Cannonball Read 18

Sticking It to Cancer One Book at a Time
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Four books for the price of one review (and a lunch break filled with books)

The Peacock Who Howled with Jackals  by Nahid Kazemi

You Can't Tame a Tiger by Stephanie Ellen Sy

RJ and the Ticking Clock by Ian Duncan

Who Needs the Dark?: The Many Ways Living Things Depend on Darkness by Laura Alary

May 7, 2025 by BlackRaven Leave a Comment

The other day I found a few titles I was interested in via an email newsletter. When I looked them up to see if reader copies online were available, they had thumbnails of the images, but not the full  text. I read these introductions, but was hoping to find finished copies sometime in the future (as they are all summer and fall publications). The next day what to my wondering eyes did appear? It was eight tiny reindeer…. I mean, those four titles I had […]

Filed Under: Children's Books, Fiction, Health, History, Non-Fiction, Poetry Tagged With: animals, Asian, celebrations, darkness, earth science, environmental science, Fables, fathers, friendship, Ian Duncan, jackals, Julien Chung, Laura Alary, LGBTQ, lions, Nahid Kazemi, parents, Risa Hugo, school, Scot Ritchie, self-esteem, Social Themes, Stephanie Ellen Sy, Time

BlackRaven's CBR17 Review No:246 · Genres: Children's Books, Fiction, Health, History, Non-Fiction, Poetry · Tags: animals, Asian, celebrations, darkness, earth science, environmental science, Fables, fathers, friendship, Ian Duncan, jackals, Julien Chung, Laura Alary, LGBTQ, lions, Nahid Kazemi, parents, Risa Hugo, school, Scot Ritchie, self-esteem, Social Themes, Stephanie Ellen Sy, Time ·
Rating:
· 0 Comments

Pitch perfect

Love Is in the Bear by Judith Henderson

May 24, 2023 by BlackRaven Leave a Comment

Spring was a few weeks ago, or it will be in next year. But regardless of how you count the seasons, there is a special moment in the day, early when you can smell spring in the air, even in your sleep, like Bear does. And if Bear had slept one second longer, he would have missed the event that is the center of Love Is in the Bear. Okay, so that is a bit poetic, but so is this picture book (due mid-October 2023, […]

Filed Under: Children's Books, Fiction, Poetry, Romance Tagged With: animals, bears, birds, friendship, Judith Henderson, music, Nahid Kazemi, Performing Arts, Social Themes

BlackRaven's CBR15 Review No:379 · Genres: Children's Books, Fiction, Poetry, Romance · Tags: animals, bears, birds, friendship, Judith Henderson, music, Nahid Kazemi, Performing Arts, Social Themes ·
Rating:
· 0 Comments

Daydreams and reality

Shahrzad and the Angry King by Nahid Kazemi

December 20, 2022 by BlackRaven Leave a Comment

Shahrzad and the Angry King is one of those books that I did not know if I liked or not. Now, I am not saying that Nahid Kazemi wrote a bad book, but they did write one of those picture books that has a lot going on and it is not a one time read. Also, I think what I had was only an online sample from Edelweiss, so perhaps some parts were missing. But regardless, there was enough there to really sink my teeth […]

Filed Under: Children's Books, Comedy/Humor, Fantasy, Fiction, Health Tagged With: adaptations, Diversity & Multicultural, Fairy Tales & Folklore, Kings and rulers, Middle East, Nahid Kazemi, storytelling

BlackRaven's CBR14 Review No:613 · Genres: Children's Books, Comedy/Humor, Fantasy, Fiction, Health · Tags: adaptations, Diversity & Multicultural, Fairy Tales & Folklore, Kings and rulers, Middle East, Nahid Kazemi, storytelling ·
Rating:
· 0 Comments

Bitter sweet goodbyes

The Sour Cherry Tree by Naseem Hrab

February 21, 2022 by BlackRaven Leave a Comment

When I first saw The Sour Cherry Tree by Naseem Hrab, I thought it was going to be an Asian folktale. Instead, this lovely story of a granddaughter saying goodbye to a beloved grandfather is a realistic story with Arabic characters. But the great part is, it is relatable no matter your background. Anyone with a grandparent that maybe you did not have a terrible close relationship with but had a very special one will understand how the young girl feels the day she learns […]

Filed Under: Children's Books, Fiction, Health, Poetry Tagged With: Death, family, grandfathers, grandparents, Nahid Kazemi, Naseem Hrab

BlackRaven's CBR14 Review No:69 · Genres: Children's Books, Fiction, Health, Poetry · Tags: Death, family, grandfathers, grandparents, Nahid Kazemi, Naseem Hrab ·
Rating:
· 0 Comments


Recent Comments

  • narfna
    on Sex Cult and Wellness Startup
    I almost added this to my TBR when I saw you were reading it, but I'm glad I waited for...
  • Emmalita
    on “You do not need to be afraid. You do not have to be good…You are the scariest thing in the woods.”
    I think there is more visibility for stories with older and middle aged women. I’m here for it.
  • beereadsbooks
    on “You do not need to be afraid. You do not have to be good…You are the scariest thing in the woods.”
    I'm really enjoying what feels like an increase in good stories about middle aged women. Maybe they just didn't come...
  • Pooja
    on Sex Cult and Wellness Startup
    What a coincidence! I just read this book too, though I think it worked a bit better for me -...
  • Pooja
    on “…the glorious Republic cannot rise unless the monarchy falls and the monarchy cannot fall unless two women bring it down.”
    I had no clue it was coming out! Onto the TBR is goes.
See More Recent Comments »

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