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The House that George Built

Plot Synopsis:  This illustrated picture book is actually two books.  It can be read as a simple picture book by reading the repeated refrain: “This is the house that George built.”   On another part of the page is the history of the construction of a house for the President to live in, a project begun by President George Washington.  He selected the land, had a design createdand broke ground.  Eight years later it still wasn’t finished and George never lived in it, but every President since has.  Now called the White house, it continues to be a work in progress and every resident has made changes and additions.

What I liked about it and who would enjoy it:  I liked that the book can be shared on two levels and the broad double page spreads make it easy to share with groups.  The illustrations in watercolor and ink give a panoramic view of the construction.  Additional information and recommended sources and an author’s note are included.   This is very visually appealing nonfiction.   Recommended for grade 1-3