The Great Blue House    by Kate Banks & Georg Hallensleben Order:  USA  Can Farrar Straus & Giroux, 2005 (2005) Hardcover     Reviewed by Hilary Williamson Georg Hallensleben's lush paintings strike the eye immediately, drawing the reader's interest to The Great Blue House. It's summertime and Kate Banks tells us, 'The children crouch beside a stream chasing frogs. Their voices rise into the air like dandelion puff.' Summer ends and the children leave. 'All is quiet at the great blue house. Or is it?' The author shows us critters who live in the house, past the family's summertime there. As Fall arrives, a mouse finishes crumbs, a spider spins a web, a stray cat wanders in 'making mischief.' A bird perches in the rafters. The house shelters all of them through winter. Then - along with kittens and fledglings and a new baby - 'Summer has returned to the great blue house.' Enjoy this lovely tale of the passing of seasons, the beauty of nature, and the joy of all the living creatures that surround us. Note: Opinions expressed in reviews and articles on this site are those of the author(s) and not necessarily those of BookLoons. Find more Kids books on our Shelves or in our book Reviews