Patricia MacLachlan

Patricia MacLachlan, the bestselling author of beloved books for young readers, was best known for her Newbery Medal-winning novel Sarah, Plain and Tall, and its sequels Skylark, Caleb’s Story, and More Perfect than the Moon.

 Recent publications include A Secret Shared, When Grandfather Flew, The Poet’s Dog, The Hundred-Year Barn, My Father’s Words, Prairie Days, My Friend Earth, Flyaway, The Iridescence of Birds, and Snowflakes Fall.

 Born in Cheyenne, Wyoming, Patty graduated from the University of Connecticut and lived with her husband on a mountain top in Williamsburg, Massachusetts where she wrote and welcomed visits by her children and grandchildren.

Reviews

Painting the Game

“The late Newbery Medalist blends themes of baseball and painting with loving family and friends in this slim work—her final novel—about the daughter of a minor-league pitcher and a painter seeking courage and her own path to pursuing her dreams. Eleven-year-old Lucy’s mother explains that Lucy’s father is "trying to paint the game. Like me painting a picture. Trying to make the game come out the way he wants." But when Lucy stands on the pitching mound, it’s "the scariest place I’ve ever been." Determined to find the courage to overcome her fear, she secretly practices pitching in pre-dawn hours, choosing to perfect her father’s signature knuckleball. In this quiet story, everybody has a secret as well as encouraging partners: for Lucy, it’s her friends Tex and Robin, who coach her in private. Affectionate, conflict-free relationships and myriad expressions of support and respect among the compassionate characters nudge the tale toward sentimentality, but Lucy’s gentle, understated narration and persistence toward her goal keep it grounded in authenticity. All characters other than a Puerto Rican–born adult present as white.”—Publishers Weekly

Snow Horses

“Evocative artwork and gentle prose from the creators of Prairie Days distinguish this intergenerational tale about a community that celebrates the last night of the year with sleigh rides for young and old. Tim and Tom, the black Percheron horses who pull the sleigh, "love winter./ They love the snow." Young Jenny, a child portrayed with brown skin, hitches them up, then takes the reins as "sleigh bells sing." Archer shows a bird’s-eye view of the sleigh crossing a snowy field, a final splash of sunset splendor across the horizon behind them. The community’s children and adults, portrayed with varied skin tones, appear amid lacy ink and paper-collage landscapes rich with patterns and warm hues. First, the children ride through the sparkling town before bed; then, "grandmothers,/ grandfathers,/ aunts and uncles,/ and longtime friends" take a turn, remembering their own youths. Text by the late MacLachlan captures incidents others might miss ("A little golden dog comes out to run alongside/ the horses—a beacon in the dark"), and the rhythm of the lines lulls while conveying pleasure and excitement. It’s a celebratory winter story that many can share.” —Publishers Weekly, Starred Review

“For communities seeking a unique take on New Year’s Eve.”—School Library Journal

“A quiet, deeply satisfying celebration of the turn of the year and the joy of community.”—Kirkus Reviews

My Life Begins!

“New babies mean a big change for an older brother. Jacob is 9 years old when he and his parents welcome some new additions to their family—triplets! Jacob calls them the “Trips,” although they of course each have their own name, and Mom dresses each in a different color to make it easier to tell them apart. Jacob wishes the family could have gotten a puppy instead. But one night, when his parents are too exhausted to wake up, one of the babies starts crying, and Jacob tends to her. It’s Liz, the “most friendly” Trip. In the moonlight, she even smiles just for him—though he knows it might just be a reflex. So when Jacob’s class is tasked with finding a topic for a research project, he chooses the Trips. As time passes, and the family hires an extra set of hands to help with the little ones, the Trips show more of their individual personalities. MacLachlan’s calm, measured writing focuses on moments of everyday magic and charm, and Jacob’s observational notes read almost like poetry. This family is loving and oh-so pleasant, often becoming emotional at the simple but significant beauty of the babies’ growth milestones. Mimi, the hired nanny, is French, but there are no textual indicators of race; the occasional illustrations show most characters as light-skinned. Precious.”—Kirkus Reviews

“An only child until the age of nine, Jacob Black views his solitary baby picture on the living room wall as “lonely” and wishes for a litter of puppies, like his friend Bella has. Instead, he gets a “litter of Trips,” as he affectionately calls his new baby sisters, triplets Charlotte, Katherine, and Elizabeth. Late Newbery Medalist MacLachlan’s slender, resonant novel traces Jacob’s adjustment to life as an older brother in his own calm and reasonable, often questioning, voice as well as in his documentation of the Trips’ growth (unnaturally swift—they crawl and drink juice out of sippy cups within months) for a school research project. MacLachlan’s understated language is effective and evocative, the characters consistently thoughtful and kind. The conflict-free story takes measured steps through Jacob’s small inner discoveries, his formation of a new identity as older sibling, and his growing relationships with each of his sisters. Miyares’s (Big and Small and In-Between) inky, sketchlike b&w art enhances the book’s tender tone. Characters present as racially ambiguous.”—Publishers Weekly

My Poet

“Lucy, who is white, lives next door to a poet; as the two wander the farmers' market, beach, and boat house on the first day of summer vacation, they observe the natural world and transform it into words. With notebook and pen, Lucy is still trying to get the hang of it, while (readers learn from the author's note) her slender companion, a white woman with short gray hair, is based on Mary Oliver. Lucy observes the poet as much as the strawberries, stones, and spiderwebs they see: "Does she untangle the sound of/ aspen leaves/ blowing in the wind/ into words?" Hill's illustrations are bright and breezy, loose, and beachy; the poet's dogs-one black, one white-are on nearly every page. At home in the evening, Lucy writes a short poem of her own, about a stone the poet gave her on the beach. First-person narration from the child's perspective lends an open, curious tone that may inspire readers to be close observers and try their hands at poetry, too. VERDICT Even without the author's note, this is a gentle but formidable addition to picture book collections everywhere; as nuanced as a poem, it spells out as much as it withholds and leaves readers with questions they'll be inspired to try to answer themselves.”—School Library Journal , Starred Review

“In this dreamy introduction to the art and craft of writing, late Newbery Medalist MacLachlan follows fair-haired child Lucy and her summertime neighbor, a gray-haired older woman—“my poet”—through a seaside town and environs as Lucy, her own notebook and pen in tow, tries to discover how the poet finds her words. “Does the sand whisper to her?” Lucy wonders as they navigate the beach with the poet’s dogs. “Do the roses sing words?” The twosome’s gentle relationship—their pale coloring and clothing echo each other—is tenderly rendered in Hill’s (Be Strong) muted gouache illustrations, as are the atmospheric landscapes: windswept beaches with fenced-in dunes and wild rugosa rose bushes, woods bordering marshes, and modest cottages. Lucy’s quiet joy in learning to find her own words, encouraged by the poet, is uplifting for anyone who has engaged in creative process. This inviting book reads as an ode to Oliver, the Cape, and new undertakings. An author’s note explains that the text is inspired by the late poet Mary Oliver, with whom she sometimes crossed paths on Cape Cod.”—Publishers Weekly

“A love of words, walks, and a watery natural landscape highlight an intergenerational friendship in this posthumously published picture book from Newbery winner MacLachlan. Hill's blowsy, light-washed pictures capture the area's magic. A sweet paean to inspiration and contemplation.”— Booklist

“Poets find words everywhere. Lucy, a young child, and an older neighbor whom Lucy calls “my poet,” look for words as they walk together on the first day of summer vacation. Lucy notes that the poet—inspired by poet Mary Oliver—uses rich language to describe objects, and Lucy wonders where the poet’s words and ideas come from. Lucy ponders and closely observes the poet. Narrated by Lucy in first person, this quiet, gentle tale suggests that evocative language emerges when one opens oneself to commonplace visual, auditory, and tactile experiences all around. Doing so invites rich streams of wonderful words—hence, poetry. Lucy demonstrates an understanding of this principle while waxing poetic at the sight of a web-spinning spider. The poet acknowledges that she appreciates Lucy’s effort. “You’re finding your words,” she tells the child. As “proof,” the book concludes with a lovely poem from Lucy. The late MacLachlan’s sweet, quiet story will work best for contemplative readers. Children enjoy toying with language, and this book validates their playful enjoyment of and experiments with wordplay. A fun follow-up to a classroom or library read-aloud could include having children describe familiar objects in imaginative, poetic ways. The simple, endearing gouache illustrations ably suit the narrative. The protagonists are light-skinned; other characters are diverse. Will empower kids to realize they, too, can be poets.”—Kirkus Reviews

A Secret Shared

 “MacLachlan’s (Wondrous Rex) signature short, careful sentences, delivered in Nora’s first-person narration, imbue each phrase with significance, creating a lyrical ambiance that draws readers into the close family circle, particularly as their mother explains the poignant circumstances through which Birdy became part of their family. Especially moving is the depiction of the parents’ love for each other as well as their children as they move forward into their newly shared truth.”                —Publishers Weekly, Starred Review

When Grandfather Flew

 “This poignant, tender tale, economically told, brims with love and kindness, not to mention respect—for elders and for nature—and is sure to evoke empathy among readers and listeners. Kids who’ve lost close family members may feel reassured that memories of their loved ones will persist in a sweet manner. The gentle, textured illustrations, created with watercolors, pastels, and pencil, are lovely, depicting the various birds named herein with colorful majesty . . . Warm, calming, affectionate, quietly soaring.”                 —Kirkus Reviews, Starred Review

 “When Grandfather passes away, it’s Milo who spots a bald eagle swooping over their yard and connects remarks Grandfather once made about his vision of an afterlife his wish for an eagle’s visual acuity: “Grandfather got his wish!! . . . He sees the sky. He sees the world. He sees us! Grandfather flies!” . . . Sheban’s impressionistic watercolor and pastel illustrations ably capture MacLachlan’s contemplative mood; rendering characters and their environment in the same textures underscores the family’s shared identification as part of rather than apart from nature and makes Milo’s eureka moment less wishful childish fancy than an organic part of his worldview.”                 —Bulletin of the Center for Children’s Books

 “In this elegiac story about love and loss, a youngest grandchild becomes his grandfather’s eyes when the older man begins to lose his sight . . . MacLachlan (Wondrous Rex) creates deeply sympathetic characters in a few sentences, and invites readers to share in the lives of a family nurtured by the natural world—and comforted by it in their grief.”                —Publishers Weekly, Starred Review

“Text and illustrations interplay beautifully, as in the quiet image of a sad Milo being hugged when he discovers that Grandfather has gone. A sensitive portrayal of family, love, life, and death presented in a child- friendly manner.”                —The Horn Book

My Friend Earth

"A beautifully designed ode to the planet—perfect for celebrating Earth Day or anytime." —School Library Journal , Starred Review

"A poetic entrée into Earth’s modes rendered with an appreciation for natural details." —Publishers Weekly, Starred Review

Prairie Days

"A vibrant celebration of daily life on a prairie farm." —Book Page , Starred Review

"A deeply nostalgic look at once-upon-a-time Midwest farm life." —Kirkus Reviews 

"Childhoods as free as this one are not as common as they once were; borrowing MacLachlan's is the next best thing." —Publishers Weekly , Starred Review 

"Nostalgic, yet filled with timeless experiences."—Booklist 

Wondrous Rex

". . . this book will please younger readers and inspire would-be wordsmiths." —Booklist

"MacLachlan again proves her gift for shaping endearing and credible characters—even a magical canine—in this bright yet reflective story." —Publishers Weekly

The Hundred-Year Barn

"MacLachlan and Pak invite readers into the rhythms of the small family farm and important moments, small and great, over a century of its life." —Publishers Weekly, Starred Review

"A cozy filter through which to imagine growing up." —Kirkus Reviews 

"The solid building at the heart of the farm offers comfort and continuity in the life of a family." —Booklist 

Dream Within A Dream

"MacLachlan again concisely and authentically conveys character and emotion . . ." —Publishers Weekly, Starred Review

"This book clings to the heart and echoes in the soul for days." —Kirkus Reviews , Starred Review

"A warm look at a small, welcoming community which values friendship and art" —School Library Connection

Chicken Talk

"MacLachlan offers . . . a spirited defense of animals as distinct beings with unacknowledged powers of observation." —Publishers Weekly 

"Children will love suggesting names . . . , as they speculate what the chickens will write next."—Booklist

My Father’s Words

"Patricia MacLachlan is the master of quiet books that pack an emotional wallop. . . . a beautifully nuanced portrait of one family’s recovery after tragedy."—New York Times Book Review

"Simple words make a flawless story about resilience, hope, healing, and the eternal fitness of things." —Kirkus Reviews, Starred Review

"This heartwarming title from an acclaimed author is a solid choice for school and public libraries seeking new bibliotherapy titles for children on loss and grief." —School Library Journal 

"MacLachlan masterfully mingles core themes in this slim volume: the power of words and song, memories and family, the mutually redemptive human-canine bond, and 'the eternal fitness of things.'" —Publishers Weekly , Starred Review

"Deeply moving and uplifting in unexpected ways." —Booklist , Starred Review

The Poet’s Dog

"Magical. A quiet, elegant, poignant story suffused with humor, heart, and goodness." —Kirkus Reviews , Starred Review 

"Readers will find their own jewel in this gem of a book." —Booklist 

"A spare, moving tale. Using simple words that even youngest readers will understand and enjoy, MacLachlan tackles subjects such as death and mourning with understated grace." —Publishers Weekly , Starred Review

 "Dog-lovers and budding poets with a taste for quiet whimsy, or fans of MacLachlan’s measured and lyrical writing, may want to check this out." —Bulletin of the Center for Children’s Books

 "A tender story of love and grief,  The Poet’s Dog  perfectly illustrates how special friends can heal a broken heart." —Jo Knowles, author

 "Though this contemplative fantasy explores grief, it is also about overcoming loss and is resolved in a way that will comfort sensitive readers. A strong purchase for larger fiction collections." —School Library Journal 

 "This enchanting tale of friendship-of the canine and poetic kind-- will warm your heart like a firelit cabin on a snowy night. I loved it!" —Laura Resau, author

"A top pick for chapter book collections." — School Library Journal , Starred Review

"An upbeat collection of five stories that bridges picture book and chapter book terrain." —Publishers Weekly

"Fans will be begging for more." —The Horn Book Magazine 

Someone Like Me

"MacLachlan offers a string of brief, poetic vignettes that add up to an impressionistic memoir (real or imagined) of childhood and a recognition of how early inclinations, experiences, and family ties contribute to identity." —Booklist , Starred Review

"Will appeal to fans of the Henry and Mudge series as well as to the younger picture-book audience."—Kirkus Reviews

"An inspiring choice for fertile young minds trying to find their voices by seeing the world around them."—Kirkus Reviews 

Someone Like You

"A quiet tale about finding your own voice." —Kirkus Reviews 

"A good choice for empathetic young readers and most ­middle grade shelves."—School Library Journal 

"Sylvie’s close bonds with her brother and an array of supportive adults distinguish this memorable story, which showcases MacLachlan’s gifts for rich characterization, honest emotion, and deceptive simplicity."—Publishers Weekly, Starred Review

Little Robot Alone

"Little Robot is instantly winning—surprisingly expressive, sweet but never cloying, and in service to a higher and very relatable purpose." —Publishers Weekly, Starred Review

"A book to cherish for years to come." —Kirkus Reviews, Starred Review