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Patricia MacLachlan Books in Order

Explore Patricia MacLachlan books in order, from prairie classics to picture books, with short summaries, related series, and ideas for where to start.

Last updated: July 3, 2026

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Patricia MacLachlan books in publication order

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65 books

Through Grandpa's Eyes

by Patricia MacLachlan

1971

John loves visiting his blind grandfather because being with him teaches him to notice the world differently. Smells, sounds, touch, and memory become a new way of seeing.

The Sick Day

by Patricia MacLachlan

1979

Emily wakes up sick, and her father stays home to care for her. All her requests, blankets, toys, ponytails, and more, turn a miserable day into a loving one.

Arthur, for the Very First Time

by Patricia MacLachlan

1980

Arthur spends a summer on his aunt and uncle's farm while his parents struggle and a new baby is on the way. Between pigs, storms, and a remarkable new friend, he learns how change can open him up.

Cassie Binegar

by Patricia MacLachlan

1980

Still grieving her grandfather and unsettled by a move, Cassie Binegar feels out of place in her own life. Encounters with family, memory, and a real writer help her begin to imagine a truer future.

Moon, Stars, Frogs, and Friends

by Patricia MacLachlan

1980

Moons, frogs, stars, and friends fill this quiet picture book with close observation and childlike wonder. It invites readers to slow down and enjoy the small living things around them.

Mama One, Mama Two

by Patricia MacLachlan

1982

A little girl matter-of-factly explains that she has Mama One and Mama Two. In a few simple scenes, the book shows that what matters most in a family is the love that holds it together.

Tomorrow's Wizard

by Patricia MacLachlan

1982

A boy's ordinary world opens into mystery when a strange figure seems to step in from tomorrow. It is a gentle blend of family life, imagination, and the possibility that time is not as simple as it seems.

Seven Kisses in a Row

by Patricia MacLachlan

1983

A child who likes her bedtime kisses just so learns that family love does not run out when it is shared. The story is playful, rhythmic, and especially good for reading aloud.

Unclaimed Treasures

by Patricia MacLachlan

1984

Objects, letters, and memories turn out to hold more feeling than anyone expects in this quiet family story. MacLachlan looks at the overlooked things people leave behind, and the love tied up in them.

Sarah, Plain and Tall

by Patricia MacLachlan

1985

Told through Anna's watchful eyes, this classic novel follows Sarah Elisabeth Wheaton as she comes from Maine to the prairie to answer a widower's ad. Everyone hopes for a new beginning, but no one knows if she will stay.

The Facts And Fictions Of Minna Pratt

by Patricia MacLachlan

1988

Minna Pratt loves stories, but the real story of her changing family is harder to sort out. Friendship, divorce, and the half-truths adults tell push her to decide what facts, and fictions, she can trust.

Journey

by Patricia MacLachlan

1991

Eleven-year-old Journey cannot believe his mother is really gone. While his sister copes in her own way, he turns to photographs, imagination, and careful looking as he tries to understand loss.

Three Names

by Patricia MacLachlan

1991

On the prairie, a little girl is called by different names by the people who love her. Through seasons, chores, and family stories, she begins to understand how identity is built from belonging.

Baby

by Patricia MacLachlan

1993

A baby is left on a family's doorstep with a note and a plea for care. Loving her changes everyone, even as they wonder whether the mother who left her will ever return.

All the Places to Love

by Patricia MacLachlan

1994

A boy shows the places around his family's farm that matter most to him, from hills to ponds to quiet corners. When his baby sister arrives, he is ready to share that map of love with her.

Skylark

by Patricia MacLachlan

1994

Drought turns the prairie brown and dangerous, and Sarah takes Anna and Caleb to Maine while Jacob stays behind with the farm. The distance tests their new family just as they are learning to trust it.

What You Know First

by Patricia MacLachlan

1995

A child is forced to leave the only home and landscape she has ever known. In spare, musical language, the book honors the pain of moving and the comfort of carrying love with you.

Caleb's Story

by Patricia MacLachlan

2000

When Anna leaves home to continue her schooling, Caleb inherits the job of writing down the family story. Then the return of an older relative stirs old pain and gives him more than enough to record.

It's Fine To Be Nine

by Judy Blume, Clyde Robert Bulla, Beverly Cleary, Terri Fields, Johanna Hurwitz, Astrid Lindgren, Patricia MacLachlan, Colleen O'Shaughnessy McKenna, Patricia McKissack, Daniel Manus Pinkwater, Susan Shreve & Jerry Spinelli

2000

This anthology for eight- to eleven-year-olds brings together chapters and stories from well-known children's books, including work by Judy Blume. Each selection captures the worries and small victories of being nine and figuring out who you are becoming.

It's Heaven To Be Seven

by Patricia MacLachlan, Judy Blume, Roald Dahl, Beverly Cleary, James Howe, Ann M Martin, Betty Horvath, Johanna Hurwitz, Suzy Kline, Susan Wojciechowski, Dick King-Smith & Miriam Cohen

2000

Designed for seven-year-olds, this anthology collects short pieces by favorite children's authors, among them Judy Blume. The stories celebrate school, friends, and small adventures at an age when kids are old enough to explore but still firmly in childhood.

Painting the Wind

by Patricia MacLachlan

2003

On a summer island, a young narrator watches four visiting artists and tries to do something harder than it sounds: paint the wind. The story turns creativity into a game of looking, feeling, and trying again.

Bittle

by Patricia MacLachlan

2004

Julia and Nigel are pulled into a strange, funny mystery when an unexpected little guest named Bittle enters their lives. His arrival nudges the family toward wonder, change, and a different way of seeing home.

More Perfect Than The Moon

by Patricia MacLachlan

2004

Cassie watches her prairie family closely and likes life just as it is. When a new baby is expected, she has to face the fact that even happy families are always changing.

Who Loves Me?

by Patricia MacLachlan

2005

A small creature asks one of childhood's biggest questions and watches for the answer in everyday care. This gentle read-aloud is about feeling safe, wanted, and loved.

Grandfather's Dance

by Patricia MacLachlan

2006

As Anna prepares to marry, Cassie watches a prairie wedding gather family, memory, joy, and sorrow into one day. It is a tender final book about change, aging, and the dances people carry with them.

Once I Ate a Pie

by Patricia MacLachlan

2006

These lively poems let dogs speak for themselves about pie, mud, sleeping spots, and the humans they love. It is funny, affectionate, and perfect for anyone who knows a dog has opinions.

Edward's Eyes

by Patricia MacLachlan

2007

Jake adores his younger brother Edward, a bright, fearless boy who seems to see beauty and possibility everywhere. After a sudden loss, Edward's way of seeing the world continues to change other lives.

Fiona Loves the Night

by Patricia MacLachlan

2007

Fiona does not fear the dark. She loves the moon, the stars, the night sounds, and the hidden life that wakes when everyone else goes to bed.

The True Gift

by Patricia MacLachlan

2009

During a snowy December, one boy begins to see how hunger, rumor, generosity, and kindness travel through a small community. It is a quiet Christmas story about what a real gift looks like.

I Didn't Do It

by Patricia MacLachlan

2010

In a chorus of funny animal voices, pets insist they are not responsible for the chewed shoes, torn paper, and muddy messes around the house. The denials are hilarious, and not very convincing.

Word After Word After Word

by Patricia MacLachlan

2010

Lucy and three classmates join a lunchtime writing group led by a teacher who takes their words seriously. Poems and stories help them face bullying, friendship worries, and the thrill of being heard.

Before You Came

by Patricia MacLachlan

2011

This warm picture book imagines the world before one much-loved child arrived. It turns waiting, hoping, and remembering into a gentle celebration of family.

Lala Salama

by Patricia MacLachlan

2011

Inspired by a Swahili lullaby, this bedtime book follows a child settling into night as the moon rises and the world grows quiet. The mood is calm, musical, and full of affection.

Waiting for the Magic

by Patricia MacLachlan

2011

A family's ordinary life begins to crack when the mother leaves, and the children are left waiting for things to feel right again. Love, animals, and a few unexpected turns bring a little magic back in.

Your Moon, My Moon

by Patricia MacLachlan

2011

Two loved ones look up at the same moon from different places and feel close despite the distance. This is a soft, reassuring bedtime story about connection and love.

Kindred Souls

by Patricia MacLachlan

2012

Jake and his friend Billy join forces with an older neighbor to save a beloved sycamore tree. Their quiet campaign becomes a moving story about grief, friendship, and standing up for what matters.

The Boxcar Children Beginning: The Aldens of Fair Meadow Farm

by Patricia MacLachlan

2012

Before Henry, Jessie, Violet, and Benny become the orphaned Boxcar children, they live with their parents at Fair Meadow Farm. This prequel shows the hard times, warm home life, and resourcefulness that shape them.

Cat Talk

by Patricia MacLachlan

2013

Through short poems and expressive art, a whole parade of cats steps onto the page. Each one has a distinct look, mood, and way of moving through the world.

Nora's Chicks

by Patricia MacLachlan

2013

New to the American prairie after leaving Russia, Nora feels lonely until her father brings home chicks and geese. Caring for them helps her claim something of her own and opens the door to friendship.

Prairie Days

by Patricia MacLachlan

2013

In spare, rhythmic lines, this picture book remembers the prairie through weather, animals, family, and open sky. It is a loving look at the landscape that shaped MacLachlan's earliest memories.

Snowflakes Fall

by Patricia MacLachlan

2013

Snow drifts, children play, and winter slowly gives way to spring in this lyrical picture book. Under its beauty runs a tender meditation on how every child, like every snowflake, is unique and precious.

The Truth of Me

by Patricia MacLachlan

2013

Young Robert is trying to make sense of family stories, adult silences, and the truths hidden inside ordinary days. Small revelations help him see his parents, his grandmother, and himself more clearly.

White Fur Flying

by Patricia MacLachlan

2013

On her family's Great Pyrenees farm, Zoe meets Philip, a frightened boy from next door. As their friendship grows, the gentle dogs become part of a tender story about trust, secrets, and feeling safe.

You Were the First

by Patricia MacLachlan

2013

A parent looks back on a firstborn child's earliest milestones, from first cries to first steps. It is a tender picture book about how babies change a family, and how parents grow alongside them.

Fly Away

by Patricia MacLachlan

2014

Lucy cannot sing like the rest of her family, but she can watch, listen, and write. On a summer trip across the prairie to North Dakota, poems and rising floodwater help her find her own voice.

The Iridescence of Birds

by Patricia MacLachlan

2014

Instead of telling Henri Matisse's life straight through, this picture book looks at the colors, textures, birds, and rooms that shaped him as a child. It is a vivid introduction to where an artist's eye begins.

The Moon's Almost Here

by Patricia MacLachlan

2016

As the moon rises, animals settle, lights dim, and a parent and child move gently toward sleep. This soothing bedtime book turns the coming of night into a small celebration.

The Poet's Dog

by Patricia MacLachlan

2016

During a blizzard, a dog named Teddy rescues two children stranded in a broken-down car. As he shelters them, the story opens into memory, loss, poetry, and the bond he shared with his late owner.

Barkus

by Patricia MacLachlan

2017

Nicky's favorite uncle gives her a big brown dog named Barkus, and family life gets richer right away. In short, cheerful chapters, Barkus goes to school, has adventures, and even makes friends with a kitten named Baby.

Just Dance

by Patricia MacLachlan

2017

Ten-year-old Sylvie spends a Wyoming summer writing the sheriff's newspaper log in poems and observations. At the same time, she worries that her mother, a former opera singer, may not truly belong on the farm.

Someone Like Me

by Patricia MacLachlan

2017

This semi-autobiographical picture book follows a girl who listens to stories, notices the prairie, and gathers memories. It is a quiet invitation for young readers to see how writers are formed.

Barkus Dog Dreams

by Patricia MacLachlan

2018

In five short chapters, Barkus visits the vet, goes to a party, helps rescue lost animals, and befriends a dog named Millie. It is an easygoing early reader full of kindness, humor, and animal charm.

Little Robot Alone

by Patricia MacLachlan

2018

Little Robot likes his quiet routines, but being alone is not enough. So he uses his imagination, and a bit of ingenuity, to build himself the dog friend he has been missing.

My Father’s Words

by Patricia MacLachlan

2018

After their father's sudden death, Fiona and Finn look for ways to keep going. Memories, gentle advice, and time spent helping dogs at a rescue shelter guide them toward hope.

Chicken Talk

by Patricia MacLachlan

2019

A farm family's chickens start scratching messages into the dirt, asking for better salads, more stories, and a few changes around the yard. The result is a funny, affectionate barnyard tale with plenty of personality.

Dream Within a Dream

by Patricia MacLachlan

2019

Louisa spends a summer on Deer Island with her grandparents and brother, expecting the usual routines. Instead she finds first love, family secrets, and the ache of realizing that the people she loves are growing older.

The Hundred-Year Barn

by Patricia MacLachlan

2019

A five-year-old watches neighbors raise a barn in 1919, then follows its life across the years. The book turns one building into a story about work, memory, and the way families grow around a place.

My Friend Earth

by Patricia MacLachlan

2020

Earth appears as a great, watchful girl guiding seasons, animals, weather, and fields across the globe. This lyrical picture book celebrates the planet with bold art and a strong sense of wonder.

Wondrous Rex

by Patricia MacLachlan

2020

Rex is the kind of dog who changes a household simply by arriving in it. This warm family story follows the trouble, comfort, and unexpected joy that grow up around one unforgettable animal.

A Secret Shared

by Patricia MacLachlan

2021

When a home DNA test suggests that Birdy is not biologically related to the parents who raised her, Nora and her twin brother Ben start asking hard questions. It is a gentle family story about adoption, truth, and belonging.

The Most Fun

by Patricia MacLachlan

2021

Barkus returns for a year of seasonal adventures with Nicky, Baby, and the whole family. Camping trips, parades, and cozy winter scenes make this a warm early chapter book for new readers.

When Grandfather Flew

by Patricia MacLachlan

2021

Emma remembers birdwatching with her beloved grandfather and struggles to understand his absence after he dies. A soaring eagle, and a family's shared memories, help turn grief into something softer.

My Life Begins!

by Patricia MacLachlan

2022

Nine-year-old Jacob wanted a puppy, not triplet baby sisters. As he turns the Trips into a school project, he slowly discovers their different personalities and his own big place in the family.

My Poet

by Patricia MacLachlan

2022

Lucy trails a neighboring poet through a Cape Cod day, asking how words are found. Inspired by Mary Oliver, this picture book invites young readers to notice the world closely and try their own lines.

Snow Horses

by Patricia MacLachlan

2022

On a snowy day, children, family stories, and winter imagination bring a herd of snow horses to life. Beneath the magic is a tender story about memory, love, and what remains after loss.

Where to start with Patricia MacLachlan

For the prairie family classic: Sarah, Plain and TallSkylarkCaleb's StoryMore Perfect Than The MoonGrandfather's Dance
For warm early chapter books: BarkusBarkus Dog DreamsThe Most Fun
For quiet family novels: JourneyBabyWaiting for the Magic
For picture books to share aloud: All the Places to LoveYou Were the FirstMy Friend EarthSomeone Like Me

Barkus books in order

Explore this series
  1. Book cover for "Barkus"

    Barkus

    by Patricia MacLachlan

    2017Barkus, Book 1
  2. Book cover for "Barkus Dog Dreams"

    Barkus Dog Dreams

    by Patricia MacLachlan

    2018Barkus, Book 2
  3. Book cover for "The Most Fun"

    The Most Fun

    by Patricia MacLachlan

    2021Barkus, Book 3

Barkus books in chronological order

  1. Book cover for "Barkus"

    Barkus

    by Patricia MacLachlan

    2017Barkus, Book 1
  2. Book cover for "Barkus Dog Dreams"

    Barkus Dog Dreams

    by Patricia MacLachlan

    2018Barkus, Book 2
  3. Book cover for "The Most Fun"

    The Most Fun

    by Patricia MacLachlan

    2021Barkus, Book 3

Boxcar Children Mysteries books in order

Explore this series
  1. Book cover for "The Boxcar Children Beginning: The Aldens of Fair Meadow Farm"

    The Boxcar Children Beginning: The Aldens of Fair Meadow Farm

    by Patricia MacLachlan

    2012Boxcar Children Mysteries, Book 1

Boxcar Children Mysteries books in chronological order

  1. Book cover for "The Boxcar Children Beginning: The Aldens of Fair Meadow Farm"

    The Boxcar Children Beginning: The Aldens of Fair Meadow Farm

    by Patricia MacLachlan

    2012Boxcar Children Mysteries, Book 1

Sarah, Plain and Tall books in order

Explore this series
  1. Book cover for "Sarah, Plain and Tall"

    Sarah, Plain and Tall

    by Patricia MacLachlan

    1985Sarah, Plain and Tall, Book 1
  2. Book cover for "Skylark"

    Skylark

    by Patricia MacLachlan

    1994Sarah, Plain and Tall, Book 2
  3. Book cover for "Caleb's Story"

    Caleb's Story

    by Patricia MacLachlan

    2000Sarah, Plain and Tall, Book 3
  4. Book cover for "More Perfect Than The Moon"

    More Perfect Than The Moon

    by Patricia MacLachlan

    2004Sarah, Plain and Tall, Book 4
  5. Book cover for "Grandfather's Dance"

    Grandfather's Dance

    by Patricia MacLachlan

    2006Sarah, Plain and Tall, Book 5

Sarah, Plain and Tall books in chronological order

  1. Book cover for "Sarah, Plain and Tall"

    Sarah, Plain and Tall

    by Patricia MacLachlan

    1985Sarah, Plain and Tall, Book 1
  2. Book cover for "Skylark"

    Skylark

    by Patricia MacLachlan

    1994Sarah, Plain and Tall, Book 2
  3. Book cover for "Caleb's Story"

    Caleb's Story

    by Patricia MacLachlan

    2000Sarah, Plain and Tall, Book 3
  4. Book cover for "More Perfect Than The Moon"

    More Perfect Than The Moon

    by Patricia MacLachlan

    2004Sarah, Plain and Tall, Book 4
  5. Book cover for "Grandfather's Dance"

    Grandfather's Dance

    by Patricia MacLachlan

    2006Sarah, Plain and Tall, Book 5

Patricia MacLachlan collections, short stories, and related book types

Picture Books

  1. Book cover for "The Sick Day"

    The Sick Day

    by Patricia MacLachlan

    1979
  2. Book cover for "Moon, Stars, Frogs, and Friends"

    Moon, Stars, Frogs, and Friends

    by Patricia MacLachlan

    1980
  3. Book cover for "Mama One, Mama Two"

    Mama One, Mama Two

    by Patricia MacLachlan

    1982
  4. Book cover for "Three Names"

    Three Names

    by Patricia MacLachlan

    1991
  5. Book cover for "All the Places to Love"

    All the Places to Love

    by Patricia MacLachlan

    1994
  6. Book cover for "Painting the Wind"

    Painting the Wind

    by Patricia MacLachlan

    2003
  7. Book cover for "Bittle"

    Bittle

    by Patricia MacLachlan

    2004
  8. Book cover for "Who Loves Me?"

    Who Loves Me?

    by Patricia MacLachlan

    2005
  9. Book cover for "Once I Ate a Pie"

    Once I Ate a Pie

    by Patricia MacLachlan

    2006
  10. Book cover for "Fiona Loves the Night"

    Fiona Loves the Night

    by Patricia MacLachlan

    2007
  11. Book cover for "I Didn't Do It"

    I Didn't Do It

    by Patricia MacLachlan

    2010
  12. Book cover for "Before You Came"

    Before You Came

    by Patricia MacLachlan

    2011
  13. Book cover for "Your Moon, My Moon"

    Your Moon, My Moon

    by Patricia MacLachlan

    2011
  14. Book cover for "Lala Salama"

    Lala Salama

    by Patricia MacLachlan

    2011
  15. Book cover for "Nora's Chicks"

    Nora's Chicks

    by Patricia MacLachlan

    2013
  16. Book cover for "Snowflakes Fall"

    Snowflakes Fall

    by Patricia MacLachlan

    2013
  17. Book cover for "Cat Talk"

    Cat Talk

    by Patricia MacLachlan

    2013
  18. Book cover for "You Were the First"

    You Were the First

    by Patricia MacLachlan

    2013
  19. Book cover for "The Iridescence of Birds"

    The Iridescence of Birds

    by Patricia MacLachlan

    2014
  20. Book cover for "The Moon's Almost Here"

    The Moon's Almost Here

    by Patricia MacLachlan

    2016
  21. Book cover for "Someone Like Me"

    Someone Like Me

    by Patricia MacLachlan

    2017
  22. Book cover for "Barkus"

    Barkus

    by Patricia MacLachlan

    2017Barkus, Book 1
  23. Book cover for "Little Robot Alone"

    Little Robot Alone

    by Patricia MacLachlan

    2018
  24. Book cover for "Barkus Dog Dreams"

    Barkus Dog Dreams

    by Patricia MacLachlan

    2018Barkus, Book 2
  25. Book cover for "Chicken Talk"

    Chicken Talk

    by Patricia MacLachlan

    2019
  26. Book cover for "The Hundred-Year Barn"

    The Hundred-Year Barn

    by Patricia MacLachlan

    2019
  27. Book cover for "My Friend Earth"

    My Friend Earth

    by Patricia MacLachlan

    2020
  28. Book cover for "When Grandfather Flew"

    When Grandfather Flew

    by Patricia MacLachlan

    2021
  29. Book cover for "My Poet"

    My Poet

    by Patricia MacLachlan

    2022

Short Stories/Novellas

  1. Book cover for "Wondrous Rex"

    Wondrous Rex

    by Patricia MacLachlan

    2020
  2. Book cover for "Snow Horses"

    Snow Horses

    by Patricia MacLachlan

    2022

Standalone Patricia MacLachlan books

  1. Book cover for "Through Grandpa's Eyes"

    Through Grandpa's Eyes

    by Patricia MacLachlan

    1971
  2. Book cover for "Arthur, for the Very First Time"

    Arthur, for the Very First Time

    by Patricia MacLachlan

    1980
  3. Book cover for "Cassie Binegar"

    Cassie Binegar

    by Patricia MacLachlan

    1980
  4. Book cover for "Tomorrow's Wizard"

    Tomorrow's Wizard

    by Patricia MacLachlan

    1982
  5. Book cover for "Seven Kisses in a Row"

    Seven Kisses in a Row

    by Patricia MacLachlan

    1983
  6. Book cover for "Unclaimed Treasures"

    Unclaimed Treasures

    by Patricia MacLachlan

    1984
  7. Book cover for "The Facts And Fictions Of Minna Pratt"

    The Facts And Fictions Of Minna Pratt

    by Patricia MacLachlan

    1988
  8. Book cover for "Journey"

    Journey

    by Patricia MacLachlan

    1991
  9. Book cover for "Baby"

    Baby

    by Patricia MacLachlan

    1993
  10. Book cover for "What You Know First"

    What You Know First

    by Patricia MacLachlan

    1995
  11. Book cover for "It's Fine To Be Nine"

    It's Fine To Be Nine

    by Judy Blume, Clyde Robert Bulla, Beverly Cleary, Terri Fields, Johanna Hurwitz, Astrid Lindgren, Patricia MacLachlan, Colleen O'Shaughnessy McKenna, Patricia McKissack, Daniel Manus Pinkwater, Susan Shreve & Jerry Spinelli

    2000
  12. Book cover for "It's Heaven To Be Seven"

    It's Heaven To Be Seven

    by Patricia MacLachlan, Judy Blume, Roald Dahl, Beverly Cleary, James Howe, Ann M Martin, Betty Horvath, Johanna Hurwitz, Suzy Kline, Susan Wojciechowski, Dick King-Smith & Miriam Cohen

    2000
  13. Book cover for "Edward's Eyes"

    Edward's Eyes

    by Patricia MacLachlan

    2007
  14. Book cover for "The True Gift"

    The True Gift

    by Patricia MacLachlan

    2009
  15. Book cover for "Word After Word After Word"

    Word After Word After Word

    by Patricia MacLachlan

    2010
  16. Book cover for "Waiting for the Magic"

    Waiting for the Magic

    by Patricia MacLachlan

    2011
  17. Book cover for "Kindred Souls"

    Kindred Souls

    by Patricia MacLachlan

    2012
  18. Book cover for "Prairie Days"

    Prairie Days

    by Patricia MacLachlan

    2013
  19. Book cover for "The Truth of Me"

    The Truth of Me

    by Patricia MacLachlan

    2013
  20. Book cover for "White Fur Flying"

    White Fur Flying

    by Patricia MacLachlan

    2013
  21. Book cover for "Fly Away"

    Fly Away

    by Patricia MacLachlan

    2014
  22. Book cover for "The Poet's Dog"

    The Poet's Dog

    by Patricia MacLachlan

    2016
  23. Book cover for "Just Dance"

    Just Dance

    by Patricia MacLachlan

    2017
  24. Book cover for "My Father’s Words"

    My Father’s Words

    by Patricia MacLachlan

    2018
  25. Book cover for "Dream Within a Dream"

    Dream Within a Dream

    by Patricia MacLachlan

    2019
  26. Book cover for "A Secret Shared"

    A Secret Shared

    by Patricia MacLachlan

    2021
  27. Book cover for "My Life Begins!"

    My Life Begins!

    by Patricia MacLachlan

    2022

Author bio

Patricia MacLachlan was born in Cheyenne, Wyoming, on March 3, 1938, and spent her first years on the prairie. Her family later moved to Minnesota and then Connecticut, but the prairie stayed with her. She kept a small bag of Wyoming dirt for the rest of her life, a small reminder of what she once called what she knew first.

That early sense of place runs through her books.

So does family.

She grew up in a house full of stories, music, and books. Her parents read with her, talked about characters, and even acted stories out. She studied English at the University of Connecticut, graduated in 1962, married Robert MacLachlan that same year, and went on to teach English in Connecticut. She also worked with families and children through a family service agency, which gave her a close view of how people hold together, drift apart, and find their way back.

She did not begin writing seriously until she was 35, after her three children were in school. That late start mattered. She came to books with lived-in knowledge of children, marriage, worry, humor, and ordinary domestic noise. Her first children's book was The Sick Day in 1979, and her first novel, Arthur, for the Very First Time, followed in 1980.

A few years later, Sarah, Plain and Tall changed everything. The short prairie novel won the Newbery Medal in 1986 and introduced many readers to the clean, quiet style that became her signature. She returned to that family in Skylark, Caleb's Story, More Perfect Than The Moon, and Grandfather's Dance, building a series that is less about plot twists and more about weather, work, longing, and the slow making of a home.

She wrote more than sixty books in all. Some, like Journey, Baby, Waiting for the Magic, and Edward's Eyes, look straight at loss and change but never lose their warmth. Others, like Barkus and Barkus Dog Dreams, show her playful side. Even her picture books, from All the Places to Love to My Friend Earth, feel rooted in real emotion and close observation.

Animals show up often. So do children who are watching carefully, trying to understand adults, and figuring out what family means. Her settings matter too: prairies, farms, islands, snowy towns, old houses, kitchens, barns. MacLachlan could do a lot with very little. A few pages, a few lines, and a whole life starts to come into focus.

Later in her career, she also collaborated with her daughter Emily MacLachlan Charest on books including Once I Ate a Pie, Cat Talk, I Didn't Do It, and Little Robot Alone. In 2002, she received the National Humanities Medal. Several of her books were adapted for television, including Sarah, Plain and Tall, whose film version starred Glenn Close and Christopher Walken.

MacLachlan lived in western Massachusetts for many years and died at her home in Williamsburg on March 31, 2022. She was 84. By then, generations of readers had grown up with her work. Her books are still easy to hand to a child, or an adult, when you want something gentle, honest, and lasting.

Edited by

Richard Reis

Software engineer whose passion for tracking book recommendations from podcasts inspired the creation of MRB.

Anurag Ramdasan

Lead investor at 3one4 Capital whose startup expertise and love for books helped shaped MRB and its growth.

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