Cannonball Read 18

Sticking It to Cancer One Book at a Time

A hurricane of jacarandas, strangling figs, hanging vines.

Nature Obscura: A City’s Hidden Natural World by Kelly Brenner

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I’ve always been intrigued by (OK obsessed with) nature. Stick me next to a window and you’ll find me staring outside, looking for signs of wildlife. Come spring, you’ll find me kneeling on the sidewalk next to every snail and slug I see, trying to get the perfect picture. When I worked at a Wildlife Rehabilitation Center, a spider made a web on the light in my office and we named him Stanley and fed him mealworms meant for the baby birds. When I moved […]

Why every species matters, and how to convince your friends and family

The Nature of Nature: Why We Need the Wild by Enric Sala

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In the antepenultimate chapter of The Nature of Nature, conservationist and National Geographic Explorer in Residence Enric Sala shares the story of how, in 2012, he and some colleagues sought to persuade Gabonese President Bongo Ondimba of the importance of protecting the country’s marine life. The president listened politely to Sala’s presentation, but when his interest began to wane, the team offered to let Ondimba pilot a remotely operated vehicle (ROV) that would allow the leader to observe the life beneath the water in real […]

Burt doesn’t bite (unless, you know, you ask nicely)

Burt the Beetle Doesn’t Bite! by Ashley Spires

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Burt the Beetle Doesn’t Bite! is a cute “first read” about beetles and insects. Ashley Spires created a simple, but also includes information, fiction story. The fiction/story aspect allows it to not be an “all-encompassing fact filled book” that bogs you down. It just tells you a story as they introduce the different creatures in the book. The story is about the talents the characters have, that we all have, that might not seem great at first, but there is a place for them at […]

Absolutely do not read this book

My Absolute Darling by Gabriel Tallent

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BINGO – The Wilds [TW: sexual abuse, physical abuse, psychological abuse, abuse of a minor, gun violence, language (which I’ve included in white text below)] There’s been some discussion recently on Cannonball Read about how far into a book does one go before giving up. My procedure is to give a a book at least 1/3 of its total page count before giving up entirely. My 11th grade English teacher, Mrs. Julie Cogburn (one of the best I ever had), shared this procedure with us. […]

While I don’t know it all, I know good poetry, so get on the ball and read y’all!

Whale Day: And Other Poems by Billy Collins

Born in a Second Language by Akosua Afiriyie-Hwedie

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cbr13bingo UnCannon I think we should teach poetry in school but not just the “classics” or what “academics” like, but stuff you WANT to read. Many kids (and adults) hate poetry because it is “girly” (yes, some I was taught was “flowery/girly”) or because is dull (yes, I have fallen asleep more than once while reading some my teacher(s) was forcing on me). And yes, there can be too many rhymes (not that I am complaining mind you, some of my favorites rhymed, but if […]

Who Belongs Here?

Sun and Sand by Jamila Rowser, Neil Brideau

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Sun and Sand is a fantastic new anthology zine from Radiator Comics and Black Josei Press. It collects ten mini comics from cartoonists living in south Florida, and explores the physical, emotional, cultural, and natural connections to the area. The artists guide readers through beaches, swamps, and the human communities woven into them.  Many of the comics in Sun and Sand explore this theme with a sense of humor: assertive cockroaches, an alligator presenting an HOA violation, animals feasting on a dropped mango while the […]



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