Cannonball Read 17

Sticking It to Cancer One Book at a Time
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One December night

The Birds of Christmas by Olivia Armstrong

August 20, 2025 by BlackRaven Leave a Comment

The Birds of Christmas by Olivia Armstrong and illustrated by Mira Miroslavova is a delightful spiritual story with a folktale approach. The colors and images are rich and move the story along. We follow the birds during the birth of the Christ child and the gifts they give to him. Yet, even though it Christian based (the birth of Christ) it is less religious and more wanting to give the spirit of the season. I loved how Miroslavova’s illustrations are rich, pretty and show how […]

Filed Under: Children's Books, Fantasy, Fiction, Poetry, Religion Tagged With: advent, animals, birds, celebrations, christian, christmas, holidays, Mira Miroslavova, Olivia Armstrong

BlackRaven's CBR17 Review No:365 · Genres: Children's Books, Fantasy, Fiction, Poetry, Religion · Tags: advent, animals, birds, celebrations, christian, christmas, holidays, Mira Miroslavova, Olivia Armstrong ·
Rating:
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Yes, Virginia there is a Santa Claus, elves, flying reindeer and lots of love

North for the Winter by Bobby Podesta

July 16, 2025 by BlackRaven Leave a Comment

Cbr17bingo N (N is for North and Nobody will believe what our main character does!) North for the Winter by Bobby Podesta is probably one of the best books I’ve read this year. I love the historical aspect (the birth of tracking Santa because of a misprint in an advertisement in 1955) and while maybe it was not the most original with the grief and family connection/friend interaction, the ending was worth that familiarity of grief and the healing process. It is fun and quirky. […]

Filed Under: Children's Books, Comedy/Humor, Fantasy, Fiction, Graphic Novels/Comic Books, Health, History, Young Adult Tagged With: Bobby Podesta, cbr17bingo, celebrations, christmas, Christmas Eve, Continental Air Defense Command Center, family, friendship, grief, Holiday, Reindeer, Social Themes

BlackRaven's CBR17 Review No:331 · Genres: Children's Books, Comedy/Humor, Fantasy, Fiction, Graphic Novels/Comic Books, Health, History, Young Adult · Tags: Bobby Podesta, cbr17bingo, celebrations, christmas, Christmas Eve, Continental Air Defense Command Center, family, friendship, grief, Holiday, Reindeer, Social Themes ·
Rating:
· 0 Comments

Reindeer Games

How to Slay at Christmas by Sarah Bonner

July 4, 2025 by Zirza Leave a Comment

Jessica loves Christmas. She makes her living during the year playing poker tournaments, but around late October she travels the country looking for a job as Mrs Claus at Christmas markets. It’s her favourite thing in the world; making children happy and thusly making their parents happy. The lights, the glitter, the sparkle. And after work, she kills people who deserve it.  This isn’t my usual fare, but I decided to give it a go because it’s freaking hot outside and I was in the […]

Filed Under: Fiction, Horror, Romance Tagged With: christmas, Cozy crime, Sarah Bonner

Zirza's CBR17 Review No:35 · Genres: Fiction, Horror, Romance · Tags: christmas, Cozy crime, Sarah Bonner ·
Rating:
· 0 Comments

Twas the Night

The Night Before Christmas by by Clement Moore, illustrated by Gyo Fujikawa

May 10, 2025 by bjornsnipe 1 Comment

What can one say about The Night Before Christmas? We all (or most of us), know the story about Saint Nick’s visit to a house on Christmas Eve, and the narrator’s observations of the visit. The Muppets even did a rendition of it (the fact that A Muppet Family Christmas is pretty much only available on Youtube is still a largest travesty standing in the way of my Holiday Movie enjoyment). This one stands out though because of the art. This was one of my […]

Filed Under: Children's Books Tagged With: by Clement Moore, illustrated by Gyo Fujikawa, christmas, great artwork

bjornsnipe's CBR17 Review No:50 · Genres: Children's Books · Tags: by Clement Moore, illustrated by Gyo Fujikawa, christmas, great artwork ·
Rating:
· 1 Comment

To laugh at

How to Make a Lion Laugh (How to Make Them Laugh) by Chris Cate

Ho-Ho-Ho-Larious Christmas Jokes (How to Make Them Laugh) by Chris Cate

January 28, 2025 by BlackRaven Leave a Comment

A while back I wrote a review for a couple of Chris Cate’s kids joke books. The following two are both due in September of 2025, one ready for the Christmas holidays and the other for the child in your life who likes jokes. How to Make a Lion Laugh (How to Make Them Laugh) and Ho-Ho-Ho-Larious Christmas Jokes (How to Make Them Laugh) are two new joke books I read via an online reader copy. They are not the “WOW these are the best […]

Filed Under: Children's Books, Comedy/Humor, Fiction, Non-Fiction, Poetry Tagged With: animals, Chris Cate, christmas, holidays, joke book, jokes, Santa

BlackRaven's CBR17 Review No:55 · Genres: Children's Books, Comedy/Humor, Fiction, Non-Fiction, Poetry · Tags: animals, Chris Cate, christmas, holidays, joke book, jokes, Santa ·
Rating:
· 0 Comments

Ghosts and Halloween are nothing to fear, but what about another holiday cheer?

The Little Ghost Who Was a Quilt by Riel Nason and Byron Eggenschwiler

The Little Ghost Quilt's Winter Surprise by Riel Nason and Byron Eggenschwiler

January 8, 2025 by BlackRaven Leave a Comment

In 2020 The Little Ghost Who Was a Quilt was published. And according to its publisher description, it became an instant Halloween classic. In July 2025 a new gift edition will be published. I am not sure how this differs from the original as I read this as an online reader copy. But regardless of the extras it might have, it will still be the same sweet book about being yourself and the adventures you will have because of it.  The story is sweet and […]

Filed Under: Children's Books, Comedy/Humor, Fantasy, Fiction, Mystery, Poetry Tagged With: Byron Eggenschwiler, christmas, friendship, Ghost Stories, halloween, holidays, Riel Nason, Riel Nason and Byron Eggenschwiler, Social Themes

BlackRaven's CBR17 Review No:14 · Genres: Children's Books, Comedy/Humor, Fantasy, Fiction, Mystery, Poetry · Tags: Byron Eggenschwiler, christmas, friendship, Ghost Stories, halloween, holidays, Riel Nason, Riel Nason and Byron Eggenschwiler, Social Themes ·
Rating:
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Recent Comments

  • Zirza on A Gothic Classic for a ReasonIt's one of those wish-you-could-read-it-again-for-the-first-time books. I loved it.
  • Emmalita on “It came to something when you found yourself hoping that the footsteps you heard were ghosts.”I loved the ending! I don’t think it’s been out long enough to talk about why though.
  • Dixie on Track Her Down by Melinda LeighI am just starting Track Her Down and I have read them all in order till now and thought I...
  • Roland of Gilead on How can you give us the gift of a crazy character named Rando Thoughtful and then just as suddenly take that gift away? We need to talk, Uncle Stevie.I came across this randomly years after it was written because I was searching "Random Thoughtful. But I have the...
  • Emmalita on “Only you, Em, would refer to heartbreak as a distraction. I think I would have a more sympathetic response if I asked to marry a bookcase.”Oh my goodness, Gallifrey was beautiful. I’m sure her mittens were gloriously murdery.
See More Recent Comments »

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