George Paints His House

When readers first met George the duck in George at the Shore, he was opening a beachfront store and merrily counting his merchandise. Now he's trying to decide what color to paint his house. He and Mary, his marmalade cat friend, mull over the possibilities offered in nature and discover that each color has a fervent advocate. When they discuss red, ""like poppies, or geraniums, or cherries picked in the spring,"" the ladybugs pipe up, ""Red is joyful, a splendid color!"" For purple, ""like figs, and irises, and delicious grapes,"" a purple butterfly chimes in, ""It would be most original of you!"" Bassede's sun-drenched setting in the south of France will have adults drooling, but even younger readers will cotton to the delicate watercolor renderings of poppy-dappled fields and fruit-laden gardens. The final decision of what shade to paint the house seems incidental next to the sumptuous spreads of the great outdoors. Ages 3-6. (Mar.)