Deborah Hopkinson – Cannonball Read 17

Sailing with a cat, dog, parrot, rat and some humans

Trim Sets Sail by Deborah Hopkinson

Trim Helps Out by Deborah Hopkinson

Trim Saves the Day. by Deborah Hopkinson

Trim Sails the Storm by Deborah Hopkinson

January 12, 2024 by BlackRaven Leave a Comment

#CBR16SweetBooks Binge (four books same series/read back-to-back) Recently I accidentally found myself bingeing a series when I found (in my old) online reading links to copies of Trim Helps Out and Trim Sets Sail by Deborah Hopkinson (the author of way too many wonderful books to name here) and illustrated by Kristy Caldwell (illustrator of some delightful other books such as two I enjoyed, Away with Words: The Daring Story of Isabella Bird and Flowers for Sarajevo). Both of the new found titles are from October 2023, and I read them out of order (as […]

What really happened after the ball

Cinderella and a Mouse Called Fred by Deborah Hopkinson

April 4, 2023 by BlackRaven Leave a Comment

I like fairy tales, and while I do enjoy them classically done, I like them with a fun twist, too. We start out Cinderella and a Mouse Called Fred with the usual Cinderella basics. One grumpy fairy godmother, one pumpkin, some sisters, a stepmother, a royal party. However, there are a few differences such as Fred tells the story (he’s a mouse, if you couldn’t tell by the title) that somewhat befriends Cindy (no sewing of clothing, but there is some pumpkin protecting, squeaks and […]

Reading Can Give you more than an education

Carter Reads the Newspaper: The Story of Carter G. Woodson, Founder of Black History Month by Deborah Hopkinson

February 1, 2022 by BlackRaven Leave a Comment

Carter Reads the Newspaper: The Story of Carter G. Woodson, Founder of Black History Month is a longer picture book, therefore, it might not be the best for an active child. It is filled with an accessible tone to the subject of the life and times of Woodson. The older listener (ages five and up) would be perfect. And even though it is in a picture book format ages seven to nine could use as a reference, but not as the only source. The book […]

Disney said it best: “What makes a Monster and what makes a Man?” (or in this case hero and villain)

Guys Read: Heroes and Villains by Jon Scieszka

February 18, 2019 by BlackRaven Leave a Comment

This series rocks! READ THEM! You need more? (sigh) Okay…… Guys Reads started around 10 years ago with Guys Write for Guys Read: Boys’ Favorite Authors Write About Being Boys. Jon Scieszka, however, is no stranger to getting boys to read. His Time Warp Trio series was his way of writing for the boys in his classroom who did not have anything to read. Flash forward a few years and Scieszka is knows for many picture books and novels, including the Guys Read series. I […]

Ordinary but Extraordinary

May 25, 2018 by BlackRaven Leave a Comment

This is probably not the place to admit, I have never read a novel by Jane Austen. (Though I did read Austenland by Shannon Hale and The Eyre Affair by Jasper Fforde, so I have been introduced to how Ms. Austen has influenced the world of literature). Classics have never been my cup of tea; therefore, I have read very few. However, I do enjoy reading biography of authors. Even if they are in a picture book format. While I am giving Ordinary, Extraordinary Jane […]

This John Snow knows a thing or two

March 30, 2015 by badkittyuno 1 Comment

So I rented this ebook from our library last night, and read the whole thing in one sitting. I didn’t exactly realize that it was aimed at young adult readers — I just saw that it referenced the cholera outbreak on Broad Street in 1854, which I had just read a great book about called The Ghost Map, which focused on Dr. John Snow and his investigation of the Broad Street water pump (the author of The Great Trouble actually mentions at the end of her book […]

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