Cannonball Read 17

Sticking It to Cancer One Book at a Time
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In the Early 1980s Fujiwara Maki began a picture diary

My Picture Diary by Maki Fujiwara

June 12, 2025 by BlackRaven Leave a Comment

My Picture Diary is an odd little book. It is a day-to-day/day in the life of the author, Maki Fujiwara (also illustrated by) and her family. Things are fairly dull on the surface, but a lot is going on nonetheless. You can see the era (the late 1970s/early 1980s) and the culture and country (Japan); and of course, the husband and wife and the parent(s) and child relationships. The illustrations are simple, but deceptively so. The style itself is not overly detailed, but they do […]

Filed Under: Biography/Memoir, Cooking/Food, Graphic Novels/Comic Books, Health, History, Non-Fiction, Poetry, Romance, Young Adult Tagged With: 1980's, actors, artists, Children, diaries, family, Japan, literacy, Maki Fujiwara, Ryan Holmberg, spouses, Tsuge Yoshiharu

BlackRaven's CBR17 Review No:301 · Genres: Biography/Memoir, Cooking/Food, Graphic Novels/Comic Books, Health, History, Non-Fiction, Poetry, Romance, Young Adult · Tags: 1980's, actors, artists, Children, diaries, family, Japan, literacy, Maki Fujiwara, Ryan Holmberg, spouses, Tsuge Yoshiharu ·
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The icon, the myth, the woman

Can You Imagine?: The Art and Life of Yoko Ono by Lisa Tolin

April 30, 2025 by BlackRaven Leave a Comment

The spirit of Ono is captured in lovely words and images in the pages of Can You Imagine?: The Art and Life of Yoko Ono by Lisa Tolin and illustrated by Yas Imamura. Though currently available, I had the opportunity to read it via an online reader copy. And though I might not get a finished copy for myself, I do highly recommend getting a copy for yourself, your child and local library or libraries. This is not just a book about Yoko Ono. It […]

Filed Under: Biography/Memoir, Children's Books, History, Non-Fiction Tagged With: art, artists, Japan, John Lennon, Lisa Tolin, Social Activists, United States, women, Yas Imamura, Yoko Ono

BlackRaven's CBR17 Review No:230 · Genres: Biography/Memoir, Children's Books, History, Non-Fiction · Tags: art, artists, Japan, John Lennon, Lisa Tolin, Social Activists, United States, women, Yas Imamura, Yoko Ono ·
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Describe in two words: FREAKING WOW

Chance: Escape from the Holocaust by Uri Shulevitz

April 29, 2025 by BlackRaven Leave a Comment

The book: Chance: Escape from the Holocaust by Uri Shulevitz One word: WOW. Okay two words. FREAKING WOW I cannot tell you how fantastic this book is. Just read. It is not easy, it is sad, heartbreaking, scary, beautiful, hopeful and more. It covers all the emotions. It shows you a piece of World War II that we don’t know about. Again, WOW and go read. For mature readers at least 12-13 and up, but I would recommend older. But if you read with them, […]

Filed Under: Biography/Memoir, Graphic Novels/Comic Books, Health, History, Non-Fiction, Religion, Young Adult Tagged With: art, artists, childhood, Holocaust, Jewish children, Poland, Social Theme, Soviet Union, Uri Shulevitz, World War II

BlackRaven's CBR17 Review No:225 · Genres: Biography/Memoir, Graphic Novels/Comic Books, Health, History, Non-Fiction, Religion, Young Adult · Tags: art, artists, childhood, Holocaust, Jewish children, Poland, Social Theme, Soviet Union, Uri Shulevitz, World War II ·
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Review 2?

The Sunflowers: Vincent van Gogh's Search for Beauty by Zahra Marwan

March 6, 2025 by BlackRaven Leave a Comment

As many of you know, I am in the bookselling business. Currently I am behind the scenes, but I occasionally still “hand sell” a book (usually via an email or over the phone, not on the sales floor). And because I am in retail, it might seem odd I would go to the library as I practically have access to any book I want. But sometimes you just have to.  I want to see if I would like a book before I buy it, or […]

Filed Under: Biography/Memoir, Children's Books, Fiction, History, Non-Fiction Tagged With: #Netherlands, artists, friendship, painters, Self-Esteem & Self-Reliance, Social Themes, Vincent van Gogh, Zahra Marwan

BlackRaven's CBR17 Review No:134 · Genres: Biography/Memoir, Children's Books, Fiction, History, Non-Fiction · Tags: #Netherlands, artists, friendship, painters, Self-Esteem & Self-Reliance, Social Themes, Vincent van Gogh, Zahra Marwan ·
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Paint feelings

Joan Mitchell Paints a Symphony : La Grande Vallée Suite by Lisa Rogers

February 27, 2025 by BlackRaven 1 Comment

I was hoping for more factual information in Joan Mitchell Paints a Symphony : La Grande Vallée Suite by Lisa Rogers and illustrated by Stacy Innerst, but the spirit of the book is as if the artist herself had painted it. Only not abstract and it does have good facts, just focuses more on a poetic execution on the subject. The main point that grabbed my attention was that I was not really aware of the artist, but I think I have seen some of […]

Filed Under: Biography/Memoir, Children's Books, History, Non-Fiction Tagged With: art, artists, Joan Mitchell, Lisa Rogers, painting, Stacy Innerst, women

BlackRaven's CBR17 Review No:113 · Genres: Biography/Memoir, Children's Books, History, Non-Fiction · Tags: art, artists, Joan Mitchell, Lisa Rogers, painting, Stacy Innerst, women ·
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The man, the woman and their influences on books

Outside In and Inside Out: A Story About Arnold Lobel by Emmy Kastner

Fanny's Big Idea: How Jewish Book Week Was Born by Richard Michelson and Alyssa Russell

February 21, 2025 by BlackRaven Leave a Comment

For the longest time, biographies were the only non-fiction reading I did. I would  explore that genre more as I got older, but I always hold a spot in my heart and read piles for biographies. And picture book biographies have become a staple to read. Two that grabbed my attention and made me need to talk about them were Outside In and Inside Out: A Story About Arnold Lobel by Emmy Kastner and Fanny’s Big Idea: How Jewish Book Week Was Born by Richard […]

Filed Under: Biography/Memoir, Children's Books, History, Non-Fiction, Religion Tagged With: Alyssa Russell, Arnold Lobel, artists, Books & Libraries, drawing, Emmy Kastner, Fanny Goldstein, LGBTQ, Richard Michelson, Richard Michelson and Alyssa Russell, Social Themes

BlackRaven's CBR17 Review No:110 · Genres: Biography/Memoir, Children's Books, History, Non-Fiction, Religion · Tags: Alyssa Russell, Arnold Lobel, artists, Books & Libraries, drawing, Emmy Kastner, Fanny Goldstein, LGBTQ, Richard Michelson, Richard Michelson and Alyssa Russell, Social Themes ·
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