Cannonball Read 17

Sticking It to Cancer One Book at a Time

About BlackRaven

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I am a Professional Book Pusher. Reading is a passion, as is writing, bragging about nephews, and alligator wrestling. My first year participating was 2018. (Learn more about this Cannonballer: BlackRaven's Quick Questions interview.)

BlackRaven's Reviews:

Presenting Hesse and Karas awesome collaboration

Night Job by Karen Hesse

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Night Job by Karen Hesse and illustrated by G. Brian Karas was almost put aside to read. It is not due until later October 2025, but I needed to see how these two would work together. I think of Hesse as a slightly more serious author and Karas as a lighter illustrator. Not saying it couldn’t work, but first thoughts are first thoughts. And they became probably one of my new favorite duos. The story is a bit on the lighter side allowing Karas almost […]

Princesses, pirates and sisters

Story Spinners: A Sisterly Tale of Danger, a Princess, and Her Crew of Lady Pirates by Cassandra Federman

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I started a review once that said that I like sibling books and sister books in particular. Story Spinners: A Sisterly Tale of Danger, a Princess, and Her Crew of Lady Pirates written and illustrated by Cassandra Federman is one of those books. Currently available, this is a cute story about modern day sisters, with one having some old school ideas that get messy when the sisters unite to tell their “other sister” a bedtime story. Of course, there is more than that. The oldest […]

Sisters, differences and love

Little Big Sister by Eoin Colfer

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I picked up Little Big Sister by Eoin Colfer and illustrated by Celia Ivey because the cover was terribly brightly colored and pushy to the eye.  I read it because I like sibling stories (sister stories in particular) and thought it would be an interesting read on differently abled children/people. And while it was not my favourite read, it was a read that I enjoyed and recommend if you have a family member, friend or a child’s classmate who has dwarfism. Therefore, the rating of […]

An old 16 millimeter camera and a real fantasy world

Final Cut by Charles Burnsa

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I gave Final Cut by Charles Burnsa a four for the illustrations. They are complicated and straightforward. The story is complex to the point of almost not understanding it. There is no real action (unless you count the two couples who get down and dirty with some mad monkey love), yet a lot is going on. There is language, drug use, alcoholism, nudity, and vomit. There is actually a story behind why I wanted to read this book. And I have no idea what it […]

100% You

You Are 25% Banana by Susie Brooks

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You Are 25% Banana by Susie Brooks and illustrated by Josy Bloggs was not just a fun book to read, and one that is a must have for the classroom and your inquisitive child (and as an adult I learned a few things too), but it also inspired a very wackado (and not really completed) poem by yours truly. This picture book is a great way to introduce  astonishing facts that show how we’re all related to every living thing on the planet and what […]

Oaxaca, Mexico and Southern India

Pearls in the Sand : Protecting Sea Turtles in Oaxaca by Beatriz Gutiérrez Hernández

Midnight Motorbike by Maureen Shay Tajsar

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Pearls in the Sand : Protecting Sea Turtles in Oaxaca is one of those picture books that I am not really sure I loved. I know I really enjoyed it, but not sure if I loved it.  And I realized this is because I need to read it again. I honestly do not feel you can get the whole picture with one reading. Sure, Beatriz Gutiérrez Hernández has a story about how a group of people help save the turtle population of their area, but […]



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