Cannonball Read 17

Sticking It to Cancer One Book at a Time

From India to Israel

The Blue Butterfly of Cochin by Ariana Mizrahi & Siona Benjamin (Illustrator)

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I like finding out things that might not be familiar to me, or to the majority of people if it is presented in a fun way, as I do not care for “just the facts” and “dry textbooks.”  I like things like The Blue Butterfly of Cochin by Ariana Mizrahi and illustrated by Siona Benjamin. (Currently available, I read this via an online reader copy). I like taking a fictional story and basing it in the facts to make it relatable to the reader.  This […]

The littlest (quietest) revolutionary

The One & Only Googoosh: Iran's Beloved Superstar by Azadeh Westergaard

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Azadeh Westergaard’s The One & Only Googoosh: Iran’s Beloved Superstar is an interesting biographical book about a performer of Iran who is probably not well known to the general public. Even though she did a concert in the 2000’s I had never heard of her. But then again, I am not familiar with many international performers. But also, maybe her decades long forced silence in her homeland of Iran had something to do with it (and the fact that the concert mentioned in Westergaard’s book […]

Introducing that 13th-century Persian poet, Islamic scholar, and Sufi mystic: RUMI (Ruuumi…Ruuumi…Rummi…) !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Rumi–Poet of Joy and Love by Rashin Kheiriyeh

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The way to my heart is a good grilled cheese (or pb&j) and a glass of milk. But the other thing that gets me going is swag from book people. Especially if it is a book itself. Recently I was asked to take a survey about a publisher and its books. I thought why not? And the fact there was a thank you book to boot? Double why not!  And that thank you book was Rumi–Poet of Joy and Love by Rashin Kheiriyeh (concept by […]

Family celebration

A Turkish Rosh Hashanah by Etan Basseri

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I was reading A Turkish Rosh Hashanah (via an online reader copy though it has recently been released) by Etan Basseri and thought about The Light Keeper by Levin, Baslaw and Priestley. It is not because they have a similar theme, setting (one is set in Russian, one in Turkey), or even that the main characters are all Jewish, but it just had that feel of something familiar and yet, also different. It was sweet, interesting and a bit educational without being textbook-like. They both […]

Lady pirate called out of retirement for, “One last job”.

The Adventures of Amina al-Sirafi by Shannon Chakraborty

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I was introduced to Shannon Chakraborty writing under the name S.A. Chakraborty through her book The City of Brass, first book in the Daevabad trilogy.  There was a lot I liked about it; excellent Middle Eastern inspired fantasy world building, an engaging story, and a great female main protagonist.  Yet, I disliked how pretty much the only female character was the main one. The Adventures of Amina al-Sirafi also has excellent Middle Eastern inspired fantasy world building.  This time it’s set on the Indian Ocean during the […]

Based on a true story

Rostam's Picture-Day Pusteen by Ryan Bani Tahmaseb

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Rostam’s Picture-Day Pusteen by Ryan Bani Tahmaseb and illustrated by Fateme Mokhles is a read via an online reader copy, due in July 2024 book that really hit the spot. It is diverse and the theme of being different with a positive attitude from the start gives it a fresh take.  Rostam is a newly immigrated child. His mother and he are starting fresh, while his father is still in Iran, and is to join them as soon as he can. In the meantime, the […]



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