Cannonball Read 17

Sticking It to Cancer One Book at a Time

Familiar theme, new story

Tales from the Craft Box V02  Emily Was SO Embarrassed by Michelle Olson

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You never know who will pop up and ask you to “read their book” when you are in the book business. Now, many self published authors or small press publishers are not always worth the time, but once in a while you find a small author and/or press that is. And when I was asked by the author Michelle Olson to read their newest book Tales from the Craft Box V02  Emily Was SO Embarrassed, yes I was a little skeptical. However, I also have […]

Speak Ally

Like That Eleanor: The Amazing Power of Being an Ally by Lee Wind and Kelly Mangan

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Once upon a time an online reader copy showed up in my daily activities. Winning it in a reader copy grab has nothing to do with my feelings when I write my review of Like That Eleanor: The Amazing Power of Being an Ally by Lee Wind and illustrated by Kelly Mangan. This due in April 2025 book has many pluses, but also a few minuses. I will start with the first plus: Our character of the story, Eleanor, is named after the historical Eleanor […]

Who knew far….ah feelings were so expressive

Feelings Are Like Farts by Tara Wosiski and Toshiki Nakamura

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I am not going to make the puns and comments that Feelings Are Like Farts make as it will take away from your actual reading of the book. However, I will say that Christopher Willard, PsyD, Tara Wosiski, and illustrator Toshiki Nakamura probably had a blast making this book. Like a fart, feelings can sneak up on you, be loud, smelly, embarrassing, or give relief. But exploring them, realizing they are natural and finding a safe place to let them go, or finding a safe […]

She broke the norm

The Girl Who Wore Pants by Susanna Isern

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While I enjoyed The Girl Who Wore Pants by Susanna Isern, I was a little disappointed that there was not any real background information about Luisa Capetillo.. There is only where she was born (Puerto Rico), who her mother (from France) and father were, and when and why she decided to wear pants. Then we have a nod towards her reading to the women of the factors and a very quick highlight of her arrest in Cuba. However, it is a nice story and shows […]

The ghosts with the most

Gilbert and the Ghost  by Heather Pierce Stigall

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Ghost stories are nice year round. Especially if they have a theme that is about something other than the greatest holiday ever, Halloween. The below books have ghosts in unique and fun ways.  I do not know why 632 Savannah Street is an important fact to have in the story of Gilbert and the Ghost by Heather Pierce Stigall  and illustrated by Jess Mason (due mid-August 2025, read via an online reader copy),  but I’m sure when you read it, you’ll figure out what I missed.  […]

The size of history

We Are American, Too by Kristen Mei Chase and Jieting Chen

The Memory Cake by Caroline L. Perry and Jen Bricking

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History is all around us. And history can be as large as World War II or as small as being the second person of your race being born in a town.  We Are American, Too tackles that second theme. Kristen Mei Chase and illustrator Jieting Chen follow a family on an important day of celebration. They are honoring their history, family, their people and even themselves. The originality of the book comes from how the story is told, instead of “just another immigrant story” which […]



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