By: Patricia MacLachlan Publisher: HarperTrophy Average Rating: Binding: Paperback Label: HarperTrophy Number of Items: 1 Number of Pages: 64 Publication Date: September 04, 1987 Reading Level: Ages 9-12 Release Date: August 03, 2004
Product Description: Their mother died the day after Caleb was born. Their house on the prairie is quiet now, and Papa doesn't sing anymore. Then Papa puts an ad in the paper, asking for a wife, and he receives a letter from one Sarah Elisabeth Wheaton, of Maine. Papa, Anna, and Caleb write back. Caleb asks if she sings. Sarah decides to come for a month. She writes Papa: I will come by train. I will wear a yellow bonnet. I am plain and tall, and Tell them I sing. Anna and Caleb wait and wonder. Will Sarah be nice Will she like them Will she stay
Amazon.com Review: MacLachlan, author of Unclaimed Treasures, has written an affecting tale for children. In the late 19th century a widowed midwestern farmer with two children--Anna and Caleb--advertises for a wife. When Sarah arrives she is homesick for Maine, especially for the ocean which she misses greatly. The children fear that she will not stay, and when she goes off to town alone, young Caleb--whose mother died during childbirth--is stricken with the fear that she has gone for good. But she returns with colored pencils to illustrate for them the beauty of Maine, and to explain that, though she misses her home, "the truth of it is I would miss you more." The tale gently explores themes of abandonment, loss and love.
Plain is Right... First off, let me clarify in my personal response that I've never been a fan of the historical fiction genre. Historical fiction books bore me, and they never seem to contain the excitement found in contemporary fiction. Sarah, Plain and Tall, while more character-centric than most historical fiction books, still just didn't catch my interest. I was just glad that unlike many historical fiction books, this one actually didn't shove random historical facts down the readers' throats in massive clumps--the historical details were there, but very subtle. Still, the plot was too plain, with not enough branches and wacky plot twists. Everything was hopelessly predictable, and I know children's authors can do much better than that. That being said, I'd still like to read the sequels (never can pass up a good sequel!) to learn more about the characters, especially since the books are such quick reads.
awesome This is a great book that leaves you with a good feeling when you finish. A warm story of motherless children who wish to have a mother and want to help their father to find one. She is from the coast and he is a farmer... could this work? Read the book I recommend it.
Anna del C. Author of "The Elf and the Princess" and "Trouble in the Elf City" The Elf and The Princess: The Silent Warrior Trilogy - Book One (The Silent Warrior Trilogy)
8 year old kids's review of Sarah, Plain and Tall The story of Sarah, Plain and Tall by Patricia MacLaclan is a pioneer fiction about a family who needs a mother and a wife, and a lady who needs a home. It is sad, funny, happy, scary, exciting, and keeps me guessing. Jacob Witting needs a helpful, hardworking wife and a mother for his young children Anna and Caleb. He puts an ad for a wife in the newspaper. He receives a response from Sarah Elisabeth Wheaton of Maine. In the early spring, Jacob goes to the train station to bring Sarah home. He dresses up and makes his hair very slick and shiny. Sarah Wheaton makes herself at home with the Wittings. She helps clean the house. She goes and picks wild flowers with Caleb. They gather paintbrush, clover, prairie violets, roses, and bride's bonnet. She cuts Caleb's and Jacob's hair, then she braids Anna's long hair. She teaches Caleb and Anna how to float in the cow pond and they have fun. At night, all of them go to the barn to slide down the tall hay pile, just like the dunes in Maine. Caleb and Anna love Sarah and hope she will stay. Caleb is six and really loves Sarah. Caleb cried when Sarah comes back from driving the wagon because he thinks she was leaving them. Anna is ten and helps with most of the housework. She is also worried that Sarah will leave. Sarah misses Maine but she is happy with the Wittings. She says she will always miss her old home but she will miss the Wittings more if she leaves. She talks about wanting to drive the wagon. The neighbors come to help with the plowing and meet Sarah. Later Sarah and Jacob get married. The book Sarah, Plain and Tall makes me joyful when Jacob finds a wife to marry. I like when Sarah, Caleb, Anna, and Jacob slide down the hay pile. Do you like fictional story about family life during the Pioneer times? If so, you will like this book.
Wonderful book! This was one of the selected literature books for our home-school curriculum. We were delighted with this lovely book. It inspired us to watch the movie and order the rest of the books in the series. Very interesting story line.
Not for fourth graders... I read this in fourth grade and I don't think I was mature enough to read it. As soon as I found out that Sarah was not beautiful for some reason or another I thought that she was not worth paying attention to, so therefore I got zilch from this book. It wasn't even that I was an immature fourth grader, I was already reading adult books that were 400 pages long. So I just thought I'd put my two cents in...
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