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:

Queen of Play Makes Everyone’s Day

Odder: An Otter's Story (Picture book) by Katherine Applegate and Charles Santoso

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I was in the right mood the other day when I found an online copy of Odder: An Otter’s Story (Picture book) by Katherine Applegate and Charles Santoso (the lovely illustrator). Because this book could be considered overly saccharine and too sugary sweet. And when something is overly sweet I can really be a real Scrooge and a Humbug it. Yet, I was in the mood for something sweet, cuddly that just might make you have a tear (or ten) in your eye. Due in […]

I’m trying to think of a clever title that will grab attention but it all seems to frivolous for the subject

Run and Hide: How Jewish Youth Escaped the Holocaust by Don Brown

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The haunting cover of Run and Hide: How Jewish Youth Escaped the Holocaust by Don Brown does not really give you the whole picture of what is going to happen inside this book, but it is a great start. There are layers that will overlap, some things are familiar, others will give you more insight and others might be new stories or concepts. It does not feel like a subject for a graphic novel, but the subject translates well into this format, but it works […]

Don’t pass on these Passover books

An Invitation to Passover by Rabbi Kerry Olitzky, Rabbi Deborah Bodin Cohen and Mariia Kolker

Why On This Night? : A Passover Haggadah for Family Celebration by Rahel Musleah and Louise August

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Both of the Passover books in this review are from February 2024, however, I still had online reader copies of both. The first, An Invitation to Passover by Rabbi Kerry Olitzky, Rabbi Deborah Bodin Cohen and illustrated by Mariia Kolker was read in full, while the second, Why On This Night? : A Passover Haggadah for Family Celebration by Rahel Musleah, and Louise August was skimmed. With that said, both seem to be really good Passover stories. Olitzky’s story is a younger introduction to the […]

I was going to send all the spider pictures to my sister, but she’d unalive me….

The Spider Lady: Nan Songer and Her Arachnid World War II Army by Penny Parker Klostermann

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Disclaimer: Realistic spiders are drawn in the book The Spider Lady: Nan Songer and Her Arachnid World War II Army by Penny Parker Klostermann and  Anne Lambelet. It is due early May 2025, and was read via an online reader copy. OMG! Now, if you do not like spiders, you probably should not read this book. However, I wish you would. Yes, there are spiders (a lot of spiders) but the art of Lambelet makes them so darn cute!  I mean, I’d cuddle with them…. […]

I don’t know why you shouldn’t trust a fish, but you can read this book to find out…and then there is a bonus book too

Don't Trust Fish by Neil Sharpson

Fiona and the Peculiar Praise by Rennie Dyball

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I do not know how to write up Don’t Trust Fish by Neil Sharpson and illustrator Dan Santat, other than to say, read it and find out what you think. I cannot tell you that on this one. The story is simple, a narrator starts with “this is a dog, cat, etc…” and what they do, characteristics, etc. and then, “This is a Fish, do not trust them.”  Um…okay. And then we go through the book about fish and trust issues.  Things are cute and […]

Wagnificent tail… tale

Wagnificent V02 A New Dog in the Den by Bethanie Murguia

Wagnificent V01 The Adventures of Thunder and Sage by Bethanie Murguia

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I was looking at online reader copies when I noticed Wagnificent: A New Dog in the Den by Bethanie Murguia. I did not realize it was book two until I started reading it. There were some comments and pieces that were not adding up, making it feel like it wasn’t the first book. Even if you are the ages it is aimed for, I don’t think you would have to read book one to know what is happening in two, but it probably would help […]



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