Cannonball Read 18

Sticking It to Cancer One Book at a Time
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Yes, Virginia there is a Santa Claus, elves, flying reindeer and lots of love

North for the Winter by Bobby Podesta

July 16, 2025 by BlackRaven Leave a Comment

Cbr17bingo N (N is for North and Nobody will believe what our main character does!) North for the Winter by Bobby Podesta is probably one of the best books I’ve read this year. I love the historical aspect (the birth of tracking Santa because of a misprint in an advertisement in 1955) and while maybe it was not the most original with the grief and family connection/friend interaction, the ending was worth that familiarity of grief and the healing process. It is fun and quirky. […]

Filed Under: Children's Books, Comedy/Humor, Fantasy, Fiction, Graphic Novels/Comic Books, Health, History, Young Adult Tagged With: Bobby Podesta, cbr17bingo, celebrations, christmas, Christmas Eve, Continental Air Defense Command Center, family, friendship, grief, Holiday, Reindeer, Social Themes

BlackRaven's CBR17 Review No:331 · Genres: Children's Books, Comedy/Humor, Fantasy, Fiction, Graphic Novels/Comic Books, Health, History, Young Adult · Tags: Bobby Podesta, cbr17bingo, celebrations, christmas, Christmas Eve, Continental Air Defense Command Center, family, friendship, grief, Holiday, Reindeer, Social Themes ·
Rating:
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B is for Bingo and Batcat

Batcat V03 Cooking Contest! by Meggie Ramm.

July 15, 2025 by BlackRaven Leave a Comment

cbr17bingo B (for Batcat) When you find yourself reading a series, there are only two options. The first, only read one and hope that you can live with any open ending or continuation to the story unanswered, or two, be like me with the series Batcat and try and read them all! Volume 3 of Batcat is Batcat V03 Cooking Contest! by Meggie Ramm. This time there is more fun and cuteness from Batcat (who is a nonbinary, part bat and part cat creature) and […]

Filed Under: Children's Books, Comedy/Humor, Cooking/Food, Fiction, Graphic Novels/Comic Books Tagged With: animals, cbr17bingo, celebrations, Contests, friendship, ghosts, halloween, Meggie Ramm, paranormal, Social Themes

BlackRaven's CBR17 Review No:329 · Genres: Children's Books, Comedy/Humor, Cooking/Food, Fiction, Graphic Novels/Comic Books · Tags: animals, cbr17bingo, celebrations, Contests, friendship, ghosts, halloween, Meggie Ramm, paranormal, Social Themes ·
Rating:
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Culture has many forms

The Runaway Pancake by Tiny Fisscher

Sleep Here, Wake There by Caio Zero

July 15, 2025 by BlackRaven Leave a Comment

cbr17bingo Culture (Runaway Pancake) and Work (Sleep Here, Wake There) When you are a reader of the children’s genre you find all types of books. One of my favorites are picture books as they are fun, unique and quick reads. Still, they can have deep messages and/or be quirky and fun.  The Runaway Pancake by Tiny Fisscher and illustrated by Sophie Pluim (currently available but read via an online reader copy) (CULTURE) is a fun and quirky one with a  fun take on the Gingerbread […]

Filed Under: Children's Books, Comedy/Humor, Cooking/Food, Fantasy, Fiction, Mystery, Poetry Tagged With: animals, bedtime, Caio Zero, Caribbean & Latin America alternative family, cbr17bingo, community, culture, Fairy Tales, family, fathers, folklore, friendship, mothers, siblings, Sophie Pluim, Tiny Fisscher, work

BlackRaven's CBR17 Review No:328 · Genres: Children's Books, Comedy/Humor, Cooking/Food, Fantasy, Fiction, Mystery, Poetry · Tags: animals, bedtime, Caio Zero, Caribbean & Latin America alternative family, cbr17bingo, community, culture, Fairy Tales, family, fathers, folklore, friendship, mothers, siblings, Sophie Pluim, Tiny Fisscher, work ·
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To tell the truth, the whole truth

Muhammad Najem, War Reporter: How One Boy Put the Spotlight on Syria by Muhammad Najem

July 14, 2025 by BlackRaven Leave a Comment

cbr17bingo Diaspora (this could be culture, but he upheaval of the Syrian people unfortunately fits.) Sadly, this book, Muhammad Najem, War Reporter: How One Boy Put the Spotlight on Syria, is nonfiction. I say sadly as nobody, let alone children and teenagers should have to go through what he did. Muhammad Najem, Nora Neus and Julie Robine gathered their talents and told the story of Muhammad as he risked not only his life, but the lives of his family, friends and neighbors. He wanted to be […]

Filed Under: Biography/Memoir, Graphic Novels/Comic Books, Health, History, Non-Fiction, Young Adult Tagged With: cbr17bingo, civil war, culture, diaspora, ears, family, friendship, Julie Robine, medical content, Middle East, military, Muhammad Najem, Nora Neus, parents, reporters, Reporting, siblings, Social Themes, Syria, war, War correspondents

BlackRaven's CBR17 Review No:326 · Genres: Biography/Memoir, Graphic Novels/Comic Books, Health, History, Non-Fiction, Young Adult · Tags: cbr17bingo, civil war, culture, diaspora, ears, family, friendship, Julie Robine, medical content, Middle East, military, Muhammad Najem, Nora Neus, parents, reporters, Reporting, siblings, Social Themes, Syria, war, War correspondents ·
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To Tuck or Not to Tuck or how to Survive BeerGate

Paper Doll: Notes from a Late Bloomer by Dylan Mulvaney

July 14, 2025 by BlackRaven Leave a Comment

cbr17bingo TBR  A while back, I texted a friend about a book I was going to read. It was out of my usual read because it was not a graphic novel, it was nonfiction and it was for physically and mentally adults. It was Paper Doll: Notes from a Late Bloomer by Dylan Mulvaney. My friend told me to let her know how it turned out. My first comment was, “Well, it didn’t stink.” And I said that with love. I expected something preachy and […]

Filed Under: Biography/Memoir, Comedy/Humor, Health, History, Non-Fiction Tagged With: cbr17bingo, Dylan Mulvaney, entertainment, family, friendship, Internet personalities, LGBTQ, Performing Arts, Rich & Famous, Sex & Gender, social media, tiktok, transgender, Transgender women, women

BlackRaven's CBR17 Review No:325 · Genres: Biography/Memoir, Comedy/Humor, Health, History, Non-Fiction · Tags: cbr17bingo, Dylan Mulvaney, entertainment, family, friendship, Internet personalities, LGBTQ, Performing Arts, Rich & Famous, Sex & Gender, social media, tiktok, transgender, Transgender women, women ·
Rating:
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Okay… I am reading volume 2…

Grand Slam Romance Volume 1 by Ollie Hicks, Emma Oosterhous

July 14, 2025 by BlackRaven Leave a Comment

cbr17bingo PLAY  Grand Slam Romance Volume 1 by Ollie Hicks, Emma Oosterhous (Illustrator), and Wren Rios (Flatter) Where is this world of only lesbians and queer presenting people? While things are not “harping” on the queer elements, there is no question that the majority of the characters (there is one heteronormal male-presenting character) are queer. Gender also gets time up as they might want to be called a Femme Daddy, or He is a bada$$, but they are all putting the X in StriXe! Yet, […]

Filed Under: Comedy/Humor, Fiction, Graphic Novels/Comic Books, Health, Romance, Sports, Young Adult Tagged With: cbr17bingo, Emma Oosterhous, friendship, LGBTQ, Ollie Hicks, Ollie Hicks, Emma Oosterhous, Social Themes, softball, Wren Rios

BlackRaven's CBR17 Review No:323 · Genres: Comedy/Humor, Fiction, Graphic Novels/Comic Books, Health, Romance, Sports, Young Adult · Tags: cbr17bingo, Emma Oosterhous, friendship, LGBTQ, Ollie Hicks, Ollie Hicks, Emma Oosterhous, Social Themes, softball, Wren Rios ·
Rating:
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