Kindred Souls Patricia MacLachlan

"Billy is eight-eight years old, and I don't worry about him dying. He will live forever. I know that."

This first sentence is near the beginning of Kindred Souls. An astute reader is sure to realise Patricia MacLachlan is giving you a hint about the possible ending to this family story. 

Billy lives with his extended family on a farm near where he was born. His grandchildren are Lida, Jesse and Jake. Jake is named after a plow horse that Billy used to use on his farm and Jake is our narrator.

"I look at Billy's large gnarled hands and his wrinkled face and his bush of white hair. I believe him when he says he talked to the first bird of time. He lives in a sunny room that looks up to the slough that is empty in the summer and filled with water and ducks in the fall. It is a small piece of his old life, like the big prairie that spreads out around is a big piece of his old life."

The word slough is mentioned a few times in this story - it is an important word and one that was new to me. I read Kindred Souls on a Kindle and so I was able to use the online dictionary:

Slough: A swamp, a muddy side channel or inlet.

It is the summer holidays. Jake and Billy take a daily walk around the farm. Billy speaks gently to the cows and he feeds carrots to the horses. 

"And then we go where we always end our walk. We go to the place where Billy was born on this farm. Up the rise and higher up the hill to the edge of the slough ... (and) When Billy pushes the branches of one bush aside, there it is. A small wall of prairie grass and mud three feet high."

This is all that remains of the old sod house. Billy misses it so much.

"I'll tell you everything. ... And then you can build me a sod house ... 

Because we're kindred souls, you and I."

And this, my blog reading friend, is another hint about what is to come. Have you guessed?

After their walk on this day a dog arrives at the house. A small black and white dog. Billy seems to know this dog. He even knows her name is Lucy. It seems Lucy has come to stay, and she is here for Billy.

Back to the sod house. Billy is sure Jake can build this, and the family still have a very old book of instructions. Warning - this book will make you cry. When a new calf is born Billy insists he will also be called Billy - "That means there will be a Billy around here for a long time." Then Billy is unwell and the doctor (who Billy likes to flirt with) says Billy needs to go to hospital. Now Jake just HAS to build that sod house. But will Billy be able to come home and will the house be finished in time and most important of all will Billy like the little sod house.

Here are a few text quotes - they show how beautifully Patricia MacLachlan composes her sentences:

"He tells me the hummingbirds outside speak to him in short, brisk sentences when they fly quickly up and down and around the hanging feeders of sugar water."

"We are quiet. I love the feel of his hand. Outside the hummingbirds flash silently in the sunlight."

"My mama sang lullabies to me in the sod house ... She sat in that old rocking chair in my room and sang lullabies."  [Hello again blog reader - this this sound familiar - an echo of a scene in Sarah, Plain and Tall perhaps].

Publisher blurb: Jake’s grandfather, Billy, hears the talk of birds, is eighty-eight years old, and is going to live forever. Even when Billy gets sick, Jake knows that everything will go on as always. But there’s one thing Billy wants: to rebuild the sod house where he grew up. Can Jake give him this one special thing.

Whenever I finish one of her books, I sit and wonder what it is she does so well... try to define it. It won't take you more than 35 minutes to read through this book but it will stay with you for a long, long time. It's one of those. She reaches to your soul... A Book and a Hug

It's rare to find a children's book that deals so well with death as part of life, offering kids an effective approach to coping with sadness that incorporates humor, love and joy. Kirkus Star review

This small book looks at the role of grandparents in the lives of children in a quiet yet powerful way.  Billy is the center of the book, since he is the center of Jake’s world.  The book, told in the first person by Jake, also explores connections between generations that are strong and true.  The sense of kindred spirits is strong but never overplayed.  This entire book exudes a quiet strength that makes for a compelling read. Waking Brain Cells

If you click on the label I've given this post you can find all of the Patricia MacLachlan books I have talked about here on this blog. 

If you are interested in the idea of the sod house or life on the prairie, try to find this gentle story:

Black-eyed Susan

And this verse novel:

May B: A Novel

Word after Word after Word by Patricia MacLachlan

"Some things happen in fours. On the fourth day of the fourth month after the winter holiday vacation, a famous writer came to our fourth-grade class. Her name was Ms Mirabel."

The focus of this story is on five kids - Evie lives with her dad and brother, she misses her mum but thinks the new neighbour might be a good wife for him; Henry lives with his mum and dad and he just wants his family to stay happy; Lucy's mum has cancer but she does seem to be getting better; May is upset because her family are adopting a new baby; and Russell's dog has died. 

Each of these kids does have something to write about and under the gentle coaching of Ms Mirabel each of them writes several terrific poems to share with their parents on the open day.

Here is one from Lucy:

Away

Shut it away!

Sadness.

Lock the door after it!

Sadness. 

Fold tears up and

Put them in a box

So they don't see

Light

Laughter

Joy!

Send sadness far away

So that even if you

Send for it

It doesn't hear you call.

You can hear a six minute audio sample here. And this link also takes you to some teachers notes. 

"Some words may make you happy, some may make you sad. Maybe some will make you angry. What I hope"—a sudden gust of wind made Ms. Mirabel's hair lift—"what I hope is that something will whisper in your ear." "What does that mean?" asked Russell. ... "You will know," she said.

Bookseller blurb: One spring, visiting author Ms. Mirabel comes to Lucy’s fourth-grade class to teach about the power of words and writing—lessons that subtly but powerfully change the lives of Lucy and her four friends. Each of the five is dealing with his or her own small childhood tragedy, such as the arrival of a new baby or the death of a special dog. The young writers discover their voices, and they also find ways to express their hopes and fears to those they love. Sure to inspire new generations of writers and readers, this contemporary novel from a beloved author and Newbery Medalist celebrates the power of words and language, stories and poetry. It also underscores a message that is near to Patricia MacLachlan’s own heart—that becoming a writer can help every person, young or old, to better experience the world. Reading this book is like a visit from Patricia MacLachlan herself!

My friend spied this book at a recent charity book sale. She knows I am both a huge fan of Patricia MacLachlan and also that I have begun a small collection of her books. My obsession began with Sarah, Plain and Tall - I think I have read it over ten times. It is my comfort story. Word after word after word published in 2010 is available but I sure did make a good saving. My copy cost AUS$1 and a new copy costs nearly AUS$35 here in Australia. 

I won't say that Word after Word after Word is MacLachlan's best book, but it's a book you'll like spending time with. All of her books are like that. Book Aunt

At its heart, this book is about the ways that writing and friendships can connect us to our own stories—word after word after word. It is a beautiful, authentic, grounded novel that you won’t want to put down Great Kids Books

Here are a few books by Patricia MacLachlan:

Patricia MacLachlan died in 2022. Here is a list of her books:

• Cassie Binegar (1980)
• Arthur, for the Very First Time (1980)
• Tomorrow's Wizard (1982)
• Seven Kisses in a Row (1983)
• Unclaimed Treasures (1984)
• The Facts and Fictions of Minna Pratt (1988)
• Journey (1991)
• Baby (1993)
• Edward's Eyes (2007)
• The True Gift (2009)
• Word After Word After Word (2010)
• Waiting for the Magic (2011)
• Kindred Souls (2012)
• White Fur Flying (2013)
• Prairie Days (2013)
• The Truth of Me (2013)
• Fly Away (2014)
• The Poet's Dog (2016)
• Just Dance (2017)
• My Father’s Words (2018)
• Dream Within a Dream (2019)
• Wondrous Rex (2020)
• A Secret Shared (2021)
• My Life Begins! (2022)

Plus the five titles of that follow the story of Sarah, Plain and Tall. And nearly 30 picture books. 

A Secret Shared by Patricia MacLachlan

"A lie is deep and dark

tangled in my words -

my head

my heart

until truth shines it away - 

Leaving joy"

I think I would like to be part of this family. Mum writes for a newspaper each day. She aspires to be a poet but does not seem to realise, until later, that her writing is actually a form of poetry nor does she expect her readers to love her work. Dad is an art teacher and an artist. Mum has Irish heritage - her name is Una and dad has Italian heritage - his name is Giovanni Rossi or Geo for short. Ben and Nora are twins and they have a little sister named Beatrix but she is called Birdy. This story also introduces us to a wonderful teacher named Miss Schyler - the children call her the beautiful name of Miss Skylark. There is also a funny and friendly crossing supervisor named Billy.

All families have secrets I guess. If you watch those television programs such as Who do you think you are? or Long lost Family you've seen many variations on the life journeys of some children and their parents. Often these programs use DNA testing to identify connections between people and one of those tests precipitates the events of this story - A Shared Secret. Mum is keen to know about her heritage and so she has a kit. What she doesn't know is that Birdy has also spit into a tube and both these samples have been sent for testing. 

Here are a few text quotes (I read this book at midnight last night after only buying it earlier that day. 

"She is curled up with her stuffed horse sleeping peacefully. Her hair looks like gold in the nightlight. I think of Ben's dark hair, and mine."

"Until the problem is solved ... does it matter? Birdy is the sister you love."

"It's Father who has tears now. And it's Father who will help us all understand the truth about Birdy."

The Kirkus reviewer gives lots of plot details but it is a negative review. The cover is by Kenard Pak. 

I was in one of our most splendid bookstores yesterday at an event featuring Gabriel Evans. Naturally my friend and I continued to browse the shelves after the event. That is when I spied a book by Patricia MacLachlan (1938-1922) that I had not seen before. I am a HUGE FAN of her work. 

I have read so many books by Patricia MacLachlan but there are still a few I do need to find:

Kirkus review

Kirkus Star review

My Life Begins by Patricia MacLachlan illustrated by Daniel Miyares

Jacob is an only child for the first nine years of his life. He thinks a puppy will fill the gap but mum and dad have other ideas - triplets. Charlotte (Char), Katherine (Kath) and Elizabeth (Liz). They are completely identical so Jacob calls them the Trips. Mum uses different colours so everyone call tell them apart. Luckily the family can hire a nanny to help - she is a truly special person. 

Jacob's teacher sets an assignment. Everyone has the whole term to research a topic of their own choice. Jacob decides to use his notebook to record his observations about the Trips.

Part of the blurb: As each of the triplets become unique and more special with each day, Jacob starts to wonder if “the Trips” is still a good name for them. They aren’t puppies, or a bunch of bananas, and they aren’t just “the Trips” anymore. What should he call them that will show what they mean to him? Can he figure out their “forever name?” And will he ever get a puppy?

Listen to a text sample here.

... measured writing focuses on moments of everyday magic and charm, and Jacob’s observational notes read almost like poetry. Kirkus

MacLachlan has poignantly captured the way Jacob's sibling relationships form and grow depending on the personality of each of his sister's, inviting readers into Jacobs thoughts and feelings to show how all this all unfolds.  Randomly Reading

I love Jacob's tenderness toward these tiny babies - in this scene he gets up late at night because he hears a baby crying.

"I go into the nursery, where the Trips sleep.  It is yellow Liz. She stops crying to look up at me. I pick her up. I know how to do this. I can warm a bottle. I can change a diaper. Her diaper is dry. Liz doesn't want a bottle. She wants to look at me. Her eyes are a dark colour I can't name. She watches me in the moonlight. I sing her 'All the Pretty Little Horses' and she is very still, listening the way she does when Father sings to her. I touch her hand and she curls it around my finger ... she smiles!"

I adore Patricia MacLachlan which is why I spent $30 for this slim (119 pages) book. I do hope a paperback version is available soon but I am happy to have a small shelf of hardcover books by Patricia MacLachlan. 

I need to find two more books by Patricia MacLachlan - her last books as she died earlier this year.

Companion reads to share alongside My Life Begins:

The Year of Billy Miller

Billy Miller makes a wish

Patricia MacLachlan 3rd March 1938 - 31st March 2022

Image Source: Simon and Schuster

My inspiration for writing is all the wonderful books that I read as a child and that I still read. I think that for those of us who write, when we find a wonderful book written by someone else, we don't really get jealous, we get inspired, and that's kind of the mark of what a good writer is. 

In a way, my childhood was one long bunch of pages... I read and read and read.

Looking back, I see that I write books about brothers and sisters, 

about what makes up a family, what works and what is nurturing.

Sometimes poetry--words--give us a small, lovely look at ourselves. And sometimes that is enough.

Patricia MacLachlan's books are among my most favourites. Her seminal work Sarah, Plain and Tall (Newbery Winner 1986) had a profound affect on me. Even today, many years after my reading of this book, I can feel my eyes filling with tears when I remember the opening scene as Caleb asks Anna about his mother who has died in childbirth. Today I discovered Sarah, Plain and Tall was published during my first year of working in a school library so there is an even greater significance.

Listen to and watch an interview with Patricia from 2013. And here is a post about her work.

I have previously talked about many of Patricia MacLachlan's books:

Sarah, Plain and Tall (1985)

Waiting for the Magic (2011)

White Fur Flying (2013)

Fly Away (2013)

The Truth of me (2013)

The Poet's Dog (2016)

Just Dance (2017)

My Father's Words (2018)

Little Robot Alone (2018)

Chicken Talk (2019)

Wondrous Rex (2020)

Here is the set of books which began with Sarah Plain and Tall

Harper Collins (US) book blurbs:

Skylark: Jacob is a man of the land but for Sarah, the prairie isn't yet her home. So when a drought threatens to devastate their way of life, Jacob must save the farm. But the children go back to the home Sarah knew first, Maine, where there is family and an ocean. But will they ever be a family again on the prairie?

Caleb's Story: "It′s your job now," Anna says as she hands Caleb her journals, asking him to continue writing the family story. But Sarah, Jacob, Anna, Caleb, and their new little sister, Cassie, have already formed a family, and Caleb fears there will be nothing left to write about. But that is before Cassie discovers a mysterious old man in the barn and everything changes. Everyone is excited about the arrival of a new family member except for Jacob, who holds a bitter grudge.

More Perfect than the Moon: Cassie spends her days watching Grandfather and Caleb in the barn, looking out at Papa working the fields, spying on her mother, Sarah, feeding the goslings. She's an observer, a writer, a storyteller. Everything is as it should be. But change is inevitable, even on the prairie. Something new is expected, and Sarah says it will be the perfect gift. Cassie isn't so sure.

Grandfather's Dance: Cassie's sister Anna's wedding brings two lovebirds together, aunts from faraway Maine, a long white dress with a wedding veil, dancing under a clear blue sky, and a world that smells of roses. As the Witting family comes together for this most special day, Cassie sees that life brings the change of seasons, brother Jack on Grandfather's lap, joy, sorrow, and a special dance only Grandfather does

And here are a few more books that I need to read. My Poet; Life Begins and Snow Horses are not yet published:

Like her novels, MacLachlan’s latest picture book is a heartwarming—but never saccharine—

tale with an old-fashioned feel. Kirkus 

This book clings to the heart and echoes in the soul for days. Kirkus Star review

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. Kirkus Star

Wondrous Rex by Patricia MacLachlan illustrated by Emilia Dziubak

 

We can find magic in the sunrise,

the full moon, a kindness,

someone's laughter, and

even in a dog who doesn't talk.

Aunt Lily is a writer but her desk is a mess and she is struggling with new ideas so she advertises for an assistant. 

"A writer of books needs an assistant, a coach, a helper, for inspiration and some magic!"

Grace, her niece, comes to visit her aunt and discovers the new assistant has arrived - a Labrador retriever called Rex. Grace watches, amazed, as Rex immediately goes over to Lily's desk where he carefully sorts and straightens her messy papers. Then he does something even more amazing. He sits at the computer and types in the words - "If you find a book you really want to read but it hasn't been written yet, then you must write it." Toni Morrison.

What a discovery! Rex can write, Rex can use a computer and Rex and read. Lily is inspired and she takes over the keyboard and writes and writes. His other wondrous talent is his ability to know when to act like a dog and when to reveal his magic. And maybe this magic can spill over to Grace.

"Dogs know secrets. Dogs keep secrets."

When I saw a new Patricia MacLachlan book (2020) in my local book store (Beachside Books) I grabbed it with both hands.  

Wondorous Rex is a tiny book (86 pages) with a big heart and it contains many of the themes you will know from previous books by this award winning author such as dogs, writers, and magic. You can listen to the first chapter here. I highly recommend this tiny gem of a book for readers aged 7+.

Sweetly magical. Kirkus

Newbery Medal-winning author Patricia MacLachlan has written a magical and funny tale about the joy found in using words, sharing stories, and loving a wondrous dog named Rex. Children's Books Heal

I have mentioned Emilia Dziubak in a previous post. Here are some other books by Patricia MacLachlan:

My Father's Words
The Truth of Me
White Fur flying
Waiting for the Magic
The Poet's Dog
Just Dance
Fly Away
Sarah, Plain and Tall

My Father's Words by Patricia MacLachlan

With her customary precise, spare language, infused with emotional intelligence, MacLachlan takes readers from shocked grief to a way to live again, fundamental truths dropped carefully and delicately for young readers to comprehend in their own time.  Simple words make a flawless story about resilience, hope, healing, and the eternal fitness of things. Kirkus Star review

Before I talk about this deeply emotional book please listen to this version of Dona Nobis Pacem (if possible without the distracting video - just enjoy the beautiful voices).  This song and the memory of their father singing is an important story thread in My Father's Words.

Here is the blurb: "A terrible accident one day changes Fiona and Finn O'Brien's lives forever when they are left without a father. Their mother is at a loss. What words are there to guide them through such overwhelming grief? At the suggestion of their friend, Luke, Fiona and Finn volunteer at an animal rescue shelter, where they meet two sweet dogs who are in need of comfort too Perhaps with time, patience, and their father's gentle words in their hearts, hope will spark once more."

Wisdom:

"Children are wise, but they don't know how wise. And sometimes they don't have words for what they know."

"Be thoughtful. Be Smart. ... Be Kind."

"There'll always be the sun. Always the sun. It's a light that never goes out."

"Life sometimes happens with events falling over each other like tumbleweeds in a prairie wind."

"If it's hard, you're doing good things."

Finn reads his favourite book to Emma who is been abandoned at left at the dog shelter. You can see the whole book of The Year at Maple Hill farm here. He also reads The Poet's Dog and Mr Rabbit and the Lovely Present.

Listen to an audio sample from the first chapter and another which begins from chapter three.

I think I can date the book that led to my adult love affair with children's books - YES you may have guessed it was Sarah, Plain and Tall. Ever since reading that book I have kept my eye out for other books by Patricia MacLachlan. Here are some I have read and loved:

And here are a variety of covers for Sarah, Plain and Tall:

Early in 2019 I talked about Just Dance by Patricia MacLachlan and at the time I made this table of connections. I have now added My Father's words:

Music - Just Dance; Fly Away; The Truth of Me; Sarah Plain and Tall; My Father's Words

Dogs - The Poet's Dog; White fur flying; The Truth of Me; Waiting for the Magic; Just Dance; My Father's Words

Poetry - The Poet's Dog; Just Dance; Fly Away

Farms and rural communities - Fly Away; Just Dance; Sarah Plain and Tall

Seeking answers to questions - Just Dance; The Truth of Me; Sarah Plain and Tall; My Father's Words

Family relationships - Sarah Plain and Tall; Just Dance; The Truth of Me; Fly Away; My Father's Words

My Father's Words is a perfect book for a sensitive reader with the added bonus of those beautiful words from their dad, a sister and brother who you will really care about and a special little dog called Emma. I especially appreciated the way Patricia MacLachlan let her characters cry, and cry a lot, in the weeks following their father's death. This book is also about the power of music. Do go back and listen to Dona Nobis. 

Here are three more Patricia MacLachlan books I have added to my "to read" list:

Chicken Talk by Patricia MacLachlan illustrated by Jarrett J Krosoczka

Chickens are such fun characters for picture books and in this book they can talk! Here are the words on the back cover of this book:

Why would a chicken talk?
How would a chicken talk?
Can a chicken talk?

Watching and listening to the children reading books the chickens have learned how to write (perhaps) and now they have important things to tell the farmer, his wife and two children.

When you read this book in Australia you will need to translate arugula (US name) to rocket (Australian name).

I love the demands of the chickens -

MORE STORIES ABOUT BRAVE CHICKENS
YOU DRIVE TOO FAST CHEERFUL CHICKENS CROSS THIS ROAD
TOO HOT CAN WE HAVE A FAN?
TOO MANY JOYCES!

A sweet, silly, and slightly surreal celebration of individuality and connection. Kirkus

… throughout all the excitement, however small in scale,it’s a feeling of family affection that shines through. Horn Book

Here are the hens (all named Joyce) sitting on porch chairs.

I would pair this book with Doreen Cronin and Susan Meddaugh:

There are so many picture books about Chickens.  My friend from Kinderbookswitheverything has a huge Pinterest collection.  Here are a few of my favourite books about Chickens!

Albert and Lila

Banjo and Ruby Red

Louise the adventures of a chicken