A Wrinkle in Time Author:Madeleine L'Engle Meg Murry, her little brother Charles Wallace, and their mother are having a midnight snack on a dark and stormy night when an unearthly stranger appears at their door. She claims to have been blown off course, and goes on to tell them that there is such a thing as a "tesseract," which, if you didn't know, is a wrinkle in time. — Meg's father had... more » been experimenting with time-travel when he suddenly disappeared. Will Meg, Charles Wallace, and their friend Calvin outwit the forces of evil as they search through space for their father?« less
This was THE book that got me into sci-fi/fantasy. I haven't read it in probably 20 years, but I still remember parts of this book, and the series in general. These have a fairly heavy Christian/moral tone that I did not notice until I was older, but are highly recommended for kids of all/no faiths, especially those who feel "geeky" and unappreciated.
An awesome combination of sci-fi and fantasy. If you're the sort that enjoys it when the book you're reading gives you wings, you'll probably enjoy A Wrinkle in Time! DELICIOUS!!
Unlike many others, I never read this book in middle school or high school. Rather, I first read it in my "Fantasy Literature" class in college (I was the first engineering major to ever take that class - ha ha) and really enjoyed it. I can see why it would appeal to a younger audience - the main characters are children who go on an adventure into the universe to save their father. But I can also understand why we read it at the college level - there's a deeper reliogio-political side to it that's worthy of serious discussion.
This is a 1963 Newbery Medal winner, and the first in a four-part series that also includes: A Wind in the Door; A Swiftly Tilting Planet, which won the American Book Award; and Many Waters.
Honestly, I am still undecided what I think of the book. It had a good base message and some of the concepts are interesting, but the writing didn't hold me, and I didn't find myself getting attached or even caring about most of the characters. Perhaps I'm just too old for the book.
This Newbery Award winning classic is an enchanting read. I loved the fact that Meg was the true hero. Of course, she had some help from Mrs. Whatsit, Mrs. Who and Mrs. Which, her father, and Calvin, a new friend. However, one is not certain that evil is really defeated leaving the door open for another novel.
I never read this as a child. Reading it as an adult, I found that the author was not just writing a fantasy story, but teaching a lesson. It was wonderful. I am going to read the rest of this series. #2) A Wind in the door, #3) A Swiftly Tilting Planet, and #4) Many Waters.
Extrememly worth reading at any age!!!! The ending was too blunt for me, I would have liked a little more to read at the end...but otherwise a definate reader!
I read this when I was in middle school and thought it was great. Since then I've been trying to find and what do ya know? My friend brought it up and I was so excited to finally know the title again. Great read for anyone.
This book was read by my teacher to my 3rd grade class. While it has been over 15 years since then, this book has stayed with me. It is a great read for youth. It is one that I am going to be reading to my children soon. My oldest is in 3rd grade now, and I think it's a little advanced for him to read his self. I will greatly enjoy reading it to him.
This creative young adult novel has seen some film adaptations in recent years, but none have been terribly well received. That's something of a pity, because the book is quite sophisticated, but I think much of the allegory and depth is lost when it ends up a dumbed-down Disney movie.
The author also has an interesting story, having been raised in Manhattan, and then on to boarding school in Switzerland. She earned an English degree from Smith College. This was one of her mid-career novels, written between 1959-1960, so it was definitely influenced by an age in transition. Apparently, it was rejected some twenty-six times, before it was finally accepted. Despite a somewhat rocky start, the novel became wildly successful, and spawned an entire series which eventually included five books. The first won the coveted Newberry Medal in 1963, an estimable accolade for a children's book, but it doesn't strike me particularity as children's literature, and perhaps that's the point.
The main protagonist is an awkward girl at an awkward age: thirteen-year-old Meg Murry has a tough time with just about everything. She's bright, but is viewed as a lackluster student (I wonder how much this mirrors the author's own experiences) who is labeled a troublemaker. She gets into fights with people who insult her family, particularly when anyone talks about her youngest brother, often considered to be an idiot (he's actually a misunderstood, stunning child prodigy whose intellectual capacities are so advanced that he's capable of telepathy). Enter another oddball, fifteen-year-old Calvin, who kind of just crosses Meg's path, or so it would seem. Together, the team is swept up in adventure, in the form of three ... beings... Whatsit, Who and Which, who transport the trio to far dimensions, in search of her lost father, a government scientist who has been missing from the family for a year. Despite her scientist mother's desperate searching, it seems that her father has vanished.
The enemy of goodness and light is simply called "The Black Thing," a disembodied supernatural figure who likewise is telepathic, and can possess its victims. I won't include too many spoilers, save to say that the novel is a capable adventure story, which is quite sophisticated for its intended audience. Unless, of course, you're like young Charles Warren.
Many have noted the subtly imbued religious themes throughout the novel, especially the overarching notion that love is the most powerful force in the universe. Some critics' interpretations of it have been somewhat overwrought, however: for example, one prominent scholar has argued that the focus on love and light directly represents Christian love of God and Christ, but I think that's a simplistic over-reading the text, as most religions have love and goodness as a central theme, the one most important to emulate. The author was apparently quite a devout Episcopalian, but I question how much direct reflection the book is of her particular Christian beliefs. As above, I think that it could represent any number of faiths and belief systems, perhaps with the notion that there is no "true" religion, as the principles of love, light and goodness are universal. Seems rather anti-religious-establishment, to me, in fact.
Others have noted that it has a fairly vociferous feminist agenda to it, particularly in the empowered young girl as the main character, which was unusual in a science fiction story at the time. Meg is far from the stereotypical heroine of books in the 50s: she's good at math, and is something of a "tomboy" (but I dislike the term), certainly not the stereotypical demure model girls were expected to emulate. Perhaps what's most intriguing about it is that people seem to read into it what appeals to them, and that's a defining characteristic of a well-told story. Everyone gets something out of it, and interprets its deeper meanings according to their own individual tastes and experiences. To that end, it's certain to be a novel that will remain a popular one for some time to come, appealing to new generations of readers.
I enjoyed this as a child but did't realize it was geared towards elementary age kids. Though the quantum physics aspects of time and space travel, seem out of place in a child's book. A great evil is stalking the universe and Meg, Charles and Calvin must fight it to rescue their father. It's a great coming of age story with religious undertones. I enjoyed the quest and the interaction between the three children, the three wise "women" and the strange creatures. A very good start to the Time Series.
This is a Newberry Medal Winner which was made into a movie. There are even 11 color photographs in the book from the movie. While I read and enjoy YA books, this one did not impress me, perhaps because I'm not into YA fantasy. Hey, we can't like them all.
