Moving to Town

Lavishly detailed folk-art paintings by O'Kelley ( From the Hills of Georgia ; Circus ) are at the heart of this fetching tale about a family that moves from the country to a bustling city one summer in the early 1900s. Here the young narrator and her brother experience some exciting firsts: a visit to the zoo, a meal in a restaurant and a movie in a theater. Then, as the first snow begins to fall, the family members do something even more special--they return to the country, where they gather with friends around an enormous Christmas tree. The 83-year-old O'Kelley, whose art often draws on her upbringing on a Georgia farm, is as successful depicting the vibrant color and constant stir of the city as she is the tranquility of the countryside. At once primitive and sophisticated, her busy, captivating paintings call to mind the celebrated art of Grandma Moses. Ages 4-8. (Sept.)