Cannonball Read 17

Sticking It to Cancer One Book at a Time
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Queen of Play Makes Everyone’s Day

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

January 30, 2025 by BlackRaven Leave a Comment

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 […]

Filed Under: Biography/Memoir, Children's Books, Fiction, History, Non-Fiction Tagged With: adoption, Charles Santoso, family, foster families, fostering, katherine applegate, Katherine Applegate and Charles Santoso, Marine Life, nature, otters, rehabilitation of wild animals, science, Social Themes

BlackRaven's CBR17 Review No:64 · Genres: Biography/Memoir, Children's Books, Fiction, History, Non-Fiction · Tags: adoption, Charles Santoso, family, foster families, fostering, katherine applegate, Katherine Applegate and Charles Santoso, Marine Life, nature, otters, rehabilitation of wild animals, science, Social Themes ·
Rating:
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My love/hate relationship with surprises and how it lead me to finding a book to recommend

Dear Duck, Please Come! by Sarah MacKenzie

November 7, 2024 by BlackRaven Leave a Comment

I have a “Love/Hate” relationship with surprises. Especially if I expected to read something and something else pops up entirely!  I was going to read Because Barbara: Barbara Cooney Paints Her World  by Sarah Mackenzie and illustrated by Eileen Ryan Ewen, but when I clicked on the button to do so, Dear Duck, Please Come! by Sarah MacKenzie and illustrated by Charles  Santoso came up instead. So, me being me, I took it as a sign to read it. And actually, I’m glad I did. […]

Filed Under: Children's Books, Comedy/Humor, Fantasy, Fiction, Mystery, Poetry Tagged With: Charles Santoso, communication, friendship, misunderstanding, Sarah MacKenzie

BlackRaven's CBR16 Review No:534 · Genres: Children's Books, Comedy/Humor, Fantasy, Fiction, Mystery, Poetry · Tags: Charles Santoso, communication, friendship, misunderstanding, Sarah MacKenzie ·
Rating:
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But who reads to the monsters?

I Will Read to You by Gideon Sterer

July 13, 2023 by BlackRaven Leave a Comment

When the publisher’s review of the book starts off with “A gentle blend of spooky and sweet” you pretty much have said the majority of what you need to know about the book. However, you also could say that in I Will Read to You Gideon Sterer has a young boy who wonders who reads to the monsters of the world. He has his mom to read to him, but who do they have? When the mom says no one, because they are monsters, our […]

Filed Under: Children's Books, Comedy/Humor, Fantasy, Fiction, Poetry Tagged With: Bedtime & Dreams, Books, Charles Santoso, Emotions & Feelings, friendship, Gideon Sterer, halloween, monsters, reading, Social Themes

BlackRaven's CBR15 Review No:508 · Genres: Children's Books, Comedy/Humor, Fantasy, Fiction, Poetry · Tags: Bedtime & Dreams, Books, Charles Santoso, Emotions & Feelings, friendship, Gideon Sterer, halloween, monsters, reading, Social Themes ·
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The value of a good cupcake, art and great friends

Dear Unicorn by Josh Funk

January 13, 2023 by BlackRaven Leave a Comment

CBR15Passport Books recommended by friends  (I was recommend by the author and I have exchanged more than just tweets with him)   The cute companion to Dear Dragon by Josh Funk has arrived! (Or will in September 2023). We will now enjoy pen palling with a young girl and her unicorn pen pal in Dear Unicorn. This is a fun story about a young girl and her pen pal, who do not realize that they might have a lot in common (they like art, sports, […]

Filed Under: Children's Books, Comedy/Humor, Fantasy, Fiction, Poetry Tagged With: art, CBR15Passport, Charles Santoso, friendship, Josh Funk, pen pals, Social Themes, unicorns

BlackRaven's CBR15 Review No:29 · Genres: Children's Books, Comedy/Humor, Fantasy, Fiction, Poetry · Tags: art, CBR15Passport, Charles Santoso, friendship, Josh Funk, pen pals, Social Themes, unicorns ·
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This way to a friendship

This Way, Charlie by Caron Levis

May 20, 2020 by BlackRaven 1 Comment

This way to a sweet story about friendship and how even the least likely pair of friends can help each other when in need. This Way, Charlie is a story of a horse and a goat who both live at a rescue farm. Some animals are able to be released or find new homes, but others stay there. And Jack, a cranky ol’ goat who likes keeping to himself, is one of the forever ones. And when Charlie comes, a horse who seems nice enough […]

Filed Under: Children's Books, Fiction Tagged With: animals, Caron Levis, Charles Santoso, Farm Animals, friendship, goats, horses

BlackRaven's CBR12 Review No:179 · Genres: Children's Books, Fiction · Tags: animals, Caron Levis, Charles Santoso, Farm Animals, friendship, goats, horses ·
Rating:
· 1 Comment

If you’re not following this gal on Twitter do so now!

Dandy by Ame Dyckman

April 4, 2019 by BlackRaven Leave a Comment

The interesting part of the book Dandy is, while it has Ame Dyckman’s signature style all over it, at the same time it does not feel like her other books. That, I think, is due to Charles Santos’s illustrations. They “tame down” her quirkiness. The main part of the story is a “daddy/daughter” story. This modern take on how a little girl makes a dandelion her beloved best friend, will have most people cheering on her imagination.  However, I’m with the original feeling of Daddy […]

Filed Under: Children's Books, Comedy/Humor, Fiction Tagged With: Ame Dyckman, Charles Santoso, Children, daddy/daughter, lions, parents

BlackRaven's CBR11 Review No:110 · Genres: Children's Books, Comedy/Humor, Fiction · Tags: Ame Dyckman, Charles Santoso, Children, daddy/daughter, lions, parents ·
Rating:
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Recent Comments

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