In the Still of the Night

For her first children's text, Selby composes a mildly alliterative run-on sentence about a quiet farm that comes alive with activity ``in the still of the night.'' Her minimalist approach is matched by the bold, blocky artwork, which makes use of solid, unblended hues and heavy black outlines, a la Byron Barton and Lucy Cousins. Those who recall the barnyard animals Webster created for Buster's Echo , however, may feel a sense of deja vu. As the tale opens, a ``rowdy rooster'' begins to crow and wakes the pigs, who in turn alarm sheep, and so on. The sequence continues until a mouse comes upon the ``snoring farmer,'' who, as Webster imagines him, opens a curious eye. The story helps readers name different animals and recognize their sounds--onomatopoeic ``honks,'' ``moos'' and ``squeaks'' are incorporated in the illustrations. The overall impression is of a simple learning tool, like a set of alphabet blocks. Ages 3-7. (Aug.)