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The fourth book in the series that began with the Newbery Medal–winning Sarah, Plain and Tall by Patricia MacLachlan.
I am a watcher. I am a listener, too. I am invisible. I can make myself so small and quiet and hidden that sometimes no one knows I am there to watch and listen.
Cassie spends her days watching Grandfather and Caleb in the barn, looking out at Papa working the fields, spying on her mother, Sarah, feeding the goslings. She's an observer, a writer, a storyteller. Everything is as it should be.
But change is inevitable, even on the prairie. Something new is expected, and Sarah says it will be the perfect gift. Cassie isn't so sure. But just as life changes, people change too. And Cassie learns that unexpected surprises can bring great joy.
The fourth book in the series that began with the Newbery Medal–winning Sarah, Plain and Tall by Patricia MacLachlan.
I am a watcher. I am a listener, too. I am invisible. I can make myself so small and quiet and hidden that sometimes no one knows I am there to watch and listen.
Cassie spends her days watching Grandfather and Caleb in the barn, looking out at Papa working the fields, spying on her mother, Sarah, feeding the goslings. She's an observer, a writer, a storyteller. Everything is as it should be.
But change is inevitable, even on the prairie. Something new is expected, and Sarah says it will be the perfect gift. Cassie isn't so sure. But just as life changes, people change too. And Cassie learns that unexpected surprises can bring great joy.
Due to publisher restrictions the library cannot purchase additional copies of this title, and we apologize if there is a long waiting list. Be sure to check for other copies, because there may be other editions available.
Due to publisher restrictions the library cannot purchase additional copies of this title, and we apologize if there is a long waiting list. Be sure to check for other copies, because there may be other editions available.
Patricia MacLachlan (1938-2022) was the celebrated author of many timeless books for young readers, including Sarah, Plain and Tall, winner of the Newbery Medal. She was also the author of many beloved picture books, a number of which she cowrote with her daughter, Emily.
Reviews-
The author of SARAH, PLAIN AND TALL addresses new baby jealousy in her trademark forthright, yet sensitive, manner when Cassie refuses to acknowledge that her beloved mother, Sarah, is pregnant. Mingled with the story of Cassie learning to share are the sights and sounds of nineteenth-century farm life, making for a full-hearted rural tale. MacLachlan's writing has a sincere sweetness that Glenn Close's narration emphasizes. An adult may find the result slightly cloying, but it captivates young lis-teners. It's gentle and exquisitely articulated, and the pacing is superb, pausing at the right emotional moments, speeding up when Cassie is flustered. Very nicely done. A.C.S. 2005 ALA Notable Recording (c) AudioFile 2005, Portland, Maine
August 1, 2004 Cassie, the imaginative eight-year-old daughter of Sarah (from Sarah, Plain and Tall), narrates the fourth tale in the series, More Perfect than the Moon by Patricia MacLachlan. The girl writes her observations on prairie life (which she twists into funny, invented stories) into her journal, and is stunned to find out that her mother is pregnant again and must reconcile her feelings of abandonment. .
August 1, 2004 Gr 3-5-Another heartwarming installment in the saga of the Witting family, first made famous in Sarah, Plain and Tall (HarperCollins, 1985). In this fourth book, Anna is working with Dr. Sam in town and is engaged to Justin, and Caleb is busy on the farm, so it is the youngest member of the family's turn to keep a journal. Cassie, almost in third grade, is a watcher, a listener, and a writer. While Caleb scoffs at her stories as not being true, Cassie defends her imaginative entries as "my truth." When Sarah announces that she is going to have a baby, Cassie is angry, and worried that her mother won't have enough love left over for her. She is determined not to like the "terrible baby." As her loving family helps her come to terms with the inevitable birth, the journal entries provide a way for Cassie to blend "her truth" with the facts. In true MacLachlan fashion, the spare, graceful writing sparkles with fresh images, and the first-person point of view rests firmly with the child. While the pace is restrained, the exciting climax provides enough dramatic tension to keep readers' attention. A worthy companion to the earlier books.-Caroline Ward, The Ferguson Library, Stamford, CT
Copyright 2004 School Library Journal, LLC Used with permission.
June 1, 2004 Gr. 3-5. This fourth title in the " Sarah Plain and Tall " (1985) series highlights Cassie, Sarah and Jacob's eight-year-old daughter. Caleb has transferred journal-writing duties to her, and she tries to record what she observes, despite a tendency to write what she wishes might happen. Sarah and Jacob are expecting another baby, and Cassie is perturbed at the prospect. She is quite certain her new sibling won't be the "gift" her mother has promised. Wisely, Sarah allows her daughter to work through these feelings (at one point Cassie announces that the baby will be born a sheep--named Beatrice), and, by the time her new brother arrives, Cassie is able to concede that this "terrible baby" might be even more perfect than the moon. As always, MacLachlan's lyrical prose conveys volumes in a few well-chosen words. Solid, believable characters face classic dilemmas, yet the ending feels neither pat nor predictable. A fine, literate choice for beginning chapter-book readers, especially those already familiar with this series. (Reprinted with permission of Booklist, copyright 2004, American Library Association.)
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Katherine Tegen Books
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The author of SARAH, PLAIN AND TALL addresses new baby jealousy in her trademark forthright, yet sensitive, manner when Cassie refuses to acknowledge that her beloved mother, Sarah, is pregnant. Mingled with the story of Cassie learning to share are the sights and sounds of nineteenth-century farm life, making for a full-hearted rural tale. MacLachlan's writing has a sincere sweetness that Glenn Close's narration emphasizes. An adult may find the result slightly cloying, but it captivates young lis-teners. It's gentle and exquisitely articulated, and the pacing is superb, pausing at the right emotional moments, speeding up when Cassie is flustered. Very nicely done. A.C.S. 2005 ALA Notable Recording (c) AudioFile 2005, Portland, Maine
