Cannonball Read 18

Sticking It to Cancer One Book at a Time

Monstrocity! Your kind of town

Olivia Wolf and the Moldy Sandwich by Jose Fragoso

Olivia Wolf and the Night of the Giant Monsters by Jose Fragoso

Olivia Wolf and a Million Olivia's by Jose Fragoso

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There are no dull days in Monstrocity! Or at least that is what the publisher’s description says. But if the first two books of this series are any indication, then they are right! Olivia Wolf and the Moldy Sandwich by Jose Fragoso, followed by Olivia Wolf and the Night of the Giant Monsters are packed with early reader/early graphic novel adventures. Book one has three main parts, a little science, a lot of humor and a mystery. There is usually a short “message” but not overly “educational” in the sense you […]

“Welcome to the future! The future stinks.” (Your Pal Fred)

Your Pal Fred Volume One by Michael Rex

Doom’s Day Camp V02 The Story Eater by Joshua Hauke

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I had an odd reading arc at the end of 2023. I  found some not overly happy books. One was a book about Palestine and Gaza, a graphic novel about the Holocaust, and  two books about the apocalypse. Not to mention the teen novel about a “camp” to train teenage assassins. However, there was humor in the two apocalypse books. In Your Pal Fred Volume One, Michael Rex made a character that is from the past. He wakes up in the seriously dystopian world of […]

May I Take Your Coat?

The North Wind and the Sun by Philip C. Stead

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Though the story within the pages of The North Wind and the Sun is one of “you get more bees with honey than vinegar” (I don’t like flies) is not new, but the way the author presents things takes on a fresh feeling. The art is child-like but far from childish. Perhaps more for an adult than the usual picture book crowd, this is a delightful book for anyone’s library. Philip C. Stead has adapted (or retold) a folk tale that I am unfamiliar with. Perhaps […]

Hi I’m your new bunk mate and my body count is 1

Teen Killers Club (volume one) by Lily Sparks

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Both predictable and a few surprises, Teen Killers Club (volume one) has a few bumps and bruises and some killings. Okay, a lot of killing. The overall of this novel I enjoyed, however, there were several parts I did not. The biggest two were Signal (our innocent member of this summer camp from heck) is a major Damsel in Distress and she thinks she can change people just by loving them. Even murderers who really like their “hobby.”  There are several heavy-handed plot points, some […]

Gift a read

Joy to the World: A Christmas Song by Sara Gianassi

Silent Night: A Christmas Song by Sara Gianassi

The Last Slice: A Three Kings Day Treat by Melissa Seron Richardson

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If you like giving books for the holidays, these two board books illustrated by Sara Gianassi are adorable! They capture the more traditional feelings and ideals of the season, but also are just nice books. Perfect for stocking stuffers, these are practically must haves for everyone. They do include the full text (or at least a few verses) of each song (therefore a few lines might not be as familiar to some people) and have the sweetest images for illustrations. Okay, maybe too sweet for […]

Tsas letmi hisamatö rokkänrol mjuusik!

Popular Music by Mikael Niemi

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A little primer. There is a lot of history – good and bad – between Finland and Sweden that goes back to the time the Crusades. Finland was the Eastern part of Sweden for roughly 700 years. The basis for government, legal framework and education were established during our time as part of Sweden. The written Finnish language took it first steps, even though it was for a long time the language of the lower classes. Swedish was for upper classes, aristos, the university folks […]



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