (and reader) to find it. Sometimes it is obvious and is the center of the back […]



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