Cannonball Read 16

Sticking It to Cancer One Book at a Time

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Roll the dice, save the world

Just Roll with It by Veronica Agarwal

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cbr16bingo  Games (Maggie plays a D&D-like game that starts to bleed into her real world) Just Roll with It by Veronica Agarwal and Lee Durfey-Lavoie is a sweet story about dealing with OCD. This time the parents are a bit more “clueful” but also still have microaggressions that cause issues with the child, Maggie, who is OCD. And it is Maggie who is the one saying there is no problem, that they are not stupid, and are afraid of the stigma attached to “mental health” or […]

Why does this category sound like a cooking term?

Emmie and Friends V08 Always Anthony by Terri Libenson

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cbr16bingo Détante  Or at least how I understand the word. Perhaps the “tension” is not earth shattering in a world wide way, or even nationally, but it is shattering to the person who is dealing with it: Bullies. Not only did one of our main characters deal with bullying, a younger student is also facing it. But it’s not just some “faceless” jerk, but friends/teammates of Anthnoy. And if he “rocks the boat” then it will not be good for him. Therefore there is the tension […]

“Even though the world is ending in the spring, that’s still two quarters of a school year away. And school years last forever.”

The World Ends in April by Stacy McAnulty

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I got this book somewhat randomly (from a box of books to be thrown out) but ended up really enjoying it. I do love a solid middle grade novel where everyone learns a lesson, and this had that in spades. The World Ends In April follows Eleanor, who’s having a hard time in middle school — her mother is dead, she hates everyone at school, and her one best friend Mack might be leaving to go to another school. She deliberately tries not to interact […]

Brain Washing. But in a nice way.

Invisible: A Graphic Novel by Christina Diaz Gonzalez 

The Cool Code by Deirdre Langeland

Ride On by Faith Erin Hicks

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Junior high is tough. And so is reading several creepy/thriller/horror novels or graphic novels in a row. Needed a major brain cleaning, I found three middle reader graphic novels that worked wonders. And not only were they “light” for my adult brain, they had messages and dealt with issues that kids today (and I’m sure we more mature kids have and are having to) deal with. I highly recommending doing this kind of washing of the brain at least once every two to three “intense” […]

“One of the most important things you can do is learn to do is prioritize:” Good Advice for Any Age

Camp by Kayla Miller

Crunch by Kayla Miller

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CBR14Bingo: Verse (both books are set in the same universe/setting) Camp and Click are standalone books in the same series. It does help to know the character relationships, but it doesn’t really take away your ability to understand the narrative. In Camp, Olive and Willow go to summer camp for the first time. They’re best friends but Olive is more outgoing and Willow is shy and just wants to hang out with Olive. The tension between Olive wanting to try new things and meet new […]

“Don’t be an enemy to you. Love you. Be your friend.”

Enemies by Svetlana Chmakova

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CBR14Bingo: Font (I always really like Chmakova’s handwritten font.) Enemies is the fourth in Svetlana Chmakova’s Berrybrook Middle School series, which I love. I’ve been waiting a few years for the most recent installment and this lived up to my hopes. Felicity lives in the shadow of her little sister Letty, who is always winning science fairs and getting recognition for her academic achievement. In the beginning of the book, Letty teases Felicity that she never finishes anything, and so Felicity sets out to win […]



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