Sarah, Plain and Tall gently explores themes of abandonment, loss, and love. This children's literature classic is perfect for fans of Laura Ingalls Wilder's Little House on the Prairie books, historical fiction, and timeless stories using rich and beautiful language, and it's a strong choice for independent reading. Will Sarah be nice? Will she sing? Will she stay? Before Sarah arrives, Anna and her younger brother Caleb wait and wonder. Set in the late nineteenth century and told from young Anna's point of view, Sarah, Plain and Tall tells the story of how Sarah Elisabeth Wheaton comes from Maine to the prairie to answer Papa's advertisement for a wife and mother. They hark back to a simpler time, giving us a chance to unwind and relax in the lap of family love.This beloved Newbery Medal–winning book is the first of five books in Patricia MacLachlan's chapter book series about the Witting family. The stories are also simple enough to be read aloud to young ones, beginning at age 5 or 6.

However, as the series progresses, the language simplifies. By the time we reach Grandfather’s Dance, the writing is totally manageable for a young reader. I would comment that perhaps the sentence structure in the second book was a little more complicated than I would offer to a new reader.

The chapters are not too long, the plot is relatively simple to follow. Therefore we are discovering the world as they live it.Īnother strong feature of the collection as a whole is that for early (third grade especially) readers, these books are beautiful yet accessible. We live through the eyes of each child in turn, as they keep a journal. However, what captured me in each children’s book of this collection was the emphasis on the emotions and feelings of the people. I did not expect to like the series, as I’m not such a big fan of ‘prairie days’ literature. There is a new element in every book, expanding our experience of family, acceptance, and rural life. Each book is complete, yet you know there is more to learn about the family that lives on the prairie. It’s impossible not to read the each children’s book in this timeless series.

They followed her, shuffling and scratching primly in the dirt. She clucked back to them and fed them grain. By Patricia MacLachlan Book 1: Sarah, Plain and Tall (1985)īook 4: More Perfect Than The Moon (2004)īook 5: Grandfather’s Dance (2006) (reviewed separately)

Plain and tall book