THREE NAMES

MacLachlan knows the power of names; in Journey (p. 1013), any animal that's given one is destined to become part of the family. As the narrator's great-grandfather tells this story, his dog was more than thrice blessed: his sister and Mama each gave him a name; ``Papa called him Pal because he was one'';and Great- grandfather called him ``Three Names'' (`` `That's four names,' I told him, but he already knew that''). Three Names attended school with Great-grandfather ``a hundred years ago,'' riding along in the wagon the children drove across the prairie to the one-room school and sharing the lessons, the teacher's lunch, occasional celebrations, and the excitement of a tornado. Like Rylant's Appalachia (p. 322), this lovely, delicately honed text skillfully evokes its setting. In a fine debut, Pertzoff expertly reflects the quiet pleasure of a vividly remembered experience; his watercolors pay tribute to Moser's in their crystalline light and carefully controlled compositions, but have their own sensitivity and style. (Picture book/Young reader. 5-10)*justify no*