A WRINKLE IN TIME by Madeleine L’Engle
Meg tends to get into trouble at school. She’s very stubborn and quick-tempered, and although she’s brilliant at math, she can’t seem to complete the work the way her teachers want her to. Most of the fights she gets into with her peers revolve around defending her little brother Charles Wallace from accusations of being stupid or different–and around defending her firm belief that her father is coming back. Although he’s been gone for years on a secret mission for the government and they’ve had no contact, Meg, her brilliant scientist mother, and Charles Wallace (who is, in fact, the most brilliant of them all) are convinced that he is coming back. But what Meg does not expect is that one stormy night, three mysterious old women will whisk her, Charles Wallace, and their neighbor Calvin off the face of the Earth, to some distant planet where their father has been fighting an evil darkness that threatens to engulf the universe. Now, her father is imprisoned, and it is up to the three children to rescue him before the darkness overwhelms his soul.
This year marks the fiftieth anniversary of this classic children’s book’s release. A Wrinkle in Time is not just a great sci-fi novel. It explores themes of love and family, the balance between independence and relying on a parent, and the coexistence of courage and fear. This is a great coming-of-age novel that starts a fantastic sci-fi series. I highly recommend it to children and to teens!
If you like the eccentric characters, check out Saffy’s Angel and The Westing Game.
Susan the Librarian 