Patricia Maclachlan Popular Books

Patricia Maclachlan Biography & Facts

Patricia Marie MacLachlan (née Pritzkau; March 3, 1938 – March 31, 2022) was an American children's writer. She was noted for her novel Sarah, Plain and Tall, which won the 1986 Newbery Medal. Early life MacLachlan was born in Cheyenne, Wyoming, on March 3, 1938. Her father, Philo, was a professor of philosophy of education; her mother, Madonna, was an American English teacher before becoming a homemaker. Her family moved to Rochester, Minnesota, when she was five years old, then relocating to Connecticut after she completed elementary as well as middle school. MacLachlan later studied English at the University of Connecticut, graduating with a bachelor's degree in 1962. Career MacLachlan first worked as an English teacher at Bennett Junior High School in Manchester, Connecticut from 1963 until 1979. She was also employed by a family services agency during this time. She then began writing at the age of 35, after her children started attending school. She published her first volume, The Sick Day, in 1979, with her first novel, Arthur, for the Very First Time, being released the following year. Six years later, she was awarded the Newbery Medal for her book Sarah, Plain and Tall. It was adapted as a TV movie by the same name in 1991, starring Glenn Close and Christopher Walken, with MacLachlan as one of its screenwriters. The two actors subsequently reprised their roles in the sequel Skylark two years later. Her novels Journey (1991) and Baby (1993) were also adapted for TV in 1995 and 2000, respectively.MacLachlan ultimately authored over 60 children's books throughout her career. She collaborated with her daughter, Emily MacLachlan Charest, to create several picture books during the latter part of her career. These included Once I Ate a Pie (2006), Fiona Loves the Night (2007), I Didn't Do It (2010), Cat Talk (2013), and Little Robot Alone (2018). MacLachlan received a National Humanities Medal in 2002. She was a board member of the National Children's Book and Literacy Alliance, a national not-for-profit that actively advocates for literacy, literature, and libraries. Personal life MacLachlan married Robert MacLachlan in 1962. They met while she was studying at the University of Connecticut, and remained married until his death in 2015. Together, they had three children: John, Emily, and Jamison. She resided in western Massachusetts and kept a small bag of dirt from the prairies to call to mind her Wyoming roots.Patricia MacLachlan died on March 31, 2022, at her home in Williamsburg, Massachusetts. She was 84 years old. Novels Other See also  Children and Young Adult Literature portalReferences External links Patricia MacLachlan at IMDb. Discover the Patricia Maclachlan popular books. Find the top 100 most popular Patricia Maclachlan books.

Best Seller Patricia Maclachlan Books of 2024

  • Rosa by Starlight synopsis, comments

    Rosa by Starlight

    Hilary McKay

    From awardwinning author Hilary McKay comes an enchanting illustrated middle grade novel in the spirit of Matilda about a lonely orphan who dreams of escaping her ghastly aunt and ...

  • Prairie Days synopsis, comments

    Prairie Days

    Patricia MacLachlan

    A delicate, stunning account of life on the prairie from Newbery medalist Patricia MacLachlan.Cool summer mornings begin with the rose orange sun and the smell of earth, and fade i...

  • Sparrow Spreads Her Wings synopsis, comments

    Sparrow Spreads Her Wings

    Gail Donovan

    In this sequel to the “uplifting” (Publishers Weekly, starred review) Sparrow Being Sparrow, Sparrow rescues an injured animal but soon wonders if she’s taken on more than she can ...

  • Dream Within a Dream synopsis, comments

    Dream Within a Dream

    Patricia MacLachlan

    A young girl finds herselfand so much moreduring a summer stay with her grandparents in this “sweet, evocative” (Kirkus Reviews) novel from Newbery Award–winning author Patricia Ma...

  • Waiting for the Magic synopsis, comments

    Waiting for the Magic

    Patricia MacLachlan

    People may drift apart, but love can hold them together. A touching tale of pets and family told in the “venerable spare and moving style” of Newbery Medalist Patricia MacLachlan, ...

  • Sparrow Being Sparrow synopsis, comments

    Sparrow Being Sparrow

    Gail Donovan

    An endearingly energetic fourth grader takes on the big job of finding new homes for her neighbor’s seven cats in this “uplifting” (Publishers Weekly, starred review) illustrated m...