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:

Comments on humanity, world peace, and soup

Mafalda: Book One by Quino

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Mafalda: Book One by Quino (author/illustrator) and translated by Frank Wynne is an adult Argentina comic. The ideas remind me of a modern Danae from Non Sequitur, Nancy and Sluggo from the Nancy by Olivia James, and Phoebe and her Unicorn (without the unicorn) by Dana Simpson. Unfortunately, some of the themes are dated (Vietnam; getting your first television) but others are universal (kids ragging on their parents). The overall issues still resonate. The country might be Argentina but politics are politics (Mafalda our naive, […]

“We’re all born naked and the rest is drag” (RuPaul) And this novel SLAYS

Donutella Hamachi and the Library Avengers by Kim Chi, Stephan Lee, and Utomaru

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The novel/part graphic novel or novel with several illustrations that make up the narrator’s special world in Donutella Hamachi and the Library Avengers started out strong. Then Kim Chi, Stephan Lee, and Utomaru’s story started to drag. Pun intended. But in all seriousness, I was just as upset as the kids when I learned that the DragQueen story hour (that I had never seen/had been canceled before the book started) had been Karen-cancelled. I was rooting for Jae Han and their friends to find themselves, […]

Penguins, Pandas and Books

The Adventures of Penguin and Panda: Surprise! by Brenda Maier

The Adventures of Penguin and Panda: Fun and Games! by Brenda Maier

The Adventures of Penguin and Panda: Winterfest by Brenda Maier

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I might have read the first Adventures of Penguin and Panda, The Adventures of Penguin and Panda: Surprise!, (at the time I was starting the review I did not remember) but I do know I read the second book, The Adventures of Penguin and Panda: Fun and Games! by Brenda Maier and illustrated by Fanni Mézes. It is a cute story about friendship and the silly things that happen. It is set up in four stories or chapters and the adventures are happening. And that […]

Halloween is not just in October for this reviewer

Luna and the Witch Throw a Halloween Party by Aubrey Plaza, Dan Murphy, and Hannah Peck

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This picture book Luna and the Witch Throw a Halloween Party, is a Halloween story. As it says so in the title, but also because it is a book about celebrating Halloween with a party. But I would read Aubrey Plaza, Dan Murphy, and Hannah Peck’s story any time of the year, as it is also about the right way to go about making friends. It is silly, funny and hopeful. It has a little information about adapting things to fit a wider variety of […]

A little rain

Island Storm by Brian Floca

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Island Storm by Brian Floca and Sydney Smith is an interesting picture book. I read via an online reader copy and it is due later in July 2025. While the story itself was not my favorite, I really enjoyed the illustrations. They set the tone well, making action out of a piece of paper (or screen).  I was not sure how to say it, therefore I took the publisher’s description and had (I believe an AI program) come up with something. And that something is: […]

They are not a cat, but not a bat. They are BATCAT!

Batcat V02 Sink or Swim! by Meggie Ramm

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Batcat V02 Sink or Swim! by Meggie Ramm is a cute sequel to Batcat V01 Batcat. I recommend reading all three volumes back to back. But Batcat V03 Cooking Contest is not due right away (it is due mid/later April 2025). I say this because I had forgotten some of volume one by the time I got to two.  I like the modern characters and interesting messages that the Batcat series gives, but I don’t always find the characters lovable. Sure a (SPOILER) vampire penguin […]



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