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Summary: Sarah, Plain and Tall Reviewed By Capozza's Crew
Review: If you like historical fiction, you should read Sarah, Plain and Tall for three reasons. This novel, to begin, explores the geography of Kansas and Maine. Sarah, who is from Maine, travels to Kansas, to be a wife and mom. There, she learns about life on the plains, and brings the sea to the Wittings. Furthermore, there is suspense in this novel. I kept wondering if Sarah would stay or return to Maine. The characters also have to face a squall, which is a wind, rain, and hail storm. Another good thing about this book is the characters, because they are funny yet responsible. Caleb, the youngest, is a typical brother, and Anna is a classic older sister. In conclusion, Sarah, Plain and Tall is an excellent book for all ages.
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Summary: A poetic story about love and family
Review: "Sarah, Plain and Tall," by Patricia MacLachlan, received the 1986 Newbery Medal, a distinguished honor in the world of literature for young people. The honor was well deserved. "Sarah" is a warm, moving story."Sarah" is a story told in the first-person by Anna, a young farm girl who lives with her widowed father and younger brother, Caleb. Anna's father sends by mail for a prospective new wife: Sarah, a woman from the Maine seacoast. As the story unfolds, Sarah arrives on the farm and gets to know the family. MacLachlan writes in a simple but poetic style that expertly conveys the emotions of her characters. MacLachlan is wonderful at catching the details of farm life, which the reader discovers along with Sarah. I also like the way MacLachlan evokes the Maine coastal landscape through Sarah's dialogue. There is a subtle suspense to the story: will Sarah decide to stay and become a part of the story? I won't give away the ending. But I will say that "Sara" is a gentle and compassionate book for readers of all ages.
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Summary: Are They a Perfect Couple or Not?
Review: This amazing novel will knock your socks off. This story is about a man named Jacob and his two kids,Anna and Caleb. Jacob's wife died the day after Caleb was born and Jacob needs a new wife. Jacob decides to put an advertisment in the newspaper for a new wife. Look what he found a lady named Sarah. Read this book and see if Jacob and Sarah are a perfect match for marriage.
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Summary: A Hallmark made-for-TV movie, but oh boy!
Review: The book of the same title was incredibly thin but packed such a powerful punch that it's no wonder it was made into a movie, and it's not at all cheesy. Set in 1910, it's the story of the Kansas frontier, and of Sarah, a spinster schoolteacher from Maine who answered a newspaper ad placed by a widower seeking a wife to mother his children. Watching the wariness with which all the people approach each other and the lonely situation is emotional. Sarah, of completely different background, soon wins over the sad little household, and slowly a certain and very special kind of love develops.
Perfect for family viewing, okay for kids of all ages.
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Summary: Perfect
Review: During the days of homesteading on the American plains, it was not unusual for women to die in childbirth. Caleb and Anna lost their mother to the birth of her second child.The two children yearn for a mother while their father, Jacob, needs a woman to care for his children and home. This is the reason why Jacob advertises for a mail-order bride. Sarah lives on the beautiful Maine coast. She has never married, so when she sees the ad, she answers, describing herself as plain and tall. The children anxiously await Sarah's arrival. Her intention is to investigate the family and the plains before making a committment. She is quiet and matter-of-fact, but quickly captures the hearts of the two children. They worry she does not want to stay, their father seems to be too impatient, and Sarah learns to drive the buggy. When she goes into town, the children are afraid that Sarah, who misses the Maine seashore, is gone for good. This is a lovely story about the need for love, while teaching the reader about life in the midwest during the previous two centuries. Gentle and inspiring.
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Summary: Sarah Plain and Tall
Review: I did not care for this book because the plot could have been developed better. More detail would have been appreciated.
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Summary: I may be a kid, but I have big thoughts!
Review: Sarah, Plain and Tall is about a girl named Anna who's mother dies from giving birth to Anna's brother Caleb. Leading a very lonely life, Anna's father has no choice but to remarry. So, he puts an ad in the paper. A few days later, he gets a reply from a lady named Sarah Wheaton. She wants to take the place of Anna's mother. When Sarah arrives, Anna and Caleb can't help but noticing how very sad Sarah is. "I love the sea." she says. Will Sarah stay? With 4(and 1/2)stars what do you think? Read this book to find out!
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Summary: Plain, Tall, and Succint
Review: The Amazon.com rating system is severely flawed. This book deserves 4 and 1/2 stars, but no such rating exists. Just the same, "Sarah, Plain and Tall" is a short sweet story. Some have criticized MacLachlan's unrealistic depiction of a mail order bride that has a say in whether she stays or returns to her hometown. Arguments have been made that this depiction is not historically accurate and that women did not have such choices in the pioneer days of early America. I am willing to point out that the book itself is a little more complex. Though told in the second person, the primary eyes and ears of this tale are small children. To them, everything depends on whether or not Sarah stays. It is worthwhile to note that Sarah herself never says that she is "deciding" on whether or not she is staying. Nor does the father offer any sort of worry or concern along those lines (unless you count his initial reluctance to teach Sarah how to drive a carriage). My own personal theory is that this idea is solely in the heads of the children. The fact that Sarah does not immediately marry their father does throw this interpretation into a little confusion, but it's far easier to believe that Sarah "does things her way" and wants to wait a little while before marrying someone she doesn't know, rather than believe she would have any real choice in the matter. I have been told that boys would never voluntarily read this book on their own because it is (horrors) pink. Furthermore, it has a girl's name in the title. And admittedly such things would be highly suspect to most (not all) little boys. Just the same, I believe boys will get just as much out of this story as girls would. I recommend "Sarah, Plain and Tall" to any child that is into stories of orphan children finding a home. Though a different reading level, it wouldn't pair badly with "Pictures of Hollis Woods" or even "Bud, Not Buddy". Alternatively, it would also go well with homestead stories like the Little House books or "Caddie Woodlawn". Short simple chapters make it a great read aloud tale for the younger set. Enjoy!
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Summary: Sarah,Plain and Tall
Review: I think the video was better than the book. I know that it was a child's book, so therefore they had to use smaller words and less detail. But if we are going to expand the minds of our children then we need to use more detail in our books. I would recommend children to read this book, because, yes, it has a good story behind it. I would definately recommend the video because it is so much more detailed and exciting. If you enjoy love stories and more or less western time stories then you'll like this movie.
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Summary: not as strong as i remember it
Review: Like many people, I read this book first when I was a small child. And it has been maybe 20 years since I've seen it. I picked it up to reread it (doesn't take long) and I found that it wasn't as strong of a book as I remember it to be. I'm not talking about the simple language, after all, it is written for a child. Rather, the characters are one dimensional. And the children seem far to quick to accept Sarah as their new mother. But, it is a children's book, and doesn't have to stand up to the close scrutiny one gives an adult's book. It is a touching story about love and the creation of a family. It helps to teach accpetance, even love of a stepparent. I do recommend this for the kids.
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