Cannonball Read 18

Sticking It to Cancer One Book at a Time


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It’s a cookie baking book without vanilla

108 Asian Cookies by Kat Lieu

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8 is apparently a lucky number in Chinese culture, so instead of 100, we get 108 Asian Cookies: Not Too Sweet Treats from a Third-Culture Kitchen. For me personally, this one is going to be more of a read for info and interest (and also local library summer reading challenge [adults can play too!]) for two reasons: 1) quite a few of the recipes are a little chef-ier than I personally like my baking to be, and 2)  I don’t like grocery shopping online which […]

Talking over a cup

Luli and the Language of Tea by Andrea Wang and Hyewon Yum 

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Luli and the Language of Tea by Andrea Wang and illustrated by Hyewon Yum   Available July 2026 for paper, hardcover avialalbe read via an online reader Once upon a time there was a little girl named Luli. She did not know a lot of English, and neither did the other children who are in the free care center they are at when their parents go to an English as a Second Language class. This made her sad as she is a friendly girl and likes […]

Neshama would make a good name for a perfume

Neshama by Marcella Pixley

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Marcella Pixley’s poetic prose novel, Neshama, is one of those books I would have loved as a kid and good for the 10 and up crowd. However, as an adult, there were a few bumps. The themes are good: being yourself, standing up for yourself and forgiveness, but first, I’ve read several middle grade readers and a lot of books with the theme so it was a bit repetitive. That is why if you’re new/newish to the middle grade coming-of-age story it works perfectly. As […]

Cooking and Stories from Immigrants in Minnesota

Kitchens of Hope: Immigrants Share Stories of Resilience and Recipes from Home by Linda Svitak, Christin Jay Eaton, Lee Svitak Dean

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Kitchens of Hope: Immigrants Share Stories of Resilience and Recipes from Home. This is a cookbook that admits that it’s not just about the recipes. It’s about the stories and a point as well. It’s very not shy about that, which is rare. Most anyone who’s read a cookbook, or even an online recipe has probably noticed that a lot of the writers try to sneak a lot of story and maybe also a ideological point in as well. There are 3 introductions to highlight […]

The author looks like someone who would write about a pickle

The Wise Pickle by Sarah Howden

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One will never look at a pickle the same way again.  Or you won’t after reading The Wise Pickle by Sarah Howden and illustrated by Sabina Hahn. Due mid/later June 2026 I read this book via an online copy. First, be prepared to witness weirdness. I mean a talking pickle for starters is really just the start of the weirdness. And second, be prepared to be amazed (by the fact there is a talking pickle who is a wise old soul. Or not). And finally […]

Twelve months and Cornbread, the turkey friend of November

Meet May  by April Martin

Meet August by April Martin

Meet December by April Martin

Meet July by April Martin

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The Calendar Kids Meet January  Meet February Meet March  Meet April  Meet May  Meet June  Meet July Meet August:  Meet September  Meet October  Meet November Meet December When I first started to write a review for the The Calendar Kids series, I hadn’t read Meet November. (One would think finding 12 books by April Martin would be easy, but nope!) But right before I posted this review I read November. I think Cornbread is my favorite named friend, but I still lean towards that February […]



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