The House That George Built

Gr 1–3—Following the framework of "This Is the House That Jack Built," this cumulative story describes how George Washington chose the design for what would become the White House and supervised its construction. Rhyming verses, interspersed with background paragraphs to fill out the narrative, describe how Washington found the site and held a contest to get design submissions. African American and white surveyors and laborers are included in the pictures. The illustrations, rendered in watercolor and ink, are large scale, like the house. The artwork spills off the spreads, the images too big to be contained. The perspective shifts to provide varying views of the work in progress. Earth tones complement the building theme, suggesting dirt, wood, and grass. A section at the back of the book describes the many changes made to the White House over the years, and an author's note provides more historical detail. Although there are many books for young readers about George Washington, this appealing title is unique in its focus.—Lucinda Snyder Whitehurst, St. Christopher's School, Richmond, VA