Cannonball Read 17

Sticking It to Cancer One Book at a Time

“If I have to I can do anything I am strong (strong) I am invincible (invincible)”

I Will Be Fierce by Bea Birdsong

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Since there are several books about overcoming your fears, I Will Be Fierce loses a little “punch” to the actual story. However, showing how the everyday can be a bit of a challenge (a bus ride is like facing a multi-headed monster, the big kids are giants, a pack of dogs are dragons) in a mater-of-fact way is slightly unique. And some diversity is shown without “throwing it in your face” or being “preachy” is refreshing. There are kids of all colors, yet not a […]

1972; 1979 and now 2018

Felix’s New Skirt by Kerstin Brichzin

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There is another book you can check out if you are looking for a non-gender conforming book, Felix’s New Skirt. Felix is a boy. He likes skirts. He likes how it feels and how easy it is to move in them. He even borrows his sisters. But, of course, people in the neighborhood and his classmates do not accept it. It is not until Felix’s dad finds a solution that things start to work out for everyone. This for the reader who likes books about […]

Three might be company, but four is one too many

Just Jamie by Terri Libenson

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Terri Libenson has several middle-school novels in her Emmie & Friends series. First we saw Invisible Emmie, then Positively Izzy and now we have Just Jamie. And while each book ties into the others, each is a standalone story as well. Done in a slightly nontraditional graphic novel format, Libenson creates a slightly idealistic (things are wrapped up nicely, certain convenient events happen to move the story along) but also a realistic view of Middle School. Jamie has her group of friends. Three of them […]

Gotta get Busy busy busy

Olive & Pekoe: In Four Short Walks by Jacky Davis

Lizzy McTizzy and the Busy Dizzy Day by Sarah Weeks

Woke Baby by Theodore Taylor III

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Once upon a time there was girl who enjoyed reading. And she enjoyed telling other people about these books as well. This girl likes stories about friendship. And while she is not a dog person, she found a must have for dog lovers in a book about two doggie friends named Olive and Pekoe. Olive & Pekoe: In Four Short Walks by Jacky Davis, is a story that is broken up into four different walks. Each of these walks highlights how different these friends are, […]

Paging Dr. Spencer Reed….. Your book isn’t so hot…but guess what?

Rumple Buttercup: A Story of Bananas, Belong, and Being Yourself by Matthew Gray Gubler

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While Rumple Buttercup: A Story of Bananas, Belong, and Being Yourself is about a subject that is usually aimed at kids (be yourself and you will find your friends because your weirdness is okay! And that is because we are all weird in our own special way), seems to be more adult based.  The story feels more mature than what this subject tends to be aimed out. And due to the fact, the size is not the traditional picture book size, but one of those […]

It Feels Good to Be Yourself: says it all

It Feels Good to Be Yourself by Theresa Thorn

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It Feels Good to Be Yourself: A Book about Gender Identity is coming in May 2019 and I can already see it on every banned and challenged list out there. This book is not going to change your feelings on the subject, but it might give you a new or expanded language to use. Also, due to the accessibility of the text to children, it helped explain a few terms I was still unsure of their meaning. Therefore, this introduction to this subject can span […]



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