THE FOLKS IN THE VALLEY

From ``Alarm clocks ring;/It's almost dawn'' to ``Z's the sound/Of their well-earned rest;/They sleep in peace./Their lives are blessed,'' a daylong depiction of a picturesque way of life. Aylesworth tucks lots of typical activities into his neatly rhymed text; Vitale combines traditional stylizations with some mischievous touches—a cat pursues a mouse through a row of pickle jars, a quilter grimaces while threading her needle, a split panel shows an axman ``splitting'' oak (actually, he's chopping across the grain). Vitale's decorative panels are rectangular, softened by a broad arch at the top; colors are soft and rich, modulating from primitive primaries to more sophisticated earth tones. A beautifully designed book, effective both as an alphabet and as a lighthearted tribute to ``the folks.'' (Picture book. 4-8)