Cannonball Read 18

Sticking It to Cancer One Book at a Time

“It’s true that giving can be a part of love, but contrary to popular belief, your love should never take from you.”

Laura Dean Keeps Breaking Up with Me by Mariko Tamaki

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Nowhere Books Bingo – Graphic novel Official plot summary, because once again I have waited to long to review the book: Laura Dean, the most popular girl in high school, was Frederica Riley’s dream girl: charming, confident, and SO cute. There’s just one problem: Laura Dean is maybe not the greatest girlfriend. Reeling from her latest break up, Freddy’s best friend, Doodle, introduces her to the Seek-Her, a mysterious medium, who leaves Freddy some cryptic parting words: break up with her. But Laura Dean keeps […]

Book Club Discussion Post: This One Summer

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Welcome to our Banned Graphic Novels book club! This go round we’ve selected three graphic novels that have been banned or challenged for various reasons. Each of our books –Class Act by Jerry Craft, Gender Queer by Maia Kobabe, and This One Summer by Mariko Tamaki and Jillian Tamaki – have their own Discussion Posts.

#CannonBookClub October Book Club Announcement

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Banned Graphic Novel Book Club Discussion Now Open – Join us today for the discussion! Last year when we decided to have a Banned Books Book Club the timing felt right – it was the 40th anniversary of the creation of Banned Books Week and nationally we were seeing an uptick in challenges against books for a variety of reasons. The uptick turned out to be a tidal wave unprecedented since ALA started keeping statistics – 2022 had the highest number of challenges ever and […]

You lost me at the title…

Laura Dean Keeps Breaking Up With Me by Mariko Tamaki

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Honestly, the book lost me with its titular concept. I simply cannot relate to a character who would willingly subject herself to all of this heartbreak with a girl who clearly doesn’t respect her. Laura Dean dumps her, cheats on her, etc. She’s forever an afterthought for Laura Dean and yet she keeps going back to that well. I know sometimes what we want doesn’t make sense, and it’s probably rooted in her not valuing and respecting herself enough, but it still took me out […]

I guess you could say it left me… Cold?

Cold by Mariko Tamaki

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I’m not usually one to read books week-of-release. Aside from my favorite author, Rainbow Rowell, no author inspires enough confidence in me to not wait it out to see what reviews are like. And I’m not usually one to get in on the ground floor with an author either. I’m just not in-the-know enough for that. This particular exception, Cold by Mariko Tamaki, came on a whim after seeing it listed as one of The Strand’s Book-of-the-Month options. I randomly remembered how awesome that book […]

Mirror Mirror on the Wall I’ve Become My Mother Afterall

I Am Not Starfire by Mariko Tamaki

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I Am Not Starfire is a lighthearted coming of age/this girl isn’t like the other superhero story.  There are several obvious situations and solutions, but Mariko Tamaki’s text makes them fun and while not necessarily fresh, they are enjoyable to read. There are several characters who are diverse (due to race, sexuality, or personality). Of course, the story of the superhero Titan Starfire is multi-layered: she is the ultimate immigrant (she is not from this world), she is a single mom, and she is raising […]



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