Created partly on the gymnasium stage of an elementary school in Richmond, B.C., where students could watch the progress of his illustrations, this new picture book by Governor General’s Award nominee Maxwell Newhouse depicts the process of creation – specifically, the building of a house. Painting in rich primary colours and including lots of detail, Newhouse shows all the stages of the project, from the levelling of the lot through the framing, roofing, drywalling, plumbing, and so forth to completion.

While the subject might seem more suited to older readers, Newhouse aims the book at young children, with a simple and direct text in which Max – who is having the house built and who looks very much like Maxwell Newhouse – states his wishes and needs, and describes how the house is gradually put together. There is plenty to hold the attention in every picture: construction stuff such as cement mixers and buckets, wrenches, window frames, and great wads of bright yellow insulation. There is also Max’s dog, a Scottie that gets into various kinds of interesting trouble on the site. As the house gradually takes shape, the seasons change, from summer to winter and back to summer again. Because the text doesn’t mention the dog and the seasonal variations, there is a sense of discovery as we notice these details.

As well as being a noted folk artist, Newhouse worked in construction for years. He ends the book with a helpful list of 23 building trades, also noting what each contributed to Max’s house.