Having worked construction for many years, author and illustrator Maxwell Newhouse shows young readers step-by-step how houses are built in this captivating picture book. From drawing up the plans to excavating the site to laying the foundation, the unique and colorful paintings move through the seasons as Max builds the house of his dreams. Watch the framing crew as they build a floor frame to hold the house, raise the walls into place, and make the roof frame. See them install the windows and doors, bricklayers build the outside walls with bricks and mortar, and roofers nail the shingles into place. Follow the plumber as he puts in the water lines, the electrician as he installs the wiring, and the drywaller as he places wallboard on the inside walls. Along come the tile setter, floor layer, cabinetmaker, and painter, who all do their part to make Max’s house beautiful as his mischievous little dog romps through the pages. Finally, when the property has been landscaped with plants, trees, grass, and stones, Max moves into his beloved new home. With a list of all the trades and a description of what they do, The House That Max Built is a must-have for any child with a natural curiosity and a passion to build things PreSchool-Grade 2—When Max decides to build a house beside the lake, "he needs a lot of help." This simple introduction takes readers through the major steps of the construction, from the architect's drawings to the completed house. In one or two sentences per page, the present-tense narrative neatly applies the personal viewpoint of the homeowner to each construction phase. Max observes the various groups of specialists, often expressing the choices he makes along the way. Deciding between brick, siding, stone, or stucco for his frame covering, Max states, "It's brick for me" as the workers spread mortar. Warmly rendered folk-art-style oil paintings show the house coming together over time. Varied perspectives focus on the people as much as on the work they do, reinforcing the importance of teamwork and specialization. Max's small and inquisitive dog appears in most scenes, tracking mud on new tiles, investigating a newly installed tub, and even joining Max as he helps the crew make the roof frame. A closing list of "the people who helped Max and what they do" provides brief further details about some of the workers mentioned in the text, as well as others who are shown but not named. With strong visual appeal and just enough detail, this title makes a nice companion to Byron Barton's Building a House (1981) and Elisha Cooper's Building (1999, both HarperCollins), as well as nonfiction titles like Cheryl Willis Hudson's Construction Zone (Candlewick, 2006).— Steven Engelfried, Multnomah County Library, OR Copyright © Reed Business Information, a division of Reed Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved. Praise for Let’s Go for a Ride: “Sophisticated imagery and a confident naiveté make for a fresh and surprising ride.” — Governor General’s Award Jury Praise for The RCMP Musical Ride: “Newhouse has created folk art illustrations that evoke the pageantry of ‘the ride’, while filling each page with details and fun for the reader.” — Brandon Sun Maxwell Newhouse is one of the country’s most accomplished folk artists. His work is exhibited in galleries across Canada. He is well known for his paintings of the Royal Canadian Mounted Police, which are gathered together for the first time in The RCMP Musical Ride . He has illustrated five books for Tundra, including Emily Carr: At the Edge of the World by Jo Ellen Bogart, Laura Secord by Janet Lunn, and, Let’s Go for a Ride , which he both wrote and illustrated and was nominated for a Governor General’s Award for illustration. He lives in Cultus Lake, British Columbia. Used Book in Good Condition