Kate Messner – Cannonball Read 17

People Who Made a Difference” Or “People Who Tried”

Joey: The Story of Joe Biden by Jill Biden and Kathleen Krull

Dr. Fauci: How a Boy from Brooklyn Because America's Doctor by Kate Messner

King Of Ragtime: The Story of Scott Joplin by Stephen Costanza

November 29, 2023 by BlackRaven Leave a Comment

I do not care what you think about Joe Biden, Dr. Anthony Fauci, or Scott Joplin (he fits my theme, if not a smidgen loosely, which is “People Who Made a Difference” Or “People Who Tried”), but these books are really cool. Okay, not “cool” as in The Fonz was cool or a snowman is cool, but in the way that a good book can be cool. Each of the below titles (though all are available, I read via online reader copies) talks about how […]

It’s hairy, it’s scary, it has toe beans!

The Scariest Kitten in the World by Kate Messner

July 6, 2023 by BlackRaven Leave a Comment

The Scariest Kitten in the World is a hilarious picture book by Terrifying Kitten (and help from Kate Messner) and illustrated by MacKenzie Haley in the vein of Sesame Street’s The Monster at the End of This Book. The theme is we have a not-so-scary kitten and a not-too-terrifying haunted house that is explored by a few (unseen) kids/possible narrator. The narrator takes us slowly down a spooky corridor, to a spooky sound where we find the spooky… okay adorable little monster stands … okay […]

So Practically Perfect it is Perfect

Once Upon a Book by Kate Messner and Grace Lin

July 26, 2022 by BlackRaven Leave a Comment

cbr14bingo New Level 2 (coming in February 2023) The only thing that could make this book (Once Upon a Book) cooler is if Tomie de Paola was somehow involved. But since, sadly, he is no longer with us, this cannot not humanly be any better. Because Grace Lin and Kate Messner are perfection as it is solo, therefore, together they are out of this world awesome! This is a sweet book about imagination and some far out fantastic illustrations. The colors pop off the page, […]

Good for the right audience

All the Answers by Kate Messner

June 1, 2022 by Bibliophile Leave a Comment

“Life isn’t about knowing all the answers. The best we can do is to make peace with our questions, learn who we are, know our strengths, and do the best we can with the gifts we’ve been given while we’re here.” What if you had a magic pencil? What if it had all the answers? Ava Anderson picks up a pencil from the kitchen junk drawer. But, she soon discovered that this is no ordinary pencil. Whatever (factual) question is written by that pencil will […]

Get your red hot and garlic and BBQ and oh so much more crickets here

Chirp by Kate Messner

November 18, 2019 by BlackRaven Leave a Comment

Chirp is an age appropriate (10-14) book dealing with some heavy subjects. But overall, they are presented respectfully and are accessible to all readers. There were a few bumps in the plot for me, but I felt it was a decent story and for certain the style that you have come to expect from the author. Kate Messner writes about Mia, a young girl moving back to Vermont after several years living in Boston. Her parents and she have come back to help her grandmother […]

Stick Your Head in the Sand

June 19, 2018 by BlackRaven Leave a Comment

I was drawn to The Brilliant Deep: Rebuilding the World’s Coral Reefs: The Story of Ken Nedimyer and the Coral Restoration Foundation because of the illustrations. Yes, do not judge a book by its cover, but also yes, it can grab a reader’s attention to see if they want to “check it out” and I did. I did not pay attention to the author while reading. Sometimes that can take away from a picture book for me. However, I was not really surprised to […]

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.

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