Bibliographic Information: MacLachlan, Patricia. (1985). Sarah, Plain and Tall. Illus. Marcia Sewall. New York, NY: Harper Collins Publishers.
Brief Annotation: This story is about a family that has lost their wife and mother as well as her songs. Papa sends out an advertisement for a wife and mother. Set in the prairies of the West, this farming family learns to love and accept Sarah, plain and tall, as their own. She is from the East coast and brings with her a seal grey cat, sea shells, songs, determination and lots of love for her new life and family.
Genre: Historical Fiction
Grade Level: Read alouds, grades 2-4; Independent reading ages 8-12
Readers who will like this: If you enjoy stories of the West and historical fiction, you will enjoy this wonderfully poignant and beautifully descriptive story.
Response/Rating (1-4): Every time I read this story my senses are fully engaged; I can smell the sea and hear the wind howling over the prairie grasses. This book is short but the story is tender with emotion and is humorous. I know there are other stories in the series, but I wish this story went on a little longer. I rate it 3 of 4.
One question you would ask before a read aloud: How would you describe the landscapes of the West and East? From the title, what do you think Sarah is like? What does "plain" mean? Why do yo think people put advertisements in newspapers for wives?
No comments:
Post a Comment