The book, "School of Names" by M.B. Goffstein, is all about nature. The book talks about knowing the names of stars, places, and living creatures. This book is about appreciating nature. I really like this book because, in today's society, nature is not well respected and by reading this book to little ones, a difference can be made. They will understand the importance of nature. After all, earth is the only home we have, so we should preserve it the best we can.

One thing I found very interesting about this book is the illustrations. They were simple, but colorful and representative. In my opinion, they made the book better because I was able to understand what the book was saying, while not being overwhelmed. ( )

When I saw the cover of the book, I could not decipher what the book was about. Once I started to read the book, I began to enjoy it very much. The book describes the desire of someone who wants to know the names of everything in the world. The person who tells the story wants to know the names of continents, stars, oceans, plants, reptiles, worms, and rivers. I would like to know all of that as well. For an activity, I would ask kids the names of continents, and some major rivers in the United States. ( )

Goffstein's book is simple and elegant. Young children will easily be able to read this book on their own and struggling older readers will enjoy the deeper meanings that can be derived from Goffstein's lyrical form. ( )

This was probably my favorite picture book growing up, and it would not be too much to say that it really did influence the insatiable curiosity and thirst for knowledge I developed throughout childhood. I certainly remember it fondly at after recently flipping through the slight little picture book again, I feel it's messages continue to hold up very well. After receiving it for my eighth birthday, I read it innumerable times, finding the idea of the “School of Names” and its celebration of the planet and the natural world to be so evocative of my love of digging in the dirt, running in the woods, and staring up into the sky. M.B. Goffstein’s writing is so simple, so precise, she expresses such deep feelings about the Earth that is yet accessible to children and adults alike.

I recall being so enthralled with the philosophy so simply and effectively shared through Goffstein’s poetry and her spare, beautiful artwork, that I actually read the book aloud to my first grade class for a presentation day. Even today, I still find the elegant combination of words and images in this short work to be extremely compelling. I am very glad I held on to my copy, as School of Names seems to have gone out of print since its publication. ( )

A beautiful, short picture book for all ages about making connections and creating the world through naming the parts of it. ( )