Published 1987, Harcourt Brace Jovanovich

Story by Joyce Maynard, pictures by Steve Bethel.

As a new house next door goes up, so does Andy's

treehouse. With the arrival of the new neighbors, he

finds a friend to share it with. This is a Junior Literary

Guild selection, chosen as an oustanding book for boys

and girls.

Skidders and bulldozers, joists and trusses, blocks and

mortar -- this book is full of all the things that make a house happen. Joyce Maynard describes the process in the engaging story of nine-year-old Andy the summer he follows the constructions of a new house on his road.

Thanks to Red the builder, who gives Andy scrap materials and pointers, Andy is soon building a house of his own -- in a tree. And when the treehouse is ready, complete with a spyglass and a coat of paint, Andy gets one more special surprise...

With her fine talent for making the complex simple, Joyce Maynard includes an abundance of detail in an easy-to-grasp story that at once explains and entertains.

Steve Bethel is at his best here, illustrating the book in full color. Whether he's sending brawny bulldozers across the pages or capturing the tenderness between a nine-year-old boy and his dog, his paintings provide the perfect complement to this story for readers of many ages.

This is a Junior Literary Guild selection, chosen as an outstanding book for boys and girls (E Group).