Cannonball Read 17

Sticking It to Cancer One Book at a Time
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When fear makes you small, friendship makes you tall

Shrinking Violet by Laurel Snyder and LeUyen Pham

November 4, 2025 by BlackRaven Leave a Comment

The book, Shrinking Violet by Laurel Snyder and illustrated by LeUyen Pham is a fun and sweet story dealing with the common themes of fear and bravery. We also have friendship and how that ties into overcoming the fear to be brave. While the themes are not new, the presentation gives things a fresh and clever take. The colors and details are rich, but not “too much” and allow focus on the story. The only real issue I had (since I read this due late […]

Filed Under: Children's Books, Fantasy, Fiction, Health, Poetry Tagged With: bravery, emotions, Fear, Feelings, friendship, Laurel Snyder, Laurel Snyder and LeUyen Pham, LeUyen Pham, Social Themes

BlackRaven's CBR17 Review No:491 · Genres: Children's Books, Fantasy, Fiction, Health, Poetry · Tags: bravery, emotions, Fear, Feelings, friendship, Laurel Snyder, Laurel Snyder and LeUyen Pham, LeUyen Pham, Social Themes ·
Rating:
· 0 Comments

I hit the 7th Cannonball with pun and fun

Deep Thoughts from a Shallow Grave: Epitaphs to Die For by Anthony Martignetti

The Man Who Didn't Like Animals by Deborah Underwood

August 2, 2024 by BlackRaven 3 Comments

I like to read and I enjoy writing reviews. But sometimes a book is not able to produce a long review. There isn’t a lot to say, or if you do, there are more words in your review than the actual book. These below titles fall into that category as well as the category of sometimes you cannot find a theme to link books together in a review other than they don’t allow for longer reviews and they have nothing in common. And that is […]

Filed Under: Children's Books, Comedy/Humor, Fiction, Graphic Novels/Comic Books, Young Adult Tagged With: animals, Anthony Martignetti, dark humor, Deborah Underwood, friendship, language, LeUyen Pham, Neighbors, Nursery Rhymes, Old MacDonald, Puns & Wordplay

BlackRaven's CBR16 Review No:364 · Genres: Children's Books, Comedy/Humor, Fiction, Graphic Novels/Comic Books, Young Adult · Tags: animals, Anthony Martignetti, dark humor, Deborah Underwood, friendship, language, LeUyen Pham, Neighbors, Nursery Rhymes, Old MacDonald, Puns & Wordplay ·
Rating:
· 3 Comments

The rom-com romp

Lunar New Year Love Story by Gene Luen Yang

March 15, 2024 by BlackRaven Leave a Comment

I was hesitant to start Lunar New Year Love Story for a few reasons: I am not a romance reader; I thought the use of Leuyen Pham as the illustrator was an odd choice; and as I like Gene Luen Yang, would I build this book up too much and it would not live up to my hype?  Well, I am still not a romance reader and the arc was not how I run my romance life, but it was fun and heartwarming. (Granted if […]

Filed Under: Comedy/Humor, Cooking/Food, Fiction, Graphic Novels/Comic Books, Health, Romance, Sports, Young Adult Tagged With: #fate, Asian American & Pacific Islander, Dance, dating, family, fathers, friendship, Gene Luen Yang, LeUyen Pham, lion dance, Lunar New Year, mothers, paranormal, Spirits

BlackRaven's CBR16 Review No:102 · Genres: Comedy/Humor, Cooking/Food, Fiction, Graphic Novels/Comic Books, Health, Romance, Sports, Young Adult · Tags: #fate, Asian American & Pacific Islander, Dance, dating, family, fathers, friendship, Gene Luen Yang, LeUyen Pham, lion dance, Lunar New Year, mothers, paranormal, Spirits ·
Rating:
· 0 Comments

Wrapping up my Cannonball, while I’m wrapping up presents

Highest Mountain, Smallest Star by Kate Baker, Ill by Page Tsou

National Geographic's Rocks & Minerals Sticker Activity Book by National Geographic for Kids

Alvin Ho: Allergic to Birthday Parties, Science Projects & Other Man-Made Catastrophes by Lenore Look, Ill by LeUyen Pham

Alvin Ho: Allergic to Camping, Hiking, & Other Natural Disasters by Lenore Look, Ill. by LeUyen Pham

Yum Yum Baby by Rosealee Wren, Ill by Kat Uno

Babies Love Puppies by Scarlett Wing, Ill Jessica Gibson

There's A Dragon in Your Book by Tom Fletcher, Ill by Greg Abbott

There's An Elf in Your Book by Tom Fletcher, Ill by Greg Abbott

Lego Build Christmas Fun by AMEET Publishing

My Best Friend is A Unicorn by Rachael MacLean

Science Comics: Dogs: From Predator to Protector by Andy Hirsch

December 18, 2021 by NTE 5 Comments

Can I help you guys finish up a little bit of your last minute book shopping, if you’re still doing some? Here’s a rundown of the books I wrapped for my niblings today, in case you’re looking for some books for the young people in your life. For my 8-yr-old, fact obsessed, recently graduated to chapter books nephew, we’ve got Highest Mountain, Smallest Star, by Kate Baker, ill by Page Tsou. With its historical scientific illustrations vibe & it’s plethora of facts, I admit it […]

Filed Under: Children's Books, Fiction, Graphic Novels/Comic Books, Non-Fiction Tagged With: Alvin Ho, Ameet Publishing, Andy Hirsch, Babies Love Puppies, Greg Abbott, Highest Mountain, humor, Illustrations, Jessica Gibson, Kat Uno, Kate Baker, Ill by Page Tsou, Lego Build Christmas Fun, Lenore Look, Lenore Look, Ill by LeUyen Pham, LeUyen Pham, My Best Friend is A Unicorn, National Geographic, National Geographic for Kids, Picture Books, Rachael MacLean, Rocks & Minerals, Rosalee Wren, Rosealee Wren, Ill by Kat Uno, Scarlett Wing, Scarlett Wing, Ill Jessica Gibson, Science Comics: Dogs, Smallest Star, There's A Dragon in Your Book, There's An Elf in Your Book, Tom Fletcher, Tom Fletcher, Ill by Greg Abbott

NTE's CBR13 Review No:61 · Genres: Children's Books, Fiction, Graphic Novels/Comic Books, Non-Fiction · Tags: Alvin Ho, Ameet Publishing, Andy Hirsch, Babies Love Puppies, Greg Abbott, Highest Mountain, humor, Illustrations, Jessica Gibson, Kat Uno, Kate Baker, Ill by Page Tsou, Lego Build Christmas Fun, Lenore Look, Lenore Look, Ill by LeUyen Pham, LeUyen Pham, My Best Friend is A Unicorn, National Geographic, National Geographic for Kids, Picture Books, Rachael MacLean, Rocks & Minerals, Rosalee Wren, Rosealee Wren, Ill by Kat Uno, Scarlett Wing, Scarlett Wing, Ill Jessica Gibson, Science Comics: Dogs, Smallest Star, There's A Dragon in Your Book, There's An Elf in Your Book, Tom Fletcher, Tom Fletcher, Ill by Greg Abbott ·
Rating:
· 5 Comments

Friends Forever. Or not.

Friends Forever by Shannon Hale

October 12, 2021 by BlackRaven Leave a Comment

In the third installment of Shannon Hale and LeUyen Pham’s graphic Novel, we have read this story before: Eighth grader coming of age during the late 1980s. No matter the decade, subjects do not change as we still deal with friendships, boys, family, finding your friends, finding confidence, finding the right outfit. Still, the fact that this is based on Hale’s own growing up makes it more special to me (as I’m usually a fan of anything they write and we are of a similar […]

Filed Under: Children's Books, Comedy/Humor, Fiction, Graphic Novels/Comic Books, Religion, Young Adult Tagged With: friendship, LeUyen Pham, Shannon Hale

BlackRaven's CBR13 Review No:324 · Genres: Children's Books, Comedy/Humor, Fiction, Graphic Novels/Comic Books, Religion, Young Adult · Tags: friendship, LeUyen Pham, Shannon Hale ·
Rating:
· 0 Comments

One is silver, the other is gold.

Best Friends by Shannon Hale

August 28, 2019 by BlackRaven Leave a Comment

Best Friends is Shannon Hale and LeUyen Pham’s second relatable for the 10 and up crowd graphic novel.  Adults can see themselves, too (then and now) in this book about being a sixth grader where when you think you have it figured out, everything changes. Again. A fast-paced story takes Shannon and her friends through the trials of growing up. The year is 1985 but it could be anytime. Friendships change, boys are no longer “off limits” for friends, you still only play with the […]

Filed Under: Children's Books, Comedy/Humor, Fiction, Graphic Novels/Comic Books Tagged With: freindship, LeUyen Pham, middle school, Shannon Hale

BlackRaven's CBR11 Review No:342 · Genres: Children's Books, Comedy/Humor, Fiction, Graphic Novels/Comic Books · Tags: freindship, LeUyen Pham, middle school, Shannon Hale ·
Rating:
· 0 Comments
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