Cannonball Read 17

Sticking It to Cancer One Book at a Time

About BlackRaven

CBR10 participant
CBR11 participant
CBR12 participant
CBR13 participant
CBR14 Participant
CBR14 Bingo Badges
CBR15 Participant
CBR16 Participant
CBR17 Participant
CBR17 Comments
CBR17 Levels

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:

What does your garden grow?

Logan's Greenhouse by JaNay Brown-Wood

by Leave a Comment

It happened again! I was clicking on a link for book A and book B showed up. This time the book B was Logan’s Greenhouse by JaNay Brown-Wood and illustrated by Samara Hardy. And while the book is from 2022 this online link was still fresh and ready for reading. I figured I might as well give it a shot, especially since a second book I tried had the same wrong link and I figured the universe was telling me something. Now, Logan’s Greenhouse is […]

The sights, sounds, smells and food of the forest

On a Mushroom Day by Chris Baker and Alexandra Finkeldey

by Leave a Comment

I have read On a Mushroom Day by Chris Baker and Alexandra Finkeldey before (or it did feel  familiar at least). Maybe that was because I have read books about mushrooms/fungi before, so it might be a case of remembering that instead of this one. Either way, Baker’s book is a poetic story that could grab most readers. Even if you are not interested in edible (and not so edible) fungus, this is a nice book about the connection between us and nature. The child […]

Taste the story

Every Peach Is a Story: A Picture Book by David Mas Masumoto

by Leave a Comment

I have been reading picture books coming out in 2025 from online reader copies recently. Every Peach Is a Story: A Picture Book by David Mas Masumoto, Nikiko Masumoto, and Lauren Tamaki (due in March 2025) is one of those. The cover was a bit awkward, being busy and (frankly) a bit messy looking. Yet, I knew that if I didn’t like it, I didn’t have to finish it. And while it is not my favorite read this year, it has a strong place. It […]

Misaka took his shot

Wat Takes His Shot: The Life & Legacy of Basketball Hero Wataru Misaka by Cheryl Kim

by Leave a Comment

I said that The Music Inside Us: Yo-Yo Ma and His Gifts to the World by James Howe is probably one of my favorite picture biographies this year. Or actually favorite reads from 2024, but it is not due until 2025. Therefore if you are looking for one of my favorite reads in 2024 and is out in 2024 for a picture biography, pick up Wat Takes His Shot: The Life & Legacy of Basketball Hero Wataru Misaka by Cheryl Kim and illustrated by Nat […]

Yo-Yo Ma and His Gifts

The Music Inside Us: Yo-Yo Ma and His Gifts to the World (A Picture Book Biography) by James Howe

by Leave a Comment

The Music Inside Us: Yo-Yo Ma and His Gifts to the World (A Picture Book Biography) by James Howe and illustrated by Jack Wong might be one of my favorite new picture biographies. Read via an online reader copy, however, you’ll have to wait until early June 2025 for your chance to read it.  We hit the highlights of the life and times of this cellist. There are several facts in the text itself, along with extras as well. This lets the book grow with […]

Told in English and Chinese

Grandpa’s Magic Mask: A Story of Growth and Bravery in English and Chinese by Siping Wu

A House Just for Mommy: A Bedtime Story Told in English and Chinese by Dayong Gan

The Boy, the Deer, and the King: A Legend Retold in English and Chinese by Xiaochun Tang

Little Malan’s Debut: A Story of Courage Told in English and Chinese by Lumin Qian

by Leave a Comment

I do not speak a second language. As an adult, I regret not working harder on that, but I take solace in the fact that there are bilingual books out there and I can read the English part and admire the second language. Usually this is French or Spanish, but I have noticed that Chinese is taking its place. I’m not sure if the Chinese in these four books is Mandarin or Cantonese, so please let me know if you know! All will be available […]



Help Our Mission

You can donate to CBR via:

  1. PayPal
  2. Venmo