Cannonball Read 18

Sticking It to Cancer One Book at a Time


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For the nerdiest of word nerds

Why Q Needs U: A History of Our Letters and How We Use Them by Danny Bate

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CBR18 BINGO: You, a homophone of “U.” Also because I speak and write in English. Double Bingo! Diagonal: One, Map, You, 26, Or Four corners and the center: Left, One, Repair, Or, You I’m amazed that anyone whose first language is something other than English can ever master writing in this silly language. It’s so full of contradictions and spelling travesties that one has to wonder how we got to this place. Danny Bate has written a highly detailed account of exactly that. In the […]

These are the roots of rhythm and the roots of rhythm remain

Days of Miracle and Wonder by Ashley Kahn

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Paul Simon’s Graceland was released the same year I was born, so even though I’ve been listening to it and loving it for a long time, I was only partly aware of the history and the controversy surrounding it. Enter Ashley Kahn’s Days of Miracle and Wonder Paul Simon and the Trial and Triumps of Graceland, to help fill in the gaps in my knowledge. Kahn, a music journalist who used to work as a tour manager for acts including both Paul Simon and his collaborators Ladysmith […]

A new reading goal

Luminous: Living Things That Light Up the Night by Julia Kuo

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My new goal is to find as many books I can find that are written and illustrated by Julia Kuo. I have read only a few, but know that I won’t be disappointed when I find others. The one that I recently found and has sealed the deal for knowing I will enjoy their books, was Luminous: Living Things That Light Up the Night by them. And all I can really say is that this is just amazingly and beautifully done. Overall, it starts out […]

Warning: Spider friend inside

Weaver and the Web by Chris Baker

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I would have liked a few more facts added within the story that is presented in Weaver and the Web, but the way it is presented is practically perfect. Chris Baker is someone who knows how to weave a story that is mixed with facts and the illustrations are amazing and cool like the night. Byron Eggenschwiler might have a mouthful of a last name, but they know how to compliment and have their own stories with the rich colors and shadows of the night. […]

I had to get out of my own way to enjoy

My Tokyo Summer: A Graphic Novel by Abby Denson and Utomaru

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My background is in English and editing (though I admit editing my own work isn’t my strongest area of expertise). Therefore, when I read a book my adult editor comes out. They pick apart things in a story that most people won’t see, or if they do, they accept it as just a quirk of the story.  With the graphic novel My Tokyo Summer: A Graphic Novel by Abby Denson and illustrated by Utomaru, I found myself “editing” the content, the flow of things and […]

Maybe a bit too on the nose for a post today as what her first book is about

Run Home: A Graphic Memoir by Alyssa Bermudez

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Run Home: A Graphic Memoir by Alyssa Bermudez for me is a nice, and even with a somber plot point, cozy read. Granted, while I felt that it was not as strong as their first book, Big Apple Diaries, it is a delightful read about coming of age, dealing with changes and loss. It is a good coming of age story that is not overwhelming or too mature. It is a memoir of Bermudez’s feelings, thoughts and events. It is a personal read that is […]



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