Matthew Cordell – Cannonball Read 17

Making the leap to being brave

Evergreen by Matthew Cordell

February 20, 2023 by BlackRaven 2 Comments

There is a book called Evergreen that has this classic looking old school squirrel on the cover. I am thinking Arnold Lobel has come back to do one more work for us! As my childhood book Miss Suzy by Miriam Young, flashes before my eyes. But then I realize it is a book by Matthew Cordell (who is also terribly cool). It is a book that just came out early February 2023. This story is about a squirrel called Evergreen (which honestly, is a cool […]

Hello, Neighbor!

Hello, Neighbor! The Kind and Caring Words of Mister Rogers by Matthew Cordell

May 8, 2020 by BlackRaven Leave a Comment

Hello, Neighbor! It is a lovely day in the neighborhood. Or it was when Fred Rogers came on the scene. I think we could use some of Mr. R’s advice these days, but in leu of that, we can read a picture book biography of how it came to be. Hello, Neighbor! The Kind and Caring Words of Mister Rogers is a great look into the world of Rogers. It is a longer picture book that hits on the highlights but leaves nothing out. It […]

Read the illustrations

Stormy: A Story about Finding a Forever Home by Guojing

Explorers by Matthew Cordell

December 6, 2019 by BlackRaven Leave a Comment

Wordless picture books are an odd genre. After all, what did the author mean to say with his/her story? Do they want you to make up their own story? But there always is a publisher description about the book. Did the author tell them that? Therefore, I tend to ignore any story and see how the illustrations come out. And in Stormy: A Story about Finding a Forever Home you have a basic story line that pretty much everyone can agree on as well as […]

When you are comfy and ready for a good read….

November 23, 2018 by BlackRaven Leave a Comment

When you are comfy and ready for a good read you want the book to pop! I was looking at Gator, Gator, Gator! by Daniel Berstrom and was expecting a lot of pop! There was fun rhyming, but not obviously in your face rhyming. There was a diverse narrator. There was the lovely illustrations of Frann Preston-Gannon which were bright, colorful, cool and soft all at once. You were in the bayou looking for that Gator and seeing the wonders of the swamp. Your heart […]

King Alice Rules Her Snow Day

June 29, 2018 by BlackRaven Leave a Comment

I think the only book I have liked Matthew Cordell’s illustrations in is Like Pickle Juice on a Cookie by Julie Sternberg. His “scattered” style are lacking for me. There is the right amount of color and detail to compliment the story, yet, I am not “there” with him. This book is in his style from illustrations to text and I, sadly, find nothing in it I like. The characters are lacking something for me. The story is flat. It is too busy overall. […]

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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