Three Names: A Nostalgic Story About a Great-Grandfather, His Dog, and Prairie School Days for Kids

by Patricia MacLachlan, Alexander Pertzoff (Illustrator)

A child's great-grandfather reminisces about the times he and his dog Three Names went to school on prairie roads in a wagon pulled by horses.

Genres: Picture Books, Historical Fiction, Childrens, Animals, Realistic Fiction, Fiction, Dogs

32 pages, Paperback

First published January 1, 1991

About the author

Patricia MacLachlan was born on the prairie, and always carried a small bag of prairie dirt with her wherever she went to remind her of what she knew first. She was the author of many well-loved novels and picture books, including Sarah, Plain and Tall, winner of the Newbery Medal; its sequels, Skylark and Caleb's Story; and Three Names, illustrated by Mike Wimmer. She lived in western Massachusetts.

Reviews

[Melki · Rating 5 out of 5]

A great-grandfather shares memories of his old school days, and a special dog with more than three names. The beautiful watercolor illustrations are made even more lovely by the fact that the artist used his own rescue dog as the model.

[Manybooks · Rating 3 out of 5]

Well and indeed, Patricia MacLachlan’s featured text for her 1991 picture book Three Names most definitely manages to decently enough show what rural farming life was generally like one hundred years ago and that the young boy’s great grandfather affection and love for his dog Three Names was delightfully strong and all encompassing (with the diverse anecdotes of Three Names mostly positively, fondly depicted and presented by MacLachlan and with a sense of wistfully longing back to the so-called good old days of yore, but also and a bit frustratingly for me, with negative scenarios like for example that potentially extremely dangerously destructive tornado too quickly being skimmed over and made to look rather insignificant by MacLachlan, as though the past was all peaches and cream with never really any negativity worth considering).

But personally, I am most certainly also and sadly finding both MacLachlan’s writing style and her featured contents as they appear in Three Names not altogether to my liking and to my reading tastes (and in fact if I am to be honest, sometmes rather convoluted and confusing). For in my humble opinion, it is rather annoyingly difficult to figure out who is narrating what, and which parts of Three Names are taking place in the past and which in the present, leaving a sweet enough but also rather oddly disjointed text that is sometimes just (at least for me) not all that interesting and not all that pleasant for me to read, a decent enough reading experience perhaps full of much nostalgia, but the rather confusing and back and forth from the present to the past account makes Patricia MacLachlan’s narrative flow in Three Names not all that smooth and often a bit overly jumpy.

Now as to Alexander Pertzoff’s accompanying artwork for Three Names, yes, I do think that his illustrations (or rather his paintings, as in my opinion these are more than just some random illustrations) are aesthetically delightful and thus and of course provide a more than suitable visual mirror to and for Patricia MacLachlan’s writing, to and for her presented story of reminisce and nostalgia. And in fact, I do have to admit that personally speaking, I kind of find Alexander Pertzoff’s artwork for Three Names even a bit more enjoyable and engaging than Patricia MacLachlan’s text, with me almost wishing that Three Names were a wordless picture book, that it only featured Pertzoff’s folk art like paintings and no written text at all, as MacLachlan’s writing in Three Names is simply not as strong as Alexander Pertzoff’s pictures.

[Jessie Drew]

Loved it. I'm on a Patricia MacLachlan reading journey this week. Her books are SO FREAKING TENDER. This, my friends, is my fandom. My only fandom. ❤

[Alice · Rating 4 out of 5]

No one writes like this anymore. I think I have said this before in my marathon Patrica MacLachlan picture books reading this week but, it is usually poor writing, stupid rhymes or just ridiculous themes. This is art!

Her books are great literature for kids. I saw a review on here that someone said their child did like it because it was too long, and yes this is NOT a toddler book. This is a 5th or 6th grade picture book. It was great. Even though some of these picture books are long, they aren't the "WHEN THE HECK IS THIS BORING THING GOING TO BE OVER" they are the "Wow, that is it! No more story"

This is a great book. Like it! Read it!

[Sandy D. · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is a lovely book, full of the memories of a boy and his dog and a one-room schoolhouse on the prairie. Read it before you visit one of these old schoolhouses - or take it with on your visit. :-)

[Eva-Marie Nevarez · Rating 2 out of 5]

Sadly, as soon as we started reading this I knew Julia wasn't going to get interested. Just as sadly, I knew I wouldn't either.
It's a lot like hearing your Grandfather tell the 'I walked 6 miles to school, in the snow and ice, barefoot, carrying a wooden house on my back, tripping over my dog every inch of the way' type of thing. Not that this is what the story is about, not at all. But it sure as hell felt like it to us.
We finished it and it did have some redeeming factors for us so we deem it 'okay' between the two of us.

[Tanti · Rating 3 out of 5]

A simple, sweet book of long ago days. My fave quote, "Three Names slept among the coats and boots and gloves. In winter he slept near the wood stove, thumping his tail when Mr. Beckett opened the door to feed the fire. Sometimes he slept on Great-grandfather's stocking feet, and Great-grandfather felt the beating of his heart."

[Vanessa Dargain · Rating 4 out of 5]

Liked this story a centennial great-grandfather tells his great-grandson about his dog ( a stray ) called "three names" . If he were
mine I would have named him Pal like the father did .
Anyhow , the only thing I DIDN'T like about this book is that three names is not a cat .
I've never seen a sharp-tailed grouse and would have loved to visit great-grandfather's farm to
see one .

[Alana · Rating 5 out of 5]

I love all MacLachlan's books. This one is a charming story of growing up in prairie days, but always with the dog in mind. The illustrations are lovely, and my toddler loves every time a dog appears in a picture. Plus the "my great-grandfather says it was a hundred years ago, but that's not true" connects us with those older folks who love to spin a good yarn.

[Meagan · Rating 2 out of 5]

It's a sleepy story told from the perspective of a grandfather. The painting style doesn't have outline, which kind of steals strength from the pictures, in my opinion. I loved the imagery: "In fall, the wind came up, snapping the sheets on the clothesline dry, and the nights were crisp like apples from the root cellar." Otherwise, it was a boring story, to be honest.

[Diana · Rating 3 out of 5]

Using this one for Five in a Row. It wasn't my favorite title so far, but it wasn't bad. In fact, I did like it, but I don't think it improved upon rereading, which made it a poor choice for Five in a Row. Still, we roasted potatoes and made fresh butter, making this a great week for the kiddos.

[Lynn Davidson · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is a sweet story in which a great-grandfather, who says he was young a hundred years ago - but that's not true - tells what it was like going to a prairie school many years ago. Lovely illustrations.

[Bethe · Rating 4 out of 5]

Such a lovely, quiet ode to days gone by, when schoolhouses were one room and kids arrived there on horseback. Love how the dog yearns for school during summer break. Sorry to see it on my weeding report.

[Christina Cook · Rating 5 out of 5]

I read this book out loud to my 1st grade students every year. It’s such a tender and sweet story of the most amazing dog and all the relationships in the story are so beautiful. I can’t get through the book - ever - without crying because dogs are just such wonderful souls.

[Chelsey · Rating 5 out of 5]

Loved this sweet story. Three Names was a dog that went to school with his family every day. He would ride in the wagon with all of the siblings.

Patricia MacLachlan just may be my favorite author ❤️

[Danette · Rating 3 out of 5]

2/21/17 Read with Naomi & Julia

[Megan · Rating 5 out of 5]

CURRICULUM: RR/Classics

[Nichole · Rating 3 out of 5]

A story about the times of one room schoolhouses.

[Jennifer · Rating 3 out of 5]

Cute little book

[Melissa R.]

A lovely story for kids. Simpler times.

[Gail Oliver · Rating 4 out of 5]

The story made me want a dog, just like Three Names. I’d like to illustrate, just like Alexander Pertzoff. The pictures give a warm coziness.

[Perkins Y · Rating 4 out of 5]

Really enjoyed this one for FIAR. Loved the art and story.

[Robert · Rating 3 out of 5]

This book has sat in my classroom library for many years. I don't recall any student ever reading it; I know I haven't. I believe it arrived in a large CLI purchase back when author studies were encouraged. MacLachlan was a suggested author. I am not a huge fan of hers, although Sarah, Plain and Tall was a fine book. The 1880-1900s western expansion era doesn't particularly interest me.

Nevertheless, I picked this one up today. Liked the first half or so of the book. It is told in a storytelling fashion, which I am into. The child recounts her great-grandfather's stories of growing up on the prairie "a hundred years ago". It is well told. Her great-grandfather had a dog called Three Names since three different family members gave him a name. The dog accompanied him to school daily. We learn about the one-room schoolhouse of the era. It was all interesting and Three Names was in the middle of it all.

The structure of the story was set up for heartache. Yes, Three Names sure looked destined to die/run off and leave the reader with some sort of sadness. Yet, that didn't happen. Instead, the dog was sullen when summer vacation came along (as though there was a vacation then). The pitch was made about how great going to school is and how Three Names longed for school. Yeah, because a dog wouldn't enjoy frolicking about on a summer's day chasing balls, butterflies, or other objects.

It was the ending that sank this book for me. The illustrations were good and the storytelling fashion kept me interested. I would re-work this story for that tragic happenstance. If one needs the happy ending, Three Names could always return.

[Books Kids Like · Rating 4 out of 5]

Great-grandfather called the dog Three Names, because he had three names. The yellow dog showed up one day. Sister Lily called him Ted, Mama called him Boots, and Papa called him Pal. And that's why Great-grandfather called him Three Names. Three Names rode to school every morning in the wagon. He slept under the coats or curled around Great-grandfather's feet. The children gladly shared their lunches with the dog who seemed as much a part of school as they did. He even shivered with them as they waited out a tornado in the school's cellar. This delightful picture book could very well be a part of the author's family history. It gives the young reader insight into life a century or so ago.
©2024 Kathy Maxwell at https://bookskidslike.com

[Courtney · Rating 4 out of 5]

Interesting.

It's the grandfather sharing his memories of what it was like when he was going to school growing up, usually accompanied by "Three Names", the family dog.

Prairie setting - could be Saskatchewan from the illustrations, though it doesn't say where. Probably Kansas or Ohio.

Nice illustrations. Kind of a misleading title - it's not really a 'story', more memories about things. The dog is in it, but not the centre focus like you'd think.

[AmyintheWind · Rating 5 out of 5]

A simple, sweet book that I read with my daughter as part of her homeschooling curriculum. It's a nice way to begin a study of the prairie, and life in the late 1800's, early 1900's. There isn't a big plot, just a simple telling of life for the narrators grandfather when the grandfather was a child growing up on the prairie.

[Amber the Human · Rating 3 out of 5]

Very sweet. And MacLachlan's description of the prairie comes through so clearly, as always. I like MacLachlan a lot, and I appreciate that she does picture books. But they're never as satisfying as her children's novels. It's just not enough time to connect with a character, that we never even read the name of.

[Shelby Holloway · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book tells a story of a grandfather's life mostly in a school aspect. Life revolved around school and he loved it. It also went through the seasons of the school year and the routine's that correlated with them.

[Manysibs · Rating 5 out of 5]

Beautifully written, beautiful illustrations...we read this one often at our house.

[Tina · Rating 4 out of 5]

Beautiful watercolor pictures. A great story about a one room schoolhouse and simple pleasures.