Cannonball Read 17

Sticking It to Cancer One Book at a Time
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That Rumpelstiltskin is my name

Rumpelstiltskin by Mac Barnett and Carson Ellis

November 25, 2025 by BlackRaven Leave a Comment

Do you like fairy or folk tales? Do you like pure telling of said fairy tales with a small change? And do you like Rumpelstiltskin? Or at least the story, it is a little hard to like Rumpelstitskin. And if you answered yes to any of the above, you should read Mac Barnett’s version of the story. It is the story we know: king meets a miller, who brags about how awesome his daughter is, the king is greedy and wants the spun gold, the […]

Filed Under: Children's Books, Comedy/Humor, Fantasy, Fiction, History, Mystery, Religion, Suspense Tagged With: adaptations, Carson Ellis, folktales, Germany, legends, Mac Barnett, Mac Barnett and Carson Ellis, Rumpelstiltskin

BlackRaven's CBR17 Review No:525 · Genres: Children's Books, Comedy/Humor, Fantasy, Fiction, History, Mystery, Religion, Suspense · Tags: adaptations, Carson Ellis, folktales, Germany, legends, Mac Barnett, Mac Barnett and Carson Ellis, Rumpelstiltskin ·
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I like cats. And drawings.

The Boy Who Drew Cats: A Japanese Folktale by Lafcadio Hearn

November 25, 2025 by BlackRaven Leave a Comment

There are three main times when I swear. In no particular order, when I am tired and/or mad; when I want to make a point and when something is just so fudging (only I didn’t say fudge) good. And The Boy Who Drew Cats: A Japanese Folktale by Lafcadio Hearn is one of those fudging good books. Amazing story, amazing illustrations, amazing feeling to it, even an amazing back story of the author. Perhaps more for adults (collectors of art books, of Japanese folk tales, […]

Filed Under: Children's Books, Fantasy, Fiction, History, Poetry, Religion Tagged With: Anita Kreituse, art, drawing, family, folk tales, ghosts, Japan, Lafcadio Hearn, legends, mythology

BlackRaven's CBR17 Review No:521 · Genres: Children's Books, Fantasy, Fiction, History, Poetry, Religion · Tags: Anita Kreituse, art, drawing, family, folk tales, ghosts, Japan, Lafcadio Hearn, legends, mythology ·
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Origin story for human civilization

The Children of the Sun: An Inca Legend by Micaela Chirif

November 11, 2025 by BlackRaven Leave a Comment

The Children of the Sun: An Inca Legend is based on the original mythology of the Incan people. Author Micaela Chirif created this book so it is able to be adapted to allow multiple ages to relate to it, but it does lean towards an older reader or listener as its audience. It can be intense in the way it talks about the god-like children (who are fully grown) who wander to find the first home (or make the first city)  for the humans. It […]

Filed Under: Children's Books, Fantasy, Fiction, History, Poetry, Religion Tagged With: adaptations, Caribbean, Fables, folklore, Incan, indigenous, Juan Palomino, Latin American, legends, Micaela Chirif, myths, peru, retellings

Genres: Children's Books, Fantasy, Fiction, History, Poetry, Religion · Tags: adaptations, Caribbean, Fables, folklore, Incan, indigenous, Juan Palomino, Latin American, legends, Micaela Chirif, myths, peru, retellings ·
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I wrote a long review about two books and it’s longer than the books probably…

Sun, Moon, and Star: A Folktale from Korea. by Nancy So Miller

Beatrix and Her Friends by Anne Lambelet

September 29, 2025 by BlackRaven Leave a Comment

Folktales have always been a go-to read for me. I enjoy learning about other cultures and seeing how they have been interpreted. Plus, I enjoy comparing them with other cultures’ stories. One true folktale (it even says so in the title) is  Sun, Moon, and Star: A Folktale from Korea. The other, while not a pure folktale, I consider her stories to be folktale adjacent. It is a biography of Beatrix Potter, aptly named, Beatrix and Friends. Nancy So Miller took an established story of […]

Filed Under: Children's Books, Fiction, History, Non-Fiction, Poetry Tagged With: adaptations, animals, Anne Lambelet, Asian, author, Beatrix Potter, Fables, Fairy Tales, folk lore, Korean, legends, myths, Nancy So Miller, rabbits

BlackRaven's CBR17 Review No:421 · Genres: Children's Books, Fiction, History, Non-Fiction, Poetry · Tags: adaptations, animals, Anne Lambelet, Asian, author, Beatrix Potter, Fables, Fairy Tales, folk lore, Korean, legends, myths, Nancy So Miller, rabbits ·
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Krampus kramps your naughty style

Tonight Is Krampus Night by Kyle Sullivan

September 18, 2025 by BlackRaven Leave a Comment

One thing I try to do every year is to find at least three Christmas books and at least one other winter holiday book. The Christmas books I try to find are a religious one, a more fun one (Santa, or silly reindeer have been in the past) and an Other book (maybe spiritual but it hits the spirit of things). I try to find one Hanukkah and one Winter Solstice, or something that is a holiday and/or just fun. This year I found a […]

Filed Under: Children's Books, Fantasy, Fiction, History, Mystery, Poetry Tagged With: christmas, country & culture, Fables, folktale, Holiday, krampus, Kyle Sullivan, legends, monsters, myths, Social Themes, Zoe Persico

BlackRaven's CBR17 Review No:416 · Genres: Children's Books, Fantasy, Fiction, History, Mystery, Poetry · Tags: christmas, country & culture, Fables, folktale, Holiday, krampus, Kyle Sullivan, legends, monsters, myths, Social Themes, Zoe Persico ·
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Based on a Japanese folktale

The Beckoning Cat by Koko Nishizuka and Rosanne Litzinger

April 30, 2025 by BlackRaven Leave a Comment

The cover of the online version of The Beckoning Cat by Koko Nishizuka and Rosanne Litzinger (illustrator) was what caught my attention. This white cat jumped off the screen and meowed “look at my colors, my odd grin and you know you want to read me.” I debated laying down as I was at work and a talking computer screen was more than I was ready for. But I went to get some air and read it a bit later. I would love to give […]

Filed Under: Children's Books, Cooking/Food, Fiction, History, Poetry Tagged With: animals, Asian, Cats, Fables, Fairy Tales, family, folklore, Japan, Koko Nishizuka, Koko Nishizuka and Rosanne Litzinger, legends, myths, Rosanne Litzinger, Social Themes

BlackRaven's CBR17 Review No:231 · Genres: Children's Books, Cooking/Food, Fiction, History, Poetry · Tags: animals, Asian, Cats, Fables, Fairy Tales, family, folklore, Japan, Koko Nishizuka, Koko Nishizuka and Rosanne Litzinger, legends, myths, Rosanne Litzinger, Social Themes ·
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