Name ___________________________________________________
Reading Guide
Sarah-Plain and Tall
Chapter One
1. Who is telling the story? ___________________________________________________
2. Is this story told in first person or third person narrative? ________________ How can
you tell? ________________________________________________________________
3. What does Anna think is the worst thing about Caleb? ____________________________
________________________________________________________________________
4. Why does Sarah say in her letter that she feels it is necessary for her to move?
_______________________________________________________________________
_______________________________________________________________________
5. What do you know about Sarah? _____________________________________________
________________________________________________________________________
6. What happened to Anna and Caleb’s mother? ___________________________________
________________________________________________________________________
7. Why had Papa placed an ad in the newspaper? __________________________________
__________________________________________________________________________
8. Define hearth. ___________________________________________________________
9. Define dusk. _____________________________________________________________
10.Define dough. ____________________________________________________________
11. Define wretched. _________________________________________________________
Chapter 2
1. What do you think Anna asked Sarah in her letter? _______________________________
__________________________________________________________________________
2. What do you think Caleb asked Sarah is his letter? ______________________________
__________________________________________________________________________
3. Sarah says she is not mild-mannered. What are some examples to support this?
4. When you read Sarah's letters, how do you feel about her? ________________________
Why? _____________________________________________________________________
5. Who is Jacob? ___________________________________________________________
4. Do you think Sarah will get along with the children? ____________ Why or why not?
_________________________________________________________________________
5. What important message did Papa show the children that was at the bottom of Sarah’s
letter? ____________________________________________________________________
6. Define pesky. ____________________________________________________________
7. Define stall. _____________________________________________________________
8. Define braid. ____________________________________________________________
Chapter 3
1. What does Caleb do to get ready for Sarah? ____________________________________
__________________________________________________________________________
2. What do the children see to let them know that Sarah is coming?
_______________________________________________________________________
3. Why does Sarah bring a shell and sea stone from Maine?
_______________________________________________________________________
4. How do you think Sarah feels when she first sees the farm? _______________________
________________________________________________________________________
5. How is the prairie like the sea? ______________________________________________
6. Why does Anna wish for a sea of her own? _____________________________________
__________________________________________________________________________
7. How do we know Papa is expecting to meet someone special? _____________________
_______________________________________________________________________
8. Why are the children so quiet as they do their chores? ___________________________
________________________________________________________________________
9. Why do you think Sarah’s hands were rough? __________________________________
_________________________________________________________________________
10.What does Anna see in Sarah’s face that makes her believe that she might not stay?
________________________________________________________________________
11. Define fetch. ____________________________________________________________
12. Define flax. _____________________________________________________________
Chapter 4
1. Where does Sarah keep her shell collection? ___________________________________
_________________________________________________________________________
2. Where does Sarah take Anna and Caleb? ______________________________________
3. Why do you think the dogs love Sarah? _______________________________________
_________________________________________________________________________
4. How does Papa feel about Sarah? How do you know? ___________________________
_______________________________________________________________________
5. What clues suggest that Sarah may be thinking of staying? ________________________
________________________________________________________________________
6. How did Sarah describe the seals? ____________________________________________
7. What does “Ayuh” mean? __________________________________________________
8. Why did Caleb smile at the name of the flowers hanging from the ceiling? ____________
__________________________________________________________________________
9. Why did Caleb lean against Anna? ___________________________________________
10. Define scallop. __________________________________________________________
Chapter 5
1. What were the first words spoken by Caleb, Anna, and Sarah? _____________________
________________________________________________________________________
2. How do you know it was hard for Sarah to leave Maine? __________________________
________________________________________________________________________
3. Why does Sarah draw pictures to send home? ___________________________________
4. Why is Sarah quiet when Papa shows her the dune of hay? ________________________
_______________________________________________________________________
5. Why did Caleb smile when Sarah said the words "our dune"? ______________________
________________________________________________________________________
6. How do we know Sarah was a kind and caring person? ___________________________
________________________________________________________________________
7. Define coarse. ___________________________________________________________
8. Define dunes. ____________________________________________________________
9. Define mica. _____________________________________________________________
10. Define canvas. ___________________________________________________________
Chapter 6
1. While Sarah, Anna, and Caleb are in the meadow talking what is Papa doing? _________
________________________________________________________________________
2. Why does Sarah ask about winter? ___________________________________________
3. Why does Papa tie a rope from the house to the barn? ____________________________
4. Why did Papa teach Sarah how to plow the fields? _______________________________
5. How do the children get to school when there is little or no snow? __________________
6. Why do you think Anna and Caleb never learned to swim? ________________________
7. How does the author describe the prairie? ______________________________________
8. According to Sarah, how are the barns different in Maine? ________________________
9. Why is Sarah such a good swimmer? _________________________________________
10. How does Sarah describe the sea? ___________________________________________
11.Define plow. _____________________________________________________________
Chapter 7
1. What is Papa planning to plant in the new fields? _______________________________
2. Where did the daisies come from that were in Sarah's hair? ________________________
3. How does Anna know that Sarah will not eat the chickens? ________________________
4. How does Maggie know that Sarah is lonely? ___________________________________
5. What does Maggie insist Sarah must have to cheer her up? ________________________
Why did the chickens fly onto the porch roof? __________________________________
6. Define whickering. ________________________________________________________
7. Define hitch. _____________________________________________________________
8. Define primly. ___________________________________________________________
9. Define banty. ____________________________________________________________
Chapter 8
1. Why does Sarah want to learn to drive the wagon and go to town? __________________
________________________________________________________________________
2. What did Sarah say when Caleb said women don't wear overalls? ___________________
3. How do you know that the animals are afraid of the storm? ________________________
4. Why are Sarah's shells at the bottom of the bag of food the family eats in the barn during
the storm? _______________________________________________________________
5. How do we know that Anna likes Sarah? ______________________________________
6. What does Anna call the hail? _______________________________________________
7. What does Sarah tell Papa when he mentions the roof needs fixing? _________________
________________________________________________________________________
8. Why does Caleb think Sarah may want to go to town? ____________________________
________________________________________________________________________
9. What were Sarah and Papa carrying when they returned to the barn doorway, wet to the
skin? ___________________________________________________________________
10.Define squall. ____________________________________________________________
11.Define milled. ___________________________________________________________
Chapter 9
1. Describe the farm after the storm. ____________________________________________
2. Why does Caleb think that Sarah will not come back when she goes to town? _________
________________________________________________________________________
3. Give two reasons why you think Sarah is planning to return to the farm. ______________
________________________________________________________________________
4. When Sarah returns, how does the author show that Caleb is a little boy? ____________
________________________________________________________________________
5. Why did Sarah choose only certain colors when purchasing the pencils? _____________
________________________________________________________________________
6. What methods does Caleb suggest to keep Sarah from leaving? _____________________
________________________________________________________________________
7. Define reins. _____________________________________________________________
8. Define windbreak. ________________________________________________________
9. Define stern. _____________________________________________________________
10. Define sly. _____________________________________________________________