A Wrinkle in Time

A Wrinkle in Time
Madeline L'Engle
FSG, 1962 198 pages
Grades 5-8
Science Fiction

Meg Murry struggles. Although naturally scientific and mathematical, she resists learning subjects she is not interested in, frustrating her teachers, and finds it impossible to fit in with her peers. Added to this is her strange family. Scientist Dad has been missing for many years, causing a source of gossip in her small town, scientist Mom spends time in her lab working on experiments, and her little brother is, well, strange. It is through Charles Wallace, a gifted little boy that for a long time was considered "simple", that Meg becomes acquainted with the mysterious Mrs. Whatsit, Mrs. Who, and Mrs. Which. They certainly seem magical. Are they witches? A chance encounter in the woods introduces Meg to cool-guy, Calvin, who proves to be scientifically minded like herself and an instant friend/potential love interest. The Mrs. W's confess to the children that they know where Dad is and it’s up to them to save him. He was working with a team that discovered a way to time travel, only the procedure is still wonky and he is stranded on a distant planet that the celestial ladies cannot travel to. Instead they aid Meg, Charles Wallace, and Calvin to travel to this strange planet and they must discover on their own how best to navigate its strange customs, learn who to trust, and find Dad. Meg must find her inner courage, rely on her faults, and think on her feet in order to resist the evil that lurks on this distant planet and rescue Dad.

A classic for a reason, A Wrinkle in Time is still awesome. One of my favorite books as a child, I re-read the story for the first time in forty years to prepare for my book discussion group. The kids are excited for the upcoming movie and wanted to read the book. I'm so glad to have had the excuse to re-read this story and was relieved to see that it has stood the test of time. Some language is dated, but aspects of the story are surprisingly modern. There is a decidedly feminist slant to the story. Meg is the character who saves the day, not the boys, her mother is a working scientist who holds the family together, and the time travel emissaries are all female. Even the alien creature who assists Meg when she nearly dies is referred to as "Aunt Beast". That said, the story will also appeal to boys and has plenty of useful male characters as well. The plot is quickly moving and offers surprises along the way. The time travel aspect (which is really more space travel using time concepts to increase speed) is well handled and feels believable. There will be a demand for this book with the release of the film and it’s a good time for parents to slip this title to children. Make sure to find a copy with an up to date cover and they will have no idea that they are reading a classic. They may even go onto reading the rest of the books in the series, which I remember devouring as a child. Of further relevance are the obvious STEM connections, making it also a great choice for classroom use.