Cannonball
A Review by Amanda Kendall
Bibliography:
Cotter, Sacsha. 2020. CANNONBALL. Illustrated by Josh Morgan. Naperville, Illinois: Sourcebooks Jabberwocky.
ISBN 978-1728217567
Plot Summary:
In New Zealand, nothing brings kids greater joy than doing the perfect cannonball in the summer. But perfection is not easily achieved. In CANNONBALL, one young boy seeks out the advice of people around town to elevate his cannonball to legendary status. He attempts to incorporate everyone's well meaning advice from bigger shorts to more height, but he just can't seem to get it right. After a defeating cannonball turned belly-flop, he goes to his Nan who advises him to listen to his heart and find a way to do it his own way. Finding his voice gives him the courage to make the perfect splash!
Critical Analysis:
In an explosion of summer, Cannonball's lively illustrations, rhythmic text, and celebration of individuality make this book an overall crowd-pleaser. Cotter's text is highly interactive. The first person point of view invites the reader to experience the story right along with the protagonist. Pages alternate between those that follow a distinct rhythm and rhyming pattern and others that don't. Awkward at first, this irregularity is critical to the flow of the text and highlights the emotions the characters experiences throughout the story. After every disappointment, the text swings back to a happy,cheerful rhyme encouraging both the boy and the reader not to give up. Cotter's repetitive use of the boy's chant before jumping in the water shows his evolution as a character. While the words remain the same, the voice that he uses to express those words builds along with his confidence. Paired beautifully with the pictures, the final chant begs to be screamed as the boy leaps into the water doing a perfect cannonball his own way!
Morgan's illustrations capture of the joy of summer. His choice of vivid colors and unique texture backgrounds make each page a visual delight. The inclusion of math symbols, tools, numbers, and grid paper background on the first few pages cleverly conveys the complexity of the perfect cannonball and the boy's dedication as he thinks about it from every angle. This attention to detail continues through the variety of illustrations in the book. Some are full page color. Some are a collection of smaller images mashed together. Many pages have a simple white background, focusing the reader's attention on the characters while other full page spreads capture the beauty and vibrancy of New Zealand. The boy's final fabulous cannonball is brilliantly broken into a four panel spread. Following this slow motion cannonball is a magnificent double page SPLASH that requires the reader to turn the book vertically to see it.
Cannonball is a celebration of New Zealand and the Maori people, the indigenous Polynesian people of the New Zealand mainland. The characters are authentic and true. The boy's hair is pulled back in a traditional Maori bun and the necklace he wears is a traditional jade Maori necklace. The design is a manaia or spirit creature which symbolizes a spiritual guardian. Maori words are used throughout the story including a postcard that reads "Nga Mihi" which means greetings for the new year. Manu (meaning bird) and puku (meaning stomach) are both used within the text as well. Cotter even provides a glossary of Moari words and types of dives in the back of the book for the reader. The unique setting of New Zealand is captured in the illustrations in big and small ways. Morgan's illustrations include a wide array of plants and animals found only in New Zealand. The New Zealand Kingfisher bird makes multiple appearances throughout the story with its highly recognizable coloring and markings. The boy is seen sitting in a New Zealand Christmas Tree and red flowers from the Pohutukawa tree along with the yellow kowhai flowers are both a part of the boy's final cannonball ensemble. Lastly tauparapara or chants are used by the Maori people to pass on knowledge. The boy's cannnonball chant is another example of the Maori tradition embedded in the story.
Cannonball wins over the reader a little more with each subsequent read. The ideas of being yourself and finding your voice are strong themes and well executed, but it is the vivacious illustrations and sometimes silly but fun text that make this book pure joy to read aloud!
Review Excerpts & Awards:
SCHOOL LIBRARY JOURNAL (June 1, 2020) "Along with the expressive images, the story will resonate with those
learning how to navigate the emotional minefield of turning a failure
into a success."
KIRKUS REVIEWS (May 1, 2020) "This distinctive story of summer fun and growth, set within a culture underrepresented on North American shelves, carries a universal message of listening to one’s own heart and being oneself when the world tries to tell you how and who to be."
KIRKUS REVIEWS (May 1, 2020) "This distinctive story of summer fun and growth, set within a culture underrepresented on North American shelves, carries a universal message of listening to one’s own heart and being oneself when the world tries to tell you how and who to be."
- USBBY Selection, 2021
Curricular Connections:
- In CANNONBALL, the boy has a chant he says before each cannonball attempt. Have students write a new chant that inspires them to listen to their voice and gives them the courage to try something new.
- Have students think about the advice they have been given in the past. Who gave good advice? Who gave poor advice? Discuss how you know if it is good or bad advice? How do you know whose advice to follow?
- Share the glossary at the back of the book that includes Maori words. Have students research more about New Zealand and the Maori people using online resources.
