Several themes are present in the novel. Students can pick a theme to explore, and should support their choice with specific details or events from the text. One prominent theme is “new beginnings”. The characters in the story are all searching for something new to light their lives.
Sarah is a new beginning for Anna, Caleb, and their father. The family will always miss their mother, but are desperately in need of a new light in their life.
Anna, Caleb, and Jacob are a new beginning for Sarah. They are a chance for Sarah to make a new life, now that her family in Maine no longer needs her help.
Other themes that could be used are family, or abandonment.
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Student Instructions
Create a storyboard that identifies a theme in Sarah, Plain and Tall. Illustrate examples and write a short description below each cell.