- a lady (Sarah) from the coast of Maine responds to a prairie man’s advertisement for a wife & mother
- the two children and their papa are nervous but excited
- making sweet memories as they get to know each other, Sarah and the family soon become one
- no language concerns
Type: beginner chapter book
Ages: 5-8
Author: Patricia MacLachlan
MacLachlan’s literary talent shines in this short but poignant book. How authors can help readers connect with characters in so few words will always be an entrancing mystery to me.
Sarah, the potential wife, jumps right in to their way of living during her “trial month,” learning and delighting in many activities. She does miss the sea very much but is able to find a way to handle it.
Overall, this would make for great independent reading or a family-read aloud. It’s written from the older daughter’s perspective, but the brother comes into the story just as often as she does. I believe both boys and girls will enjoy this story.