Cannonball Read 17

Sticking It to Cancer One Book at a Time

United States v. One Tyrannosaurus Bataar Skeleton

The Dinosaur Artist: Obsession, Betrayal, and the Quest for Earth's Ultimate Trophy by Paige Williams

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This was the second nonfiction book in a row where true crime and Leonardo DiCaprio both played a role. Not saying Leo’s up to some shady shit (don’t sue me Leo!), but it is a little weird right? He might be living his life on the criminal fringes of society to come into contact with so much shadiness. Or maybe all rich people are like that? Maybe just certain rich people are like that. I seriously doubt the Gates are trying to procure illegal dinosaurs […]

Next time you say you can’t, think of the hummingbird

Hummingbird by Nicola Davies

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Wow! This book is just that, WOW. The other day, I saw Hummingbird on one of the receiver’s desks at work. I saw this lushly colorful cover by Jane Ray. There were flashy reds, bold blues and gracious greens. I figured this was going to be either something beyond amazing or fall flat and only have its art going for it. Thankfully, it is beyond amazing. While there is nothing earth shattering about this book, Nicola Davies beautifully blends a story and hummingbird facts seamlessly. […]

There wasn’t a thesaurus in sight!

Dinosaur Roar! by Michael Paul

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I recently heard that children who like dinosaurs could have a higher IQ. I do not know if that is true, but I do know that anyone that can pronounce Apatosaurus or Parasaurolophus has a grasp on language. However, Dinosaur Roar! by Michael Paul, does not have a pronunciation key. This made it a bit awkward to try and read if you are not paleontologist or a longtime lover of the dinosaur crew. And there is no scientific information, just basic facts to each creature. […]

Good night, sleep tight, don’t let the aliens bite

Good Night Solar System by Adam Gamble and Mark Jasper

Good Night Astronaut by Adam Gamble and Mark Jasper

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Adam Gamble, and Mark Jasper have created two more board books in the “Good Night” series. This time they deal with a popular subject for many children: space. With the help of Andy Elkerton on illustrations, Good Night Solar System gives planets a turn at helping a space-crazy child to sleep. The same repetitive text slowly builds up to one big goodnight for the solar system, lulling the child (hopefully to sleep). If not, you can try again with Good Night Astronauts and with illustrations […]

Real Life Nightmare Material

Pandora's Lab by Paul A. Offit, MD

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Pandora’s Lab is one scary book. It includes seven times when so-called scientific advances led to disasters, most of which are still affecting the world today. There’s a chapter on opioids, of course, and one on lobotomies. He also discusses the DDT ban, trans fats, chemical fertilizers and mustard gas, eugenics, and vitamins and supplements. All of these things seemed like great ideas at the time, but had far-reaching and, in many cases, terrifying consequences. The one that struck me the most was the chapter […]

Look up….all the way up….. and the stars will tell you a story about a curious boy

Look Up with Me: Neil deGrasse Tyson: A Life Among the Stars by Jenifer Berne

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I am not a fan of Neil deGrasse Tyson mostly because I am unfamiliar with his work (and I have heard rumors about a less-than-friendly personality). However, putting aside any bias I might have, I tackled Look Up with Me: Neil deGrasse Tyson: A Life Among the Stars as if it was any other book. After all, Jenifer Berne’s book did not interest me because of the subject, but because of Lorraine Nam’s illustrations. Paper artist Lorraine Nam’s cover is fascinating. The bold color of […]



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