Cannonball Read 18

Sticking It to Cancer One Book at a Time

The plight of bees done poetically

Milk Without Honey by Hanna Harms

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Milk Without Honey by Hanna Harms (translated by Ruth Ahmedzai Kemp and Sarah Wyndham Lewis doing the foreword) is a clever, poetic look at the loss of the pollinator, especially the honeybee. The author’s illustrations are both a bit realistic but also interestingly abstract. The use of the color yellow, as well as black and white, is important. The overall feel is the content is for anyone, but the way it is presented might not be for everyone. However, it is for the strong teen […]

So, you’re Brad Pitt? That don’t impress me much, but this book did

Death & Sparkles book one by Rob Justus

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When Sparkles is being a real pain in the butt, if Death sneezes, Sparkles farts. Yes, there is little kid humor (and this kid found it amusing) in Death & Sparkles book one. Yet, there is a lot going on that is serious in the middle of all of this humor. The idea of fame and true friendship is the focus, while we have evil managers (Colonel Parker had nothing on Sparkles manager!) and cupcakes. Lots of cupcakes. While some sensitive readers/listeners might not be […]

To dream the impossible dream (and how to take care of it)

I Want to Be a River by Cecile Elma Roger

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Able, when he grows up, he wants to be a river. But since unrealistic dreams are not allowed, his friends try to discourage him. And eventually, they do. Of course, then Able is no longer their smiling, happy friend; but a sad, unsmiling one, and they are aware of the thing that they did. The themes of I Want to Be a River are to help others embrace their dreams no matter how ridiculous they are, and when things are quiet and you are alone […]

Walking through the apocalypse

Rain by Joe Hill

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CBR15Passport,  Illustrator lives in UK I did not rate Rain a five because it was the best, but because it really hit me in the right feels. Plus, there are some amazing alternative images at the end.  It is probably a 4.5 but I was feeling generous as this is an experience book that had I been having another experience than what was happening while reading, this book wouldn’t have worked. You need to give this book time, read the illustrations, read slowly as if […]

Exploring the world on the pages of these books

Fabien Cousteau Expeditions Deep Into the Amazon Jungle by Fabien Cousteau

Fabien Cousteau Expeditions Great White Shark Adventure by Fabien Cousteau

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After a little research, I realized that one of the issues I was having with the Fabien Cousteau Expeditions book of exploring the Hawaiian ocean (the seemingly humble brags of Cousteau himself) was that it was the fourth book in the series, and it was recapping the previous stories. In Deep Into the Amazon Jungle by James O. Fraioli and Fabien Cousteau, this issue comes up when mentioning his Artic adventures (book two) but it felt less “braggy.” (Book one is Great White Shark Adventure […]

Pickle Jars are not Just for Pickles anymore

The Planet in a Pickle Jar by Martin Staney

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The Planet in a Pickle Jar almost has a “part one” and “part two” to it. You start off with the grandchildren of a grandmother saying their grandmother is dull, never laughs or talks until they show up. When they finally visit, they think her house is dull, the grandmother tells long tedious stories and things are boring. Of course, you see the artwork presenting everything as mysterious and boldly colored and overflowing with details. The second part is one day the grandmother is missing, […]



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