Cannonball Read 17

Sticking It to Cancer One Book at a Time
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Helping hands keeping stories alive

The Keeper of Stories by Caroline Kusin Pritchard

November 11, 2025 by BlackRaven Leave a Comment

The story within the pages of The Keeper of Stories by Caroline Kusin Pritchard and illustrator  Selina Alko is fairly simple. It is about the Jewish Theological Seminar library told in poetic language that tells from the start to the devastating fire in 1966. The publisher description says: When a fire breaks out at the Jewish Theological Seminary library, helping hands from across the community rally together to save the books and preserve the stories within the pages. Includes factual backmatter on the Jewish Theological […]

Filed Under: Children's Books, Fiction, History, Non-Fiction, Poetry, Religion Tagged With: Books, Caroline Kusin Pritchard, fires, Judaism, libaries, Selina Alko, United States - 20th Century

BlackRaven's CBR17 Review No:501 · Genres: Children's Books, Fiction, History, Non-Fiction, Poetry, Religion · Tags: Books, Caroline Kusin Pritchard, fires, Judaism, libaries, Selina Alko, United States - 20th Century ·
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Two pieces of history around the world

A Place Called Galveston by Andrea Shapiro

Claudia Said Sí!: The Story of Mexico's First Woman President by Deborah Bodin Cohen, Kerry Olitzky and Carlos Vélez Aguilera

July 31, 2025 by BlackRaven Leave a Comment

Recently I mentioned to a friend of mine that there are a lot of political titles happening, even in the children’s genres. And most are slanted seriously and obviously in one direction or the other. Therefore, when I find something that is not political, but could fit current events I try to pay attention.  Two of those books are A Place Called Galveston by Andrea Shapiro and illustrator Valerya Milovanova, as well as Claudia Said Sí!: The Story of Mexico’s First Woman President by Deborah […]

Filed Under: Biography/Memoir, Children's Books, Health, History, Non-Fiction Tagged With: activism, Andrea Shapiro, butterflies, Carlos Vélez Aguilera, Claudia Sheinbaum, Deborah Bodin Cohen, Deborah Bodin Cohen, Kerry Olitzky and Carlos Vélez Aguilera, Emigration, History 20th Century, Immigration, Judaism, Kerry Olitzky, mexico, politics, refugees, Russian, Social Themes, Texas, Transportation, Valerya Milovanova, women history, Women presidents, Women scientists

BlackRaven's CBR17 Review No:349 · Genres: Biography/Memoir, Children's Books, Health, History, Non-Fiction · Tags: activism, Andrea Shapiro, butterflies, Carlos Vélez Aguilera, Claudia Sheinbaum, Deborah Bodin Cohen, Deborah Bodin Cohen, Kerry Olitzky and Carlos Vélez Aguilera, Emigration, History 20th Century, Immigration, Judaism, Kerry Olitzky, mexico, politics, refugees, Russian, Social Themes, Texas, Transportation, Valerya Milovanova, women history, Women presidents, Women scientists ·
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Don’t pass on these Passover books

An Invitation to Passover by Rabbi Kerry Olitzky, Rabbi Deborah Bodin Cohen and Mariia Kolker

Why On This Night? : A Passover Haggadah for Family Celebration by Rahel Musleah and Louise August

January 28, 2025 by BlackRaven Leave a Comment

Both of the Passover books in this review are from February 2024, however, I still had online reader copies of both. The first, An Invitation to Passover by Rabbi Kerry Olitzky, Rabbi Deborah Bodin Cohen and illustrated by Mariia Kolker was read in full, while the second, Why On This Night? : A Passover Haggadah for Family Celebration by Rahel Musleah, and Louise August was skimmed. With that said, both seem to be really good Passover stories. Olitzky’s story is a younger introduction to the […]

Filed Under: Children's Books, Cooking/Food, Fiction, History, Non-Fiction, Poetry, Religion Tagged With: celebrations, holidays, Judaism, Louise August, Mariia Kolker, Passover, Rabbi Deborah Bodin Cohen, Rabbi Kerry Olitzky, Rabbi Kerry Olitzky, Rabbi Deborah Bodin Cohen and Mariia Kolker, Rachel Musleah, Rahel Musleah and Louise August

BlackRaven's CBR17 Review No:62 · Genres: Children's Books, Cooking/Food, Fiction, History, Non-Fiction, Poetry, Religion · Tags: celebrations, holidays, Judaism, Louise August, Mariia Kolker, Passover, Rabbi Deborah Bodin Cohen, Rabbi Kerry Olitzky, Rabbi Kerry Olitzky, Rabbi Deborah Bodin Cohen and Mariia Kolker, Rachel Musleah, Rahel Musleah and Louise August ·
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During World War Two, in the concentration camp Terezin, something grew

The Tree of Life: How a Holocaust Sapling Inspired the World by Elisa Boxer

January 7, 2025 by BlackRaven Leave a Comment

The Tree of Life: How a Holocaust Sapling Inspired the World by Elisa Boxer and illustrated by Alianna Rozentsveig was not what I expected. I think I assumed it would be a lot darker than it was, but oddly enough, it is a hopeful introduction to the subject and one that does offset the darkness of the situation and times.  Perhaps things are a bit more poetic than the actual events were (a teacher in Terezin risks her life to ask another prisoner (also risking […]

Filed Under: Biography/Memoir, Children's Books, Graphic Novels/Comic Books, Health, History, Non-Fiction, Religion Tagged With: 1939-1945, Alianna Rozentsveig, Elisa Boxer, Holocaust, Judaism, Terezin, World War, World War II

BlackRaven's CBR17 Review No:8 · Genres: Biography/Memoir, Children's Books, Graphic Novels/Comic Books, Health, History, Non-Fiction, Religion · Tags: 1939-1945, Alianna Rozentsveig, Elisa Boxer, Holocaust, Judaism, Terezin, World War, World War II ·
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The other parts of faith

On a Chariot of Fire: The Story of India’s Bene Israel by Erica Lyons

October 11, 2024 by BlackRaven Leave a Comment

Due to recent world events, I have tried to find books that show another side to the people involved in these conflicts. In my search I have found several books, including an Ukrainian folktale, such as a counting book from Palestine and books on Judaism or the people. And one of those that I recently found was, On a Chariot of Fire: The Story of India’s Bene Israel by Erica Lyons, (currently available, read via an online reader). I cannot say a lot about the […]

Filed Under: Children's Books, Cooking/Food, Fiction, Health, History, Religion Tagged With: celebrations, diversity, Elijah, Erica Lyons, faith, Hanukah, India, Judaism, Siona Benjamin

BlackRaven's CBR16 Review No:483 · Genres: Children's Books, Cooking/Food, Fiction, Health, History, Religion · Tags: celebrations, diversity, Elijah, Erica Lyons, faith, Hanukah, India, Judaism, Siona Benjamin ·
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Old Sins Cast Long Shadows

Shadows of Berlin by David R. Gillham

April 5, 2024 by Pooja Leave a Comment

A decade after World War 2, Rachel Perlman may have moved to New York City and gotten married, but she is still haunted by her experiences as a Jewish girl hiding in plain sight in Berlin and the death of her mother. Despite what the blurb led me to expect, this book is not a World War 2 novel – at least, not exactly. Though Rachel’s experiences in Berlin hang over the entirety of the story, we spend most our time with her grappling with […]

Filed Under: Fiction Tagged With: ARC, art, David R. Gillham, historical fiction, Judaism, Marriage, Mental Health, NetGalley, New York City, World War 2

Genres: Fiction · Tags: ARC, art, David R. Gillham, historical fiction, Judaism, Marriage, Mental Health, NetGalley, New York City, World War 2 ·
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