Cannonball Read 15

Sticking It to Cancer One Book at a Time

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Heartfelt and Important Middle Grade

Frizzy by Claribel A Ortega, Rose Bousamra

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Oh my gosh, my heart! I’ve been looking forward to this graphic novel since Claribel A Ortega first announced they were writing this story, and I’m so glad I was able to receive an early copy. Marlene hates going to the salon and straightening her hair every Sunday, but has been taught it’s necessary for her to be presentable and accepted, both by her peers and her family. Seeing her Tía Ruby with her natural curls at her cousin’s quiñce and seeing her favorite character […]

Relatable awesomeness

Frizzy by Claribel A. Ortega

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I will start with a controversial statement. I am not always a fan of the drawn natural hair look. For me, it does not “translate” well to the page. I feel something is lost from the “real look” verses the “page look.” However, in Frizzy Rose Bousamra really pulled it off. Marlene (our heroine) and her natural look is amazingly done. And Claribel A. Ortega’s story is equally wonderful. Now, I am not a Dominican middle school girl who has the same self-esteem issues s […]

Adventures in ghost hunting

Ghost Squad by Claribel A. Ortega

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I read Ghost Squad by Claribel A. Ortega for our Young at Heart Cannon book club. I am so glad this book came into my life. 2022 has been plagued with a few reading slumps from the pandemic. However, this middle-grade book got me back into the groove. I read the audiobook, which I highly recommend. The supernatural mystery follows two friends, Lucely and Syd, who live in St. Augustine, Florida. Lucely is Dominican-American and can see her ghost relatives. She speaks to their spirits […]

Ghostbusting doesn’t so much make them feel good as is absolutely necessary to fix a foolish mistake they made

Ghost Squad by Claribel A. Ortega

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Lucely (pronounced Lu-sell-i, at least by the audio book narrator) Luna may be living alone with her father (her mother left them when Lucely was little) but due to an unusual family legacy, she’s able to see the presence of all the family’s departed members. Her father, who once had the gift, can only see them as fireflies but accepts that they’re there and cooks massive meals to provide for all the extended members who keep Lucely company. The family spirits are all tied to […]

“We’re not in Ghost Busters! This is real life!”

Ghost Squad by Claribel A. Ortega

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I did not read Ghost Squad when I was young, as it did not yet exist! This is a 2020 release, and I feel that I would have liked it very much when I in third/fourth grade. There’s magic, monsters, hijinks, and plenty of cat-content that would have kept me giddy throughout. I worried at first that this tale might be “heavy” for a middle-grade reader; it starts with some genuine adult anxieties and perils. We open with the financial woes of Lucely’s father- the bank is […]

ScoobyDoo for grown ups but not quite enough

Ghost Squad by Claribel A. Ortega

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So I’ve been wondering for a while why it seems to be that there can’t be ghost stories for grown-ups that don’t involve detailed often gory horror and/or a lot of unnecessary personal (self-inflicted at least partially most often) angst or troubles. Seannan McGuire’s Ghost Roads series comes close, but that’s only 2 (as of right now) books. I fine with tension and spooky and supernatural, but so much of what’s out there right now is too far into the brands of horror that I […]



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