Cannonball Read 18

Sticking It to Cancer One Book at a Time


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Two reviews for you

Mary Had a Little Jam by Tammi Sauer and Vanessa Brantley-Newton

Pencil  by Hye-Eun Kim

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My recent picture book reading day included a lot of books. So many in fact that I had to break them into two different reviews. Also read and now included in this review were Mary Had a Little Jam by Tammi Sauer and Vanessa Brantley-Newton and Pencil  by Hye-Eun Kim. Well, Hye-Eun Kim’s book was more looked at than read as it is a wordless picture book. And still Pencil is something that I can write several words about. The fun part of this book […]

Look forward with the words of Watson

Black Girl You Are Atlas by Renée Watson and Ekua Holmes

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Black Girl You Are Atlas by Renée Watson was one of those books I had heard about, seen, but never really wanted to read. I mean, I like young adult literature, I like poetry and I like young adult poetry. However, I judged the book by the cover and theme. I assumed it would be some flowery “poor me” story. Instead, it is a truly strong and amazing short collection of poems that are relatable, informative and thoughtful. The language is lovely, but straight forward. […]

Children’s Music comes to life

A Life of Song: The Story of Ella Jenkins (The First Lady of Children's Music) by Ty-Juana Taylor

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I was  texting with a friend of mine the other day about how I like biographies of people who are not as well known. I had not yet found A Life of Song: The Story of Ella Jenkins (The First Lady of Children’s Music) by Ty-Juana Taylor and illustrated by Jade Johnson at that time,  but boy does it fit that category. If I had heard of Ella Jenkins, I have since forgotten it.  She is a woman who brought music to the people to […]

The first woman to sit down was a teenager

Claudette Colvin: I Want Freedom Now! by Claudette Colvin

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We know Ruby Bridges, Rosa Parks, Dr. King and more of the civil rights movement people, but do you know Claudette Colvin? She was a teenager who one day was sitting on the bus. She was, like Rosa after her, tired and knew her rights. She said No, I’m not giving up my seat. She would be yelled out, arrested and charged with numerous crimes (none of which were true). And her mother and preacher would bail her out of jail. But that was not […]

I wish I had this girl helping me when I do my chores

Soulful Struttin’ by ulia Pierre Hammond

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The title of the last book review was supposed to be, “I finally have gotten everything I have written, posted.” Then this morning I read one more picture book that is officially due late October/early November 2024, and I read via an online reader copy. Plus, I had just one more to post yesterday, but couldn’t get to it so it didn’t matter anyways! The book cover is the first thing you (obviously) see, so you know that you will have a diverse cast of […]

Frankie is the Gal with the Pals!

Frankie and Friends: The Big Protest by Christine Platt

Frankie and Friends: The Lost Tooth by Christine Platt

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One of the main things I like about Frankie and Friends: The Big Protest by Christine Platt is that things are presented in a kid friendly way. By using the journalistic approach (which is described) we are able to see how such things as “big news” is carried out. And this accessible language (with a glossary of the highlighted words) allows us as kids (aged six/seven to read to, eight/nine to read solo) and adults to have a neat read and learn about not only […]



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