Cannonball Read 18

Sticking It to Cancer One Book at a Time
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Join the CBR18 Book Bingo Reading Challenge—Now Underway!   

A lesser-known story by Goodnight Moon author

The Dark Wood of the Golden Birds by Margaret Wise Brown and Ofra Amit

September 2, 2026 by BlackRaven Leave a Comment

In 1948, a year after she rewilded the landscape of literature with Goodnight Moon, Margaret Wise Brown watched the love of her life fade to black. Michael Strange, born Blanche Oelrichs, had cast an instant spell on Margaret–outspoken, sophisticated, and self-possessed . . . Both women were born in the wrong century, bent on bending it to their will; both were accidental radicals, just by living unselfconsciously . . . Margaret loved Michael with unassailable devotion, and Michael was dying. So she did the hardest […]

Filed Under: Children's Books, Fiction, Graphic Novels/Comic Books, Health, Mystery, Poetry Tagged With: animals, Bereavement, birds, classics, Death, folklore, grief, legends, Margaret Wise Brown, Margaret Wise Brown and Ofra Amit, Maria Popova, Mental Health, myths, Ofra Amit, Social Themes

BlackRaven's CBR18 Review No:257 · Genres: Children's Books, Fiction, Graphic Novels/Comic Books, Health, Mystery, Poetry · Tags: animals, Bereavement, birds, classics, Death, folklore, grief, legends, Margaret Wise Brown, Margaret Wise Brown and Ofra Amit, Maria Popova, Mental Health, myths, Ofra Amit, Social Themes ·
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And I for one welcome our new feathered overlords

The Story of Birds by Steve Brusatte

July 12, 2026 by Ellesfena 2 Comments

Like a lot of other elder millennials, I got very into birdwatching during the pandemic lockdowns, but I’ve always been interested in birds. I remember the first time I saw a bird and wanted to know more–a scarlet tanager at a nature center when I was a kid. In a time before cell phones, I couldn’t just look up what I’d seen. I had to describe it and my parents helped me find it in our Audubon’s Birds of North America guide. After that I […]

Filed Under: Non-Fiction Tagged With: birds, dinosaurs, evolution, science, Steve Brusatte, the story of birds

Ellesfena's CBR18 Review No:12 · Genres: Non-Fiction · Tags: birds, dinosaurs, evolution, science, Steve Brusatte, the story of birds ·
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The best surprise I’ve had so far this year

Fastest Things on Wings by Terry Masear

May 29, 2026 by KimMiE" 2 Comments

In spite of being a fervent animal lover, I rarely read animal-centric memoirs, and I’m especially avoidant of ones with “rescue” on the front cover. I find these books are generally either too depressing, too saccharine, or they are written by dedicated, well-meaning individuals with questionable writing talent. So when my husband brought Fastest Things on Wings home from one of his Little Free Library jaunts, I eyed it with suspicion. He read it first and assured me there were just a couple of heartbreaking […]

Filed Under: Non-Fiction Tagged With: Animal rescue, birds, cbr18, KimMiE", Terry Masear

KimMiE"'s CBR18 Review No:13 · Genres: Non-Fiction · Tags: Animal rescue, birds, cbr18, KimMiE", Terry Masear ·
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· 2 Comments

This is really neat to learn about!

Pufflings Fly Free!: A Rescue Tale from Iceland by Colleen Paeff and by Linda Ólafsdóttir

May 21, 2026 by BlackRaven Leave a Comment

Recently (via email) I met someone who actually goes out and helps wood frogs and salamanders at night cross the road. I had heard about this, but never knew someone who actually did it. This person recommended their book Is It Time, Yet? (by Lynn Levine and Dirk Steinhoefel). I will be finding a copy of it soon. But in the meantime, I found Pufflings Fly Free!: A Rescue Tale from Iceland by Colleen Paeff and illustrated by  Linda Ólafsdóttir. This book is basically the […]

Filed Under: Children's Books, Fiction, Health, History, Non-Fiction Tagged With: birds, Colleen Paeff, Colleen Paeff and by Linda Ólafsdóttir, Environment, family, Iceland, Linda Ólafsdóttir, nature, Puffins, science, self-esteem, Social Themes

BlackRaven's CBR18 Review No:147 · Genres: Children's Books, Fiction, Health, History, Non-Fiction · Tags: birds, Colleen Paeff, Colleen Paeff and by Linda Ólafsdóttir, Environment, family, Iceland, Linda Ólafsdóttir, nature, Puffins, science, self-esteem, Social Themes ·
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Don’t read and eat

Vulture View by April Pulley Sayre and Steve Jenkins

May 6, 2026 by BlackRaven Leave a Comment

Do not read Vulture View by April Pulley Sayre and illustrator Steve Jenkins while eating lunch. Even if it is a nice, tame dish of shepherd’s pie (just hamburger, corn and lots of mashed potatoes). While there is nothing grotesque about the images of Jenkins, it was shall we say the idea of their dining choices that made me feel less than hungry. But that’s not to say I was not enjoying the book. Once I separated the two acts, I found things very lovely. […]

Filed Under: Children's Books, Non-Fiction, Poetry Tagged With: animals, April Pulley Sayre, April Pulley Sayre and Steve Jenkins, birds, nature, science, Steve Jenkins, vultures, zoology

BlackRaven's CBR18 Review No:123 · Genres: Children's Books, Non-Fiction, Poetry · Tags: animals, April Pulley Sayre, April Pulley Sayre and Steve Jenkins, birds, nature, science, Steve Jenkins, vultures, zoology ·
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The man, the myth, the nonsense

The Boy Who Became a Parrot: A Foolish Biography of Edward Lear Who Invented Nonsense by Wolverton Hill and Laura Carlin

May 6, 2026 by BlackRaven Leave a Comment

I kept seeing the title The Boy Who Became a Parrot: A Foolish Biography of Edward Lear Who Invented Nonsense by Wolverton Hill and illustrator Laura Carlin on multiple promotions, lists and emails. I was starting to think I did not want to read it as I have a thing about not reading something that is too popular. This is because I figure, a popular book will sell, be given love. The not so popular book needs someone to find it, to give it the […]

Filed Under: Biography/Memoir, Children's Books, Comedy/Humor, History, Non-Fiction, Poetry Tagged With: animals, birds, Concepts, Edward Lear, English, Laura Carlin, Nonsense verses, poets, Wolverton Hill, Wolverton Hill and Laura Carlin

BlackRaven's CBR18 Review No:117 · Genres: Biography/Memoir, Children's Books, Comedy/Humor, History, Non-Fiction, Poetry · Tags: animals, birds, Concepts, Edward Lear, English, Laura Carlin, Nonsense verses, poets, Wolverton Hill, Wolverton Hill and Laura Carlin ·
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