Caleb's Story (Sarah, Plain and Tall)

The third book in the Sarah, Plain and Tall-series.

I just love this series of books that resembles The Little House on the Prairie and also is told from the children’s perspective. The first two books from Anne’s perspective - she’s a teenager now and leave the family to study and work in the city - and hands over the diary to her brother Caleb.

Anna has done something terrible.
She has given me a journal to fill.
"It's your job now," Anna says.

This time the crisis in the family is not drought - well another form of drought - a deep seated conflict between Caleb’s father and grandfather - it’s exposed when the grandfather comes to visit them after years of silence and absence.

Patricia Maclachlan again writes in sparse, poetical show more language with wonderful wisdom - again the mother Sarah is the cornerstone in the family and tries to hold everything together.

Caleb: “… I want most of all for you to forgive Grandfather. I want you to forgive Grandfather so I can grow up and be just like you.”

Another fine reading by Glenn Close who also stars as Sarah in the movie-adaptations. show less

Patricia McLachlan is a true literary magician..... her work packs such a punch in very few words. Her simplistic, no words wasted style has a surprising depth. With likable characters and an interesting setting, this is a series to be enjoyed by young and old alike.

Way back when I first read (and loved!) the first two historical fiction books about the Witting family—beginning with the acclaimed Sarah, Plain and Tall—this third book didn't exist. So I'm finally taking the opportunity to continue the series.

In keeping with those before it, although this story told from young Caleb's point of view is a children's book, it isn't just a simplistic little kiddie tale. And in a way, it's more Caleb's father's and grandfather's story than it is Caleb's. It's serious and understated in its illustration of a critical family rift and what it takes to repair it.

It was interesting seeing how the author ties this tale to the previous two with gentle reminders from the family's past. I certainly plan on show more continuing with the next book. show less

Anna is going into town and leaves her journals with Caleb, encouraging him to continue writing their family story. Caleb doesn't think he'll have much to write about, but then his little sister Cassie discovers a man behind their barn - their grandfather, their father Jacob's father who left him behind many years ago.

MacLachlan's spare style continues the story of the Witting family, now telling it through Caleb's eyes as he deals with Anna leaving and his grandfather appearing, and hopes for reconciliation between his father and grandfather. It's also given a definite time frame: just at the end of World War 1 during the influenza pandemic, a detail I had forgotten. Perhaps as an adult the ending is just a little too perfect, but it's show more a warm story about family and forgiveness. show less

"It's your job now," Anna says as she hands Caleb her journals, asking him to continue writing the family story. But Sarah, Jacob, Anna, Caleb, and their new little sister, Cassie, have already formed a family, and Caleb fears there will be nothing left to write about. That is, before Cassie discovers a mysterious old man in the barn, and everything changes. Everyone is excited about the arrival of a new family member--except for Jacob, who holds a bitter grudge. Only the special love of Caleb, and the gift he offers, can help to mend the pain of the past.

Anna has grown up and passed the story on to her little brother Caleb. From his perspective, we watch a family drama play out when a mysterious stranger appears and upsets Caleb’s dad Jacob. For me, this book lost some of the charm of the originals. For one thing, Caleb sounds too much like his older sister for me to really feel like it’s someone else telling the story. But I was also very invested in watching this little family come together, and now we’re moving on to new things. That doesn’t make it bad, by any means, just not quite as enjoyable for me.

I originally hadn’t planned to continue this series past the 1st book, but discovering that the audiobooks were narrated by Glenn Close, who played Sarah in the movies, made show more me decide to continue. However, her narrating a story by a young boy isn’t quite as good as narrating a story by a pre-teen to teenage girl (Anna in the first 2 books). I don’t plan to continue the series, but I do highly recommend the first two. show less

Anna has given me an arduous task. I,Caleb, must continue writing the story of our family life. I don't like journal writing and have no talent for words. We work on a farm, we go to school. Besides nothing happens here or so I thought. Cassie and I find a strange man living in our barn.This man,John, (our long-lost grandfather) joins our family. My journal writing comes to life!

"The wind howls outside, the snow and sleet hitting the windows like stones there. Inside it is peaceful. But John doesn't look peaceful at all. He looks like he has secrets. I will find out what they are."