Patricia MacLachlan, who has died aged 84, was the author of more than 60 novels and picture books for children, among them Sarah, Plain and Tall (1985). This short novel for young readers has sold around 7m copies and garnered an impressive list of awards.
The story is set on a poor farm on the prairie and told in the first person by 10-year-old Anna, carer of her brother Caleb, whose mother died giving birth to him. She records the arrival of the eponymous Sarah, to take care of the family. Drawing much on nature, particularly on spring and its regenerative qualities, Sarah, Plain and Tall is a vivid story of great intensity, despite having little obvious drama. It embodies MacLachlan’s ability to weave a powerful narrative around family interactions that creates a fully realised picture despite being restrained – and told briefly.
