Ragsale

Nearly photographic in their precision and clarity, the arresting paintings that newcomer Chapman-Crane contributes to this tale set in Appalachia transmit memorable images of small-town America during a simpler era. However accomplished, the art seems likelier to strike a chord in adults than to engage children. Nor is the plot high in kid-oriented action: a girl tells of accompanying her mother, sister, grandmother, aunt and cousin on a one-day tour of three ""ragsales,"" where they pore over second-hand clothing, books and furnishings and make a few purchases before returning home. Youngsters may stumble over first-time author Bates's period setting (``These stockings with a line up the back look like Elizabeth Taylor'') and the occasionally mannered writing (``We carry our treasures to the car, tired legs and thinking of supper''). The warmth of both the art and the text show that Kentucky natives Bates and Chapman-Crane create from the heart; this book is narrow in its appeal, but future collaborations are worth watching for. Ages 4-8. (Mar.)