Cannonball Read 17

Sticking It to Cancer One Book at a Time

Goodbye Town I’m Movin’ Along

Mable and Same at Home by Linda Urban

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Mabel and Sam at Home by Linda Urban is a slightly different take on the moving to a new home story. Mabel and her brother Sam approach their new home by making each step and adventure. They imagine they are sailors finding a new, Mable is a tour guide in the New Home Museum and finally astronauts in space when it is time to go to bed. Hadley Hooper has created interesting illustrations and therefore, a voice for the characters that compliments the text. Reminiscent […]

A Nibble of Hope can make you hungry for more

The Root of Magic by Kathleen Benner Dubb

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The Root of Magic is one of those books that the adult me has issues with (the mom “forgets” about her oldest child due to the illness of the younger one; her relationship with her ex-husband is stereotypical and the daughter takes on a “mother role” due to the fact it is all about her brother). The kid in me however thinks this is an awesome book. I started out with the negatives because, while I totally understand where Kathleen Benner Dubb is coming from […]

If you don’t like the cold snow, try this warm treat

When the Snow Falls by Linda Booth Sweeney

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I liked the cover art of When the Snow Falls illustrated by Jana Christy. I was hoping the text by Linda Booth Sweeney would be as big of a hit. Unfortunately, it was not. Spoiler: The fact that all the sudden the parents disappear, and the kids are now at Grandma’s house is odd. They went from the country to the city in what seems like a blink. The one scene that looks like travel happens is the grandmother is pushing the children in a […]

Sister… or brother… Act

Little Owl’s Egg by Debi Glori

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Little Owl’s Egg is a different take on having a new sibling. Usually they talk about how great the baby is going to be, and/or the older sibling is usually excited about the new addition. This time, Little Owl is less than thrilled (giant, multiple Nos! clue you into this fact). To sooth a hurt Little Owl (after all Mama does not need a new Little Owl, she has them), Mama plays a game about what kind of baby she will be having. This is […]

Two can keep a secret when one is dead

Two Can Keep a Secret by Karen M. McManus

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Two Can Keep a Secret by Karen M. McManus is a 99.9% typical young adult mystery story. Due to my having read a lot of YA mystery (as a physical and mental pre-teen and teenager) I knew the clues to look for. I know red herrings will be obvious (they are called red herrings for a reason). There will be a romance, at least one triangle (be it a love triangle or friendship triangle), if there are siblings/friends their role comes out quickly enough (either […]

Expectations Mostly Met

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Movies and books share many obvious differences but what’s especially difficult for the reader versus the cinephile is there aren’t nearly as many movies as there are books. You’d have to practically live under a rock not to know about films like Aquaman and Vice premiering close to or on Christmas, and even if you want to find info non-blockbuster popular indy types like The Favourite, the internet makes that relatively easy. Whereas with books, there are thousands (millions?) that get released yearly throughout a wide range of genres and if […]



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