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3.67 AVERAGE
3.67 AVERAGE
As suggested in [b:Excellent Books for Early and Eager Readers|26221386|Excellent Books for Early and Eager Readers|Kathleen T. Isaacs|https://i.gr-assets.com/images/S/compressed.photo.goodreads.com/books/1443624593l/26221386._SY75_.jpg|46204333]
This is probably one of my favorite books from when I was in elementary school. I remember staying up and reading it in one night several times.
I didn't expect this to be so heartwarming! You know how, in a romance novel with a hero who has kids and looks for a wife or governess to help take care of them, the parts where the kids and the heroine get to know each other are so sweet? That's what this whole book felt like.
A quick read. A gentle but not too gentle kid's book. I enjoyed it a lot.
Book 4 of 52
I'd read Sarah Plain and Tall when I was a child. I grabbed it up for a quick re-read for book club (we were reading Newberys)After reading 11 other Newberys already last year I think this was the first time I'd really understood why this book won the prize.
It's very short, I read it in an hour. Despite it's brevity the story it tells is any thing but trivial. Instead of going on for 200 or 300 pages wordy-ly describing historical events in a way that adults would assume would be excellent for children as far as education purposes, it tells a simple story. Using choice words sparingly, but it a way that goes straight to the heart. As an adult I recognized just how accurate the thoughts and vocabulary of the children are. Although Caleb and Anna are certainly sweet and Caleb is very precocious they also felt real. And instead of having a "deep understanding of the world" as so many overly-mature children in fiction, they simply observe without comment and leave it up to the reader to draw conclusions.
I was especially intrigued by Anna's analysis of her Pa's and Sarah's relationship. Far from sappy or protective of her mother's memory, Anna just wants everyone to be happy, as far as I can remember, love is never mentioned, and it doesn't even cross Anna's mind. But we deftly see two people who barely know each other fall deeply in love.
Some authors can tell us how to think and feel, and it's effective, but when an author says nothing at all, and yet you still feel moved, that's when you know you've got a good book in your hands.
Or maybe I just don't like being told what to do ;-)
I don't mean to diss other Newberys in any way. I loved all of the ones I'd read, but I'm an adult. And often times I felt like an adult reading them. Sarah Plain and Tall was different. It reminded me of when I was Anna's age. I felt the pain she had over the lose of her mother and felt very little-girlish in a way that made me want to hold my mother close to me.
On a separate note, I was also very impressed this reading with how outstanding the movie adaption is. Extremely close to the book, I can remember almost every single line being in the film. But it expanded it in a way I thought was spot on and very true to the story.
Sarah Plain and Tall is really an beautiful book that I look forward to reading to my children some day.
I'd read Sarah Plain and Tall when I was a child. I grabbed it up for a quick re-read for book club (we were reading Newberys)After reading 11 other Newberys already last year I think this was the first time I'd really understood why this book won the prize.
It's very short, I read it in an hour. Despite it's brevity the story it tells is any thing but trivial. Instead of going on for 200 or 300 pages wordy-ly describing historical events in a way that adults would assume would be excellent for children as far as education purposes, it tells a simple story. Using choice words sparingly, but it a way that goes straight to the heart. As an adult I recognized just how accurate the thoughts and vocabulary of the children are. Although Caleb and Anna are certainly sweet and Caleb is very precocious they also felt real. And instead of having a "deep understanding of the world" as so many overly-mature children in fiction, they simply observe without comment and leave it up to the reader to draw conclusions.
I was especially intrigued by Anna's analysis of her Pa's and Sarah's relationship. Far from sappy or protective of her mother's memory, Anna just wants everyone to be happy, as far as I can remember, love is never mentioned, and it doesn't even cross Anna's mind. But we deftly see two people who barely know each other fall deeply in love.
Some authors can tell us how to think and feel, and it's effective, but when an author says nothing at all, and yet you still feel moved, that's when you know you've got a good book in your hands.
Or maybe I just don't like being told what to do ;-)
I don't mean to diss other Newberys in any way. I loved all of the ones I'd read, but I'm an adult. And often times I felt like an adult reading them. Sarah Plain and Tall was different. It reminded me of when I was Anna's age. I felt the pain she had over the lose of her mother and felt very little-girlish in a way that made me want to hold my mother close to me.
On a separate note, I was also very impressed this reading with how outstanding the movie adaption is. Extremely close to the book, I can remember almost every single line being in the film. But it expanded it in a way I thought was spot on and very true to the story.
Sarah Plain and Tall is really an beautiful book that I look forward to reading to my children some day.
emotional
reflective
slow-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Plot
Strong character development:
No
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
No
