Cannonball Read 17

Sticking It to Cancer One Book at a Time
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Calvin and Hobbes or Jackson and Irwin adventures?

Jackson's Wilder Adventures V02 Dentistry and Dreams, by Sarah Davidson

May 14, 2025 by BlackRaven Leave a Comment

I found a series awhile back that I thought was one of the best I had read. It was Jackson’s Wilder Adventures by Sarah Davidson. It was clever and unique. A young boy, Jackson, and his Calvin and Hobbesesque Hobbes, called Irwin the Thylacine, were the perfect narrators. Davidson mixed time travel in a Dr. Who manner with fun educational facts. Granted, there is no actual Tardis (and/or fill in your favorite doctor), just an old cardboard box, but the adventures were as fun. We […]

Filed Under: Children's Books, Comedy/Humor, Fantasy, Fiction, Graphic Novels/Comic Books, Health, Non-Fiction Tagged With: adventure, animals, earth science, Environment, exploration, friendship, Gulf of Mexico, Japan, nature, Sarah Davidson, Social Themes, travel

BlackRaven's CBR17 Review No:262 · Genres: Children's Books, Comedy/Humor, Fantasy, Fiction, Graphic Novels/Comic Books, Health, Non-Fiction · Tags: adventure, animals, earth science, Environment, exploration, friendship, Gulf of Mexico, Japan, nature, Sarah Davidson, Social Themes, travel ·
Rating:
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A surprising and honest view of a courtesan’s life

A Woman of Pleasure: A Novel by Kiyoko Murata

May 2, 2025 by ElCicco Leave a Comment

This novel was first published in Japan in 2013. The English translation by Juliet Winters Carpenter came out in 2024. A Woman of Pleasure is a novel based on real events that happened in Japan in 1903 when prostitutes organized for their rights. It is a fascinating novel that reveals the personal journey of its main character, Ichi, a 15-year-old girl recently sold into prostitution. But the novel also provides a lot of terribly interesting information about licensed prostitution and its place in Japanese society […]

Filed Under: Fiction Tagged With: A Woman of Pleasure, cbr17, ElCicco, Fiction, Japan, Juliet Winters Carpenter, Kiyoko Murata, sex workers

ElCicco's CBR17 Review No:15 · Genres: Fiction · Tags: A Woman of Pleasure, cbr17, ElCicco, Fiction, Japan, Juliet Winters Carpenter, Kiyoko Murata, sex workers ·
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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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The icon, the myth, the woman

Can You Imagine?: The Art and Life of Yoko Ono by Lisa Tolin

April 30, 2025 by BlackRaven Leave a Comment

The spirit of Ono is captured in lovely words and images in the pages of Can You Imagine?: The Art and Life of Yoko Ono by Lisa Tolin and illustrated by Yas Imamura. Though currently available, I had the opportunity to read it via an online reader copy. And though I might not get a finished copy for myself, I do highly recommend getting a copy for yourself, your child and local library or libraries. This is not just a book about Yoko Ono. It […]

Filed Under: Biography/Memoir, Children's Books, History, Non-Fiction Tagged With: art, artists, Japan, John Lennon, Lisa Tolin, Social Activists, United States, women, Yas Imamura, Yoko Ono

BlackRaven's CBR17 Review No:230 · Genres: Biography/Memoir, Children's Books, History, Non-Fiction · Tags: art, artists, Japan, John Lennon, Lisa Tolin, Social Activists, United States, women, Yas Imamura, Yoko Ono ·
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Author Ponweera has you covered for your reading needs

My Best Friend's Bangles by Thushanthi Ponweera

Crossing the Finish Line by Thushanthi Ponweera

April 29, 2025 by BlackRaven Leave a Comment

After reading I Am Kavi by Thushanthi Ponweera, I decided to look for other books by them. I did not expect a lot as I Am Kavi had a feeling of being a first novel and maybe the start of a promising new author for me. And it was new 2023 and I was lucky enough to be reading it in 2025, therefore, I felt I had a good chance of finding more titles. I found out that in 2024 My Best Friend’s Bangles (illustrated […]

Filed Under: Biography/Memoir, Children's Books, Cooking/Food, Fiction, Health, History, Non-Fiction, Sports Tagged With: 1964, friendship, Japan, jealousy, Maithili Joshi, mothers, Olympic Games, Ranatunge Karunananda, running, Social Themes, Sri Lanka, Thushanthi Ponweera, working mothers

BlackRaven's CBR17 Review No:221 · Genres: Biography/Memoir, Children's Books, Cooking/Food, Fiction, Health, History, Non-Fiction, Sports · Tags: 1964, friendship, Japan, jealousy, Maithili Joshi, mothers, Olympic Games, Ranatunge Karunananda, running, Social Themes, Sri Lanka, Thushanthi Ponweera, working mothers ·
Rating:
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Her heart was American

Tokyo Rose - Zero Hour: A Japanese American Woman's Persecution and Ultimate Redemption After World War II by Andre R. Frattino

April 25, 2025 by BlackRaven Leave a Comment

The only reason that the graphic novel, Tokyo Rose – Zero Hour: A Japanese American Woman’s Persecution and Ultimate Redemption After World War II by Andre R. Frattino, is not a five rating is because of the illustrations. While it is understandable why they are in black and white, they were not my favorite things for multiple reasons. I know that illustrator Kate Kasenow did a lot of work on them. I appreciate the hard work, the time and even the final result to make […]

Filed Under: Biography/Memoir, Graphic Novels/Comic Books, Health, History, Non-Fiction, Young Adult Tagged With: 1940s, Andre R. Frattino, Asian, Asian-American, Ethnic studies, Iva Toguri, Iva Toguri D'Aquino, Janice Chiang, Japan, Kate Kasenow, radio program, Tokyo Rose, United States, Wars & Conflict, women, World War II

BlackRaven's CBR17 Review No:215 · Genres: Biography/Memoir, Graphic Novels/Comic Books, Health, History, Non-Fiction, Young Adult · Tags: 1940s, Andre R. Frattino, Asian, Asian-American, Ethnic studies, Iva Toguri, Iva Toguri D'Aquino, Janice Chiang, Japan, Kate Kasenow, radio program, Tokyo Rose, United States, Wars & Conflict, women, World War II ·
Rating:
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