Cannonball Read 18

Sticking It to Cancer One Book at a Time


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I really got into Leila Boukarim books!

Mariam’s Dream: The Story of Mariam Al-Shaar and Her Food Truck of Hope by Leila Boukarim

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Leila Boukarim’s Mariam’s Dream: The Story of Mariam Al-Shaar and Her Food Truck of Hope is not a biography about a “woman done good.” Or an Arab woman “done good” or even an Arab refugee woman “done good.” It is all those things and much more. It shows that even if you were born into a situation where all you knew was being a refugee or if you have many obstacles to overcome, you can make your dream come true. Of course, that is a […]

She made sure it was not a silent night

Rachel Carson's Wonder-Filled World : How the Scientist, Writer, and Nature Lover Changed the Environmental Movement by Kate Hannigan

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This poetic biography of Rachel Carson covers the basic facts, but also gives a romantic twist to how her personality, adventures and contributions were. There are multiple sections where the five senses come into play and we learn what she sees, hears, smells, feels, and tastes. They could be literal but mostly metaphorical.  Rachel Carson’s Wonder-Filled World : How the Scientist, Writer, and Nature Lover Changed the Environmental Movement by Kate Hannigan and illustrated by Katie Hickey (which I read via an online reader copy […]

Grecia the toucan Can!

Building a Beak: How a Toucan's Rescue Inspired the World by Becca McMurdie

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We can have artificial intelligence, limbs, and more for humans and we can even have a 3-D printed beak for a toucan. Don’t believe me? Then read all about it in Building a Beak: How a Toucan’s Rescue Inspired the World by Becca McMurdie and illustrated by Diana Hernández due in June 2025. (I had the opportunity to read it via an online reader copy). Not to spoil things, but I will say that how a toucan got a life saving “nose job” is probably […]

My Name Is Brave

My Name Is Brave: LGBTQIA+ by William Anthony

My Name Is Brave: The Environment by William Anthony

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My Name Is Brave: LGBTQIA+  by William Anthony (due January 2025) is a nice book and a good introduction on LGBT+ issues, but it has been done before. You could find this information in almost any book on the subject. However, the addition of showing how the reader can partake in helping this or another cause they need to be brave for, is good.  The mixture of photographs and drawing bring to life a handful of advocates. In a few pages each we see a transgender […]

“You look better than me, and I’m a real woman!” “Who’s that beached whale on the floor?” “You’re so well spoken!”

Why Are You So Sensitive?: Navigating Everyday, Unintended Microaggressions by Billie Lee and Gina Torino

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cbr16bingo Disco Disco is a very loose connection but one I can make fit. You see, the category mentions gay Americans and the 1960s and 1970s. And the one thing I have learned in my reading the last few years, shows that first, this is not “ancient history” but less than 50 years ago in some areas. And the fact that we might think we’ve come a long way with equality and “political correctness” we still have a long way to go. As this book […]

Social justice and action and I liked it

We Are Allies! by Taimani Emerald

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We Are Allies! by Taimani Emerald is a short book. Even though it has been out for over a year, I found an online reader copy. And I am curious about how the final copy looks. Things are pretty basic with how you can be an ally. And though, yes it does focus a bit more on the GLBTQ aspect, being an ally is pretty simple. You stand up to help when people need it. You try to stop something that is not right. And […]



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