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!   

This is the party that never ends, it goes on and on my friends…. (but it has gorgeous illustrations)

King Winter's Birthday by Jonathan Freedland and Emily Sutton

September 3, 2026 by BlackRaven Leave a Comment

Though I did not cry reading King Winter’s Birthday by Jonathan Freedland and Emily Sutton (illustrator), I did get emotional.  It is a bittersweet story of loss and in the end, hope. The illustrations are lovely and though I do give it a five rating, there were a few odd flows to the text in a few places, otherwise it was perfect.  The story is about how a brother (King Winter) wants to spend the special occasion of his birthday with his siblings, King Summer, […]

Filed Under: Children's Books, Fantasy, Fiction, Poetry Tagged With: Concepts, Emily Sutton, Fables, Fairy Tales, family, Jonathan Freedland, Jonathan Freedland and Emily Sutton, legends, myths, seasons

BlackRaven's CBR18 Review No:269 · Genres: Children's Books, Fantasy, Fiction, Poetry · Tags: Concepts, Emily Sutton, Fables, Fairy Tales, family, Jonathan Freedland, Jonathan Freedland and Emily Sutton, legends, myths, seasons ·
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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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When you’re near this hole in the ground, you’re in deep doo-doo

The Deep Well by Laura Creedle

February 26, 2026 by BlackRaven Leave a Comment

The Deep Well by Laura Creedle Is it real or imaginary or something else? There were a few plot holes for me, but overall it was a nice read. Well, not nice but cozy … okay not cozy, I mean… Okay, just read it and you’ll know what I mean. Triggers include, but are not limited to: death, violence, cults, bullying, assault, gun violence, stalking, suggested assault of a minor. April, the main character of Creedle’s story, is almost 17. She is waiting for her […]

Filed Under: Fantasy, Fiction, Health, History, Horror, Mystery, Romance, Young Adult Tagged With: cults, family, fathers, friendship, Laura Creedle, monsters, mothers, myths, siblings, Social Themes, thriller

BlackRaven's CBR18 Review No:69 · Genres: Fantasy, Fiction, Health, History, Horror, Mystery, Romance, Young Adult · Tags: cults, family, fathers, friendship, Laura Creedle, monsters, mothers, myths, siblings, Social Themes, thriller ·
Rating:
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Origin story for human civilization

The Children of the Sun: An Inca Legend by Micaela Chirif

November 11, 2025 by BlackRaven Leave a Comment

The Children of the Sun: An Inca Legend is based on the original mythology of the Incan people. Author Micaela Chirif created this book so it is able to be adapted to allow multiple ages to relate to it, but it does lean towards an older reader or listener as its audience. It can be intense in the way it talks about the god-like children (who are fully grown) who wander to find the first home (or make the first city)  for the humans. It […]

Filed Under: Children's Books, Fantasy, Fiction, History, Poetry, Religion Tagged With: adaptations, Caribbean, Fables, folklore, Incan, indigenous, Juan Palomino, Latin American, legends, Micaela Chirif, myths, peru, retellings

Genres: Children's Books, Fantasy, Fiction, History, Poetry, Religion · Tags: adaptations, Caribbean, Fables, folklore, Incan, indigenous, Juan Palomino, Latin American, legends, Micaela Chirif, myths, peru, retellings ·
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I wrote a long review about two books and it’s longer than the books probably…

Sun, Moon, and Star: A Folktale from Korea. by Nancy So Miller

Beatrix and Her Friends by Anne Lambelet

September 29, 2025 by BlackRaven Leave a Comment

Folktales have always been a go-to read for me. I enjoy learning about other cultures and seeing how they have been interpreted. Plus, I enjoy comparing them with other cultures’ stories. One true folktale (it even says so in the title) is  Sun, Moon, and Star: A Folktale from Korea. The other, while not a pure folktale, I consider her stories to be folktale adjacent. It is a biography of Beatrix Potter, aptly named, Beatrix and Friends. Nancy So Miller took an established story of […]

Filed Under: Children's Books, Fiction, History, Non-Fiction, Poetry Tagged With: adaptations, animals, Anne Lambelet, Asian, author, Beatrix Potter, Fables, Fairy Tales, folk lore, Korean, legends, myths, Nancy So Miller, rabbits

BlackRaven's CBR17 Review No:421 · Genres: Children's Books, Fiction, History, Non-Fiction, Poetry · Tags: adaptations, animals, Anne Lambelet, Asian, author, Beatrix Potter, Fables, Fairy Tales, folk lore, Korean, legends, myths, Nancy So Miller, rabbits ·
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Krampus kramps your naughty style

Tonight Is Krampus Night by Kyle Sullivan

September 18, 2025 by BlackRaven Leave a Comment

One thing I try to do every year is to find at least three Christmas books and at least one other winter holiday book. The Christmas books I try to find are a religious one, a more fun one (Santa, or silly reindeer have been in the past) and an Other book (maybe spiritual but it hits the spirit of things). I try to find one Hanukkah and one Winter Solstice, or something that is a holiday and/or just fun. This year I found a […]

Filed Under: Children's Books, Fantasy, Fiction, History, Mystery, Poetry Tagged With: christmas, country & culture, Fables, folktale, Holiday, krampus, Kyle Sullivan, legends, monsters, myths, Social Themes, Zoe Persico

BlackRaven's CBR17 Review No:416 · Genres: Children's Books, Fantasy, Fiction, History, Mystery, Poetry · Tags: christmas, country & culture, Fables, folktale, Holiday, krampus, Kyle Sullivan, legends, monsters, myths, Social Themes, Zoe Persico ·
Rating:
· 0 Comments
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