So here are the third-day links:

• Callista, at SMS Reviews, has a wonderful interview with the photographer—we children’s book people have gotta love a man (not in children’s publishing) who admits to reading a loving Harry Potter, eh?
• Noel’s brother wrote a super review over at Never Jam Today. It was great to see the book through the eyes of a kid.
• At Whispers of Dawn I pulled a lecture on writing out of something the photographer said on his site about the creative process in the darkroom. I’m great at taking the smallest thing and turning it into a big loooonnnnnggggg lecture. Just ask my kids.
• Julie, at My Own Little Corner of the World, gives us a look at the author’s other books. I had no idea there were so many.
• And, finally, from The Hungry Readers, we have a lovely interview with Nancy Bo Flood.

I’ll try to get back tomorrow to post the wrap and the poll for three-day blogger.

Thanks!

• Callista, at SMS Book Reviews, gives us an interview with Nancy Bo Flood.
• Noel, at Never Jam Today,  gives a peek at some of the lovely photographs in the book.
• Over at My Own Little Corner of the World, Julie talks about the pictures in the book.
• I talk about the pictures, too, at Whispers of Dawn.
• At Dolce Bellezza, we have the artistic review we have come to expect.
• The Hungry Readers give a review along with their ever wonderful suggestions for school activities that can go along with the book.

• Over at SMS Book Reviews, we have a review—the book grew on her. I find that’s what great picture books do. The more you look the more you see. That makes them fun to read over and over.
• Noel, at Never Jam Today, gives the all-important definition of a hoodoo.
• An introduction to the book at My Own Little Corner of the World.
• I reviewed the writing part of the book at Whispers of Dawn.
• And over at Hungry Readers we are invited to consider race in children’s literature and she highlights another one of Nancy Bo Flood’s book, The Navajo Year.

Come back tomorrow for more posts.

Monday we take off on a new tour for a picture book written by Nancy Bo Flood with photographs by Tony Kuyper.

The book can be found on Amazon here:  
http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/ASIN/1555916570/allabowha-20

The book cover can be found here:
 http://kidzbookbuzz.com/wp-content/uploads/2010/01/sand_to_stone.jpg

The author’s website is here:
http://www.nancyboflood.com/

The photographer’s website is here:
http://goodlight.us/index.html

Here are the links to participating bloggers:

For a paragraph listing like this:

SMS Book Reviews, Never Jam Today, SmallWorld Reads, Our Big Earth Media Co., Whispers of Dawn, Cafe of Dreams, The Hungry Readers, My Own Little Corner of the World, Dolce Bellezza, KidzBookBuzz.com

Use this code:

<br /> <a href="http://smsbookreviews.blogspot.com">SMS Book Reviews</a>, <a href="http://www.noeldevries.blogspot.com/">Never Jam Today</a>, <a href="http://smallworldreads.blogspot.com">SmallWorld Reads</a>, <a href="http://www.ourbigearth.com">Our Big Earth Media Co.</a>, <a href="http://www.sally-apokedak.com/whispers_of_dawn/">Whispers of Dawn</a>, <a href="http://cafeofdreams.blogspot.com">Cafe of Dreams</a>, <a href="http://thehungryreaders.com">The Hungry Readers</a>, <a href="http://molcotw.blogspot.com">My Own Little Corner of the World</a>, <a href="http://dolcebellezza.wordpress.com/">Dolce Bellezza</a>, <a href="http://kidzbookbuzz.com">KidzBookBuzz.com</a><br />

For a list like this:

SMS Book Reviews
Never Jam Today
SmallWorld Reads
Our Big Earth Media Co.
My Own Little Corner of the World
Dolce Bellezza
KidzBookBuzz.com
Whispers of Dawn
Cafe of Dreams
The Hungry Readers

Use this code:

<br /> <a href="http://smsbookreviews.blogspot.com">SMS Book Reviews</a><br /> <a href="http://www.noeldevries.blogspot.com/">Never Jam Today</a><br /> <a href="http://smallworldreads.blogspot.com">SmallWorld Reads</a><br /> <a href="http://www.ourbigearth.com">Our Big Earth Media Co.</a><br /> <a href="http://molcotw.blogspot.com">My Own Little Corner of the World</a><br /> <a href="http://dolcebellezza.wordpress.com/">Dolce Bellezza</a><br /> <a href="http://kidzbookbuzz.com">KidzBookBuzz.com</a><br /> <a href="http://www.sally-apokedak.com/whispers_of_dawn/">Whispers of Dawn</a><br /> <a href="http://cafeofdreams.blogspot.com">Cafe of Dreams</a><br /> <a href="http://thehungryreaders.com">The Hungry Readers</a><br />

Please link to participants at least once during the tour.

Thanks!

Mary Ann Rodman’s JIMMY’S STARS was named to the National
Assoc. of Social Studies Teachers Best Trade Books list, as well as
Booklist’s 10 Best Historical Fiction books of 2008, and a Bank
Street College Best Book. Both SURPRISE SOUP (Viking) and A
TREE FOR EMMY (Peachtree) were published this spring…each
got starred reviews. And the paperback version of YANKEE GIRL
(Squarefish, December 2008) has made the 2009 spring Indie list.

I’m happy to read this because I loved Jimmy’s Stars and think Mary Ann Rodman is a great writer. I want more readers to find her.

OK now we can all see why I’m not the published picture book writer in the room. But the sentiments are real. I do think Crocodaddy is a swell book.

Here’s the wrap-up on the Crocodaddy tour.

Technorati, I’m sorry to say, is still frozen. Today they say, “Notice: Maintenance colo move update. Systems are returning to normal.” Okee dokee. If you say so.

But our cute, cuddly croc–yes, he’s cuddly. My favorite picture in the book  is the hug. There are oodles and oodles of lovely action-packed scenes, but I’m most moved by the hug after the play–so as I was saying, our cute, cuddly croc was welcomed into homes across the US and even up in Canada and a good time was had by all.

We had 37 posts, which included:

1 on croc crafts:

• Croc crafts to go with a new favorite book

5 interviews:

• All About Children’s Books
• Becky’s Book Reviews
• Reading is My Superpower
• SMS Reviews
• Through the Looking Glass Reviews

18 reviews:

• The 160 Acre Woods
• A Christian Worldview of Fiction
• A Mom Speaks
• All About Children’s Books
• Becky’s Book Reviews
• Booking Mama (and Booking Son)
• Cafe of Dreams (and toddler)
• Dolce Bellezza
• Fireside Musings part one, on the meter, and part two on the art.
• Maw Books Blog
• Never Jam Today had the adult review and the children’s reviews.
• Olive Tree
• Our Big Earth
• Reading is My Superpower
• SMS Reviews
• Through a Child’s Eyes
• Through the Looking Glass Reviews

and 6 giveaways:

• All About Children’s Books
• Becky’s Book Reviews
• Through the Looking Glass Reviews
• Our Big Earth
• Reading is My Superpower
• SMS Book Reviews

Thank you all! Come back tomorrow for the voting.

Oh, well, the tour is still going great. Several reviewers have said their kids have latched onto Crocodaddy and won’t let it go. That doesn’t surprise me.

Today we have some giveaways (thank’s to Kim for being so generous):

• All About Children’s Books (and a link to a video of Kim singing on a school visit)
• Becky’s Book Reviews
• Through the Looking Glass Reviews
• Our Big Earth
• Reading is My Superpower
• SMS Book Reviews

Wow! Visit those blogs and enter to win Crocodaddy for Father’s Day.

 We also have today:

• A sneak peek at other Kim Norman books.
• An Interview. You must check out the evil editor link at the bottom of the interview. Too funny.
• My favorite interview so far, I think. 
• Noel tells about the game her dad plays.

• A review with encouragement to read to the kids from A Christian Worldview of Fiction.
• A Father’s Day Reccomendation and a Crocomommy hunt from A Mom Speaks.
• I posted my review.
• Becky’s interview with Kim–lots of interesting questions and answers.
• A review from Booking Mama and Booking Son.
• April and her toddler gave it a perfect score, It’s a new favorite.
• Bellezza thinks it’s the perfect Father’s Day gift.
• Marie posted day one, on the meter, and day two on the art.
• Marya has another interview.
• Natasha’s son didn’t wait around to be read to, but he’s come up with his own croc story.
• A couple of young artist/reviewers give their take.  (Noel just never runs out of siblings to enlist. There are book lovers and jokesters of every age in that house, it seems.)
• Another vote for a Father’s Day gift.
• Crocs are now finding fans on Vancouver Island. (and a book giveaway)
• Annie also interviewed Kim.
• And another interview at SMS.
• Crocodaddy was a huge hit with the 160 Acre Woods kids.
• And SJ Kessel gets the prize today for most unique post with her review of Jack of All Tails, written by Kim Norman and illustrated by David H. Clark.

I am not sure how the publishers decide on reading levels for books. I am not convinced that an eight-year-old would want to read this book over and over to himself. It’s fun, but I don’t see why he’d keep reading it once he found out who the croc was.

But my little kids (2-5) loved rhymes in books and they loved friendly crocodiles and exciting hunts. They would have adored this book and I would have been able to enjoy reading it a few times a day (which was really important to me–let me tell you!)

Anyway, in my mind it’s a read-aloud book for younger children, rather than an early reader book. But, I’m not sure about that. I’m no expert on this stuff. I’m only going by what my kids wanted

I’ll update this tomorrow, but here are the posts as of 4:00 p.m Eastern.

• Croc crafts to go with a new favorite book
• An Interview of interest to someone who might want to write a picture book
• Becky’s review
• A discussion about playing with your children
• Marya’s warm review
• A cute collage and a review with some critique from our resident youth librarian
• A superfast review
• Another review–this one from SMS
• And another review from Through a Child’s Eyes

Monday we set off to tour Crocodaddy, by Kim Norman. Ha ha, look at that cover. Is that not fun? I’m ready to go hunting crocs with that kid.

Here is the basic info for you.

Kim’s bio:

Author Kim Norman’s first picture book, JACK OF ALL TAILS, was released by Dutton, a Penguin imprint, in 2007. CROCODADDY, (Sterling, a subsidiary of Barnes & Noble), makes its grand debut in May. She is looking forward to the release of two titles in 2010: I KNOW A WEE PIGGY WHO WALLOWED IN BROWN, illustrated by Henry Cole, (Dutton); and TEN ON THE SLED, (Sterling.)

Kim is active in community theater and her church’s music program. (She loves pretending she’s a pop star singing into a mic for the praise & worship service.) She lives in Virginia with her husband, (the REAL Crocodaddy), two sons, a dog and a cat. 

Kim’s picture is here: http://www.paraklesis.com/interviews/KimNorman_sm.jpg

Her web page is here: http://www.kimnormanbooks.com (please be sure to use this link instead of copying and pasting the URL from her website. She’s having some technical difficulties and has a temporary URL on her website right now. This link will redirect to the right place and is the permanent link. Thanks!)

The book cover is here: http://www.paraklesis.com/reviews/crocodaddy400.jpg

The Amazon address we’ll us for this tour is: http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/ASIN/1402744609 (please link to this address at least once in every post. Thanks!)

And finally the list of participating bloggers. Please link to participants at least once during the tour.

For a paragraph listing like this:

A Christian Worldview of Fiction, A Mom Speaks, A Patchwork of Books, All About Children’s Books, Becky’s Book Reviews, Booking Mama, Cafe of Dreams, Dolce Bellezza, Elizabeth O. Dulemba, Fireside Musings, KidzBookBuzz.com, Looking Glass Reviews, Maw Books Blog, Never Jam Today, Olive Tree, Our Big Earth, Reading is My Superpower, SMS Book Reviews, The 160 Acrewoods, Through a Child’s Eyes

Use this code:

<a href="http://rebeccaluellamiller.wordpress.com/">A Christian Worldview of Fiction</a>, <a href="http://amomspeaks.com">A Mom Speaks</a>, <a href="http://www.apatchworkofbooks.blogspot.com/">A Patchwork of Books</a>, <a href="http://paraklesis.com/childrens_publishing_news/">All About Children’s Books</a>, <a href="http://blbooks.blogspot.com/">Becky’s Book Reviews</a>, <a href="http://bookingmama.blogspot.com/">Booking Mama</a>,<a href="http://cafeofdreams.blogspot.com/">Cafe of Dreams</a>, <a href="http://www.dolcebellezza.wordpress.com/">Dolce Bellezza</a>, <a href="http://dulemba.com/blogger.html">Elizabeth O. Dulemba</a>, <a href="http://www.firesidemusings.blogspot.com/">Fireside Musings</a>, <a href="http://kidzbookbuzz.com/">KidzBookBuzz.com</a>, <a href="http://lookingglassreview.blogspot.com/">Looking Glass Reviews</a>, <a href="http://blog.mawbooks.com/">Maw Books Blog</a>, <a href="http://www.noeldevries.blogspot.com/">Never Jam Today</a>, <a href="http://herdofsteph.blogspot.com/">Olive Tree</a>, <a href="http://www.ourbigearth.com/">Our Big Earth</a>, <a href="http://superfastreader.com">Reading is My Superpower</a>, <a href="http://smsbookreviews.blogspot.com">SMS Book Reviews</a>, <a href="http://the160acrewoods.com">The 160 Acrewoods</a>, <a href="http://sjkessel.blogspot.com/">Through a Child’s Eyes</a>

For a list like this:

A Christian Worldview of Fiction
A Mom Speaks
A Patchwork of Books
All About Children’s Books
Becky’s Book Reviews
Booking Mama,
Cafe of Dreams
Dolce Bellezza
Elizabeth O. Dulemba
Fireside Musings
KidzBookBuzz.com
Looking Glass Reviews
Maw Books Blog
Never Jam Today
Olive Tree
Our Big Earth
Reading is My Superpower
SMS Book Reviews
The 160 Acrewoods
Through a Child’s Eyes

Use this code:

<a href="http://rebeccaluellamiller.wordpress.com/">A Christian Worldview of Fiction</a><br /><a href="http://amomspeaks.com">A Mom Speaks</a><br /><a href="http://www.apatchworkofbooks.blogspot.com/">A Patchwork of Books</a><br /><a href="http://paraklesis.com/childrens_publishing_news/">All About Children’s Books</a><br /><a href="http://blbooks.blogspot.com/">Becky’s Book Reviews</a><br /><a href="http://bookingmama.blogspot.com/">Booking Mama</a><br /><a href="http://cafeofdreams.blogspot.com/">Cafe of Dreams</a><br /><a href="http://www.dolcebellezza.wordpress.com/">Dolce Bellezza</a><br /><a href="http://dulemba.com/blogger.html">Elizabeth O. Dulemba</a><br /><a href="http://www.firesidemusings.blogspot.com/">Fireside Musings</a><br /> <a href="http://kidzbookbuzz.com/">KidzBookBuzz.com</a><br /><a href="http://lookingglassreview.blogspot.com/">Looking Glass Reviews</a><br /><a href="http://blog.mawbooks.com/">Maw Books Blog</a><br /><a href="http://www.noeldevries.blogspot.com/">Never Jam Today</a><br /><a href="http://herdofsteph.blogspot.com/">Olive Tree</a><br /><a href="http://www.ourbigearth.com/">Our Big Earth</a><br /><a href="http://superfastreader.com">Reading is My Superpower</a><br /><a href="http://smsbookreviews.blogspot.com">SMS Book Reviews</a><br /><a href="http://the160acrewoods.com">The 160 Acrewoods</a><br /><a href="http://sjkessel.blogspot.com/">Through a Child’s Eyes</a>