Sarah, Plain and Tall Audio Collection

By: Patricia MacLachlan

Narrated by: Glenn Close

Length: 4 hrs and 23 mins

Publisher's Summary

"Did Mama sing every day?" Caleb asks his sister Anna.

"Every-single-day", she answers. "Papa sang, too."

The Newbery Medal-winning Sarah, Plain and Tall is the first of five books in Patricia MacLachlan's chapter book series about the Witting family. Set in the late 19th 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. Before Sarah arrives, Anna and her younger brother Caleb wait and wonder. Will Sarah be nice? Will she sing? Will she stay?

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. Sarah, Plain and Tall gently explores themes of abandonment, loss and love.

This collection includes the first three books in the series: Sarah, Plain and Tall; Skylark; and Caleb's Story.

Supports the Common Core State Standards

Don't miss the next story about life on the Witting family farm. Make More Perfect Than the Moon your next listen.

©1985, 1994, 2001 Patricia MacLachlan (P)2003 HarperCollins Publishers, Inc.

Critic Reviews

Newbery Medal Winner, 1986

Missing Skylark, but still excellent

The 4 hours and 22 minutes includes Sarah, Plain and Tall and Caleb's Story, and an interview with the author. But there was no Skylark.

What was there was excellent, both the story and the narration. My six year old and nine year old listened raptly, as did I. I liked that it had a complicated family (mail order bride becomes a step mother), and complicated emotions, painted against a prairie farm back drop. It feels true.

What matters in the simple life

What made the experience of listening to Sarah, Plain and Tall Audio Collection the most enjoyable?

The feeling of hearing the children as real children, natural, vulnerable and brave enough to love, drew me right in. The slow warm growing of trust, and again, courage to love, and to find new ways of being together, a new family, and each part of it also an integral, developing being. Even the farm!And of course, Glenn Close reading to me. I could trust her voice to carry me through the rich textures with nary a false note. She reads, it feels, from the inside out.

Who was your favorite character and why?

Sarah is my favourite - a role model too. How she sees clearly, thinks for herself, makes courageous decisions for her life and relationships, expresses grief without pretending, and gives each person and creature time to get to know and trust her. She lives, it seemed to me, from a clear inner core of self-knowledge and inner security to risk comfort and love.

Was there a moment in the book that particularly moved you?

The crayons - taking the sea with me...

Wonderful

Better than I remembered.
I never knew there was a series!
My children loved it.

A great delight!!

This book was like a companion to me as I lay sick in bed. I watched the movie as a child and loved the simplicity and the beautiful relationships between the characters.

I enjoyed the book even more and the characters became like my family. I even found myself tearing up in parts, especially in Caleb's Song.

The love that develops between Sarah and the father is a thing of beauty! And I can't say enough about the fabulous job Glenn Close did as the narrator. I know I will listen to this story many more times and I hope to introduce these stories to my nephews and niece this summer!

My favorite audio book,because it appeals to all ages.A lovely story of brave people who work and enjoy each other..Its narrated

It's beautifully narrated by Glen Close and a love story that shows h ow one family survives when the odds are against them.

3 stories

We received all three books mentioned: Sarah, Skylark, and Caleb’s Story. These are classic, sweet books great for elementary kids.

An All-Time Favorite

Before now, my only exposure to these stories has been the ‘Hallmark Hall of Fame’ movies on television. In the past I’ve watched ‘Sarah, Plain and Tall’ and ‘Skylark’ many times. A few years ago I became visually impaired, so I bought the books on audio to continue my enjoyment of them.

It’s been many years since my last viewing of ‘Winter’s End’, but if my memory is correct, the movie is from Cassie’s POV. I much prefer the book ‘Caleb’s Story’ to the film version. It seems more poignant somehow. I love that the thread tying the 3rd book to its predecessors is Anna handing down the writing tradition to Caleb; he is now the Witting family chronicler.

I have immense love for the world MacLachlan has created and the characters that inhabit it. I foresee many repeat listens in my future.

One production note: the first book, ‘Sarah Plain and Tall’, has a constant noticeable background buzz to it. I listened to the sample for the stand-alone audio of Book 1 and it has the same buzzing sound. The other 2 books were fine.

Glenn Close is an acting goddess. Her voice-acting performance of these books equals the outstanding writing by MacLachlan.

Highly recommended. 5++ stars.

Sarah plain and tall

I love this story i can't believe Sarah never touched a sheep!🐑 but i never touched a seal!☺

Amazing...

I loved this book for how touching it is, I cried almost in every chapter.
I would recommend this book for people of all ages.
I hope you will enjoy this book as much as I did.

great story

This is in the vain of Little House on the Prairie but more grown up. There were real emotions shared with the characters