Cannonball Read 15

Sticking It to Cancer One Book at a Time

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One Sweet Song by Jyoti Rajan Gopal

American Desi by Jyoti Rajan Gopal

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CBR15Passport author   The funny thing is, “sweet” does not always do it for me (unless it is a donut or chocolate). However, once in awhile a book that is sweet gets me in the feels. That is because it is sweet but not overly, sickening sweet (like three York peppermint patties and a mug of hot chocolate). And One Sweet Song falls in the former sweet category. Rhyming text takes us through a neighborhood when one person, while sitting on a balcony, plays a […]

Performance jitters

Something Wild by Molly Ruttan

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Hannah loves playing violin, but not in front of people. Of course, she has a recital. On the day of, Hannah wishes for Something Wild to happen. And due to some wonderful imaginative situations, the laughs (and some well needed inspiration and self-confidence) happen. Molly Ruttan has created a tale of cleverness and overcoming stage fright in a fresh, vibrant, manner. Story and text mix together to create magic and humor. Overall, the ideas that Hannah get (her outfit disappears, dolphins in the fountain whisk […]

When music is more than life

Skeleanor the Decomposer: A Graphic Novel. by Emily Ettlinger

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To start on a negative is not usually a good thing, but this review needs to start with, “Why was this book so short?” It is too short Emily Ettlinger (author of)! I see potential for a book with multiple stories for Skeleanor! I see lots of trouble and adventures she can get into and have! But until we have a book two, I must be satisfied with Skeleanor the Decomposer: A Graphic Novel.  I read this sweet story about practice and figuring out that […]

“When you get older, you may never have anyone sing to you personally again, but go all over the world and I bet you can’t find one baby that has never been sung to.”

The Good Times Are Killing Me by Lynda Barry

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Lynda Barry’s other near-perfect YA novel, The Good Times Are Killing Me, marks my completing re-reading her non comics work, as I read and reviewed Cruddy last year. I do think Cruddy is a singular work of genius, but this novel is a close second and one that I find deeply moving and beautiful. It’s a short book, only 131 pages, but Barry manages to pack a lot of emotion and layered, thoughtful commentary on growing up, friendship, systemic societal racism, and the power of […]

Two boys, one city, and their places in it

Moonwalking by Zetta Elliott and Lyn Miller-Lachmann

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Moonwalking is an interesting story about friendship in early 1980s America. The characters are both likable and relatable, and the (SPOILER) not so happy ending, is a nice change of pace from having it “all be okay” and working out in the best possible outcome.  The tone mostly feels realistic (though I am not sure (SPOILER) if Pie sending his address to JJ would have happened). The supporting cast could have been explored a bit more, but what is needed to promote and support the […]

A violin to screech and music to our ears

When Rubin Plays by Gracey Zhang

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CBR15Passport  Books recommended by friends When Rubin Plays by Gracey Zhang is due in March 2023. I read it via a reader copy via Edelweiss but learned of it when the staff review email list came out (we get a list of what has been reviewed by staff for our web site). And my coworker in our sister store, Isabel had reviewed When Rubin Plays. I knew this would work for my “recommended by a friend” box (though it was indirectly recommended, and I have technically not meet […]



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