THE JOKE'S ON GEORGE

...Washington, that is, in a delightful vignette narrated by Rembrandt Peale—in whose father's remarkable museum the incident took place and on whose memoirs this account is based. Neatly setting the scene for the president's visit to view some wax figures, Peale notes Washington's punctilious courtesy in bowing ``to common servants and fine gentlemen alike'' and describes Charles Willson Peale's museum, unique—especially in its time— as a mix of natural history exhibits and artifacts, particularly Peale's own paintings. In the context, readers won't be as startled as George is when two young Peales fail to return his greeting, but there's another surprise in store: the boys aren't waxworks but a trompe l'oeil painting so lifelike that it even fools the dogs. New Yorker artist Osborn makes a fine picture- book debut here. Her stylized art has a naive flavor, appropriately echoing Peale's paintings; its strong designs, crisp images, and decorative colors are spiced with a sly wit that wonderfully complements Tunnell's nicely understated text. A handsome, entertaining glimpse of times past. (Picture book. 5-9)