Books like Sarah, Plain and Tall

Looking for books like Sarah, Plain and Tall by Patricia MacLachlan (Historical Fiction (Middle Grade) · 660L · grades 3–5)? It’s most often read for its themes of family, loss, and new beginnings. The 10 titlesbelow are the closest matches in the ReadingList database — each scored on shared themes, genre, and reading level, and each linked to the curricula, states, and grades where it’s assigned, with primary sources.

These are reading-level matches, not just topical ones — so the picks stay grade-appropriate for a grades 3–5 reader. See how we judge text difficulty on our methodology page.

10 books similar to Sarah, Plain and Tall

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Why each is a match

Number the Stars670L
Shares themes of family, same genre (Historical Fiction (Middle Grade)), and a close reading level (670L vs 660L).
Stone Fox550L
Shares themes of family and loss and a close reading level (550L vs 660L).
The War That Saved My Life580L
Shares themes of family, same genre (Historical Fiction (Middle Grade)), and a close reading level (580L vs 660L).
Bea and the New Deal Horsegrades 3–5
Shares themes of family, same genre (Historical Fiction (Middle Grade)), and overlapping grades (3–5).
Echo680L
Shares themes of family and a close reading level (680L vs 660L).
Front Desk640L
Shares themes of family and a close reading level (640L vs 660L).
Merci Suárez Changes Gears700L
Shares themes of family and a close reading level (700L vs 660L).
Out of My Mind700L
Shares themes of family and a close reading level (700L vs 660L).
Where the Red Fern Grows700L
Shares themes of family and a close reading level (700L vs 660L).
Because of Winn-Dixie610L
Shares themes of loss and a close reading level (610L vs 660L).

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