"A Wrinkle in Time" by Madeleine L'Engle

A Wrinkle in Time by Madeleine L'Engle
Call Number: J FICTION L'Engle
A tesseract (in case the reader doesn't know) is a wrinkle in time. To tell more would rob the reader of the enjoyment of Miss L'Engle's unusual book. A Wrinkle in Time, winner of the Newbery Medal in 1963, is the story of the adventures in space and time of Meg, Charles Wallace, and Calvin O'Keefe (athlete, student, and one of the most popular boys in high school). They are in search of Meg's father, a scientist who disappeared while engaged in secret work for the government on the tesseract problem.

Family Dynamics: How does the Murray family dynamics shape the story? What role do familial relationships play in the development of the characters?
Conformity vs. Individuality: Discuss the theme of conformity versus individuality as seen through the characters of Meg, Charles Wallace, and Calvin. How do they each grapple with the pressures to conform or assert their individuality?
Good vs. Evil: Explore the portrayal of good and evil in the novel. How are these concepts represented through characters like Mrs. Whatsit, Mrs. Who, and Mrs. Which? What do their different approaches to combating evil reveal about the nature of good?
Meg's Journey: How does Meg's character evolve throughout the novel? What challenges does she face, and how does she overcome them? What does her journey teach us about resilience and self-discovery?
Friendship and Support: Discuss the role of friendship and support in the novel, particularly in the relationship between Meg, Calvin, and Charles Wallace. How do these friendships contribute to the characters' growth and the overall outcome of their adventure?
Tesseract and Time Travel: What is the significance of the tesseract and the concept of time travel in the novel? How does it serve as a metaphor for the challenges the characters face and the journey they undertake?
Themes of Love and Acceptance: How are themes of love and acceptance explored in "A Wrinkle in Time"? Consider Meg's love for her family, the love between siblings, and the idea of accepting oneself despite perceived flaws.
Religious and Philosophical Themes: Discuss the religious and philosophical themes present in the novel, such as the battle between light and darkness, the concept of a higher power, and the importance of faith and belief.
The Black Thing: What does the Black Thing represent in the novel? How does it symbolize darkness, fear, and the struggle against oppression and conformity?
The Role of Mrs. Who, Mrs. Which, and Mrs. Whatsit: Analyze the roles of the three celestial beings in guiding Meg, Charles Wallace, and Calvin on their journey. What do they represent individually and collectively?

Early Life and Education: Madeleine L'Engle was born on November 29, 1918, in New York City, New York, as Madeleine L'Engle Camp. She grew up in a family that valued literature and creativity. Her father, Charles Wadsworth Camp, was a writer, and her mother, Madeleine Hall Barnett, was a pianist.

L'Engle attended Ashley Hall, a boarding school in South Carolina. She then studied at Smith College in Massachusetts, where she majored in English. During her time at college, L'Engle wrote and acted in several plays and developed her passion for writing.

Early Career: After graduating from college in 1941, L'Engle moved to New York City to pursue a career in writing. She worked as an actress and a freelance writer, contributing articles, stories, and poems to various publications.

In 1946, L'Engle married actor Hugh Franklin, with whom she had two children, Josephine and Bion. The family later moved to Connecticut, where L'Engle continued to focus on her writing while also raising her children.

Literary Career: L'Engle published her first novel, "The Small Rain," in 1945. Over the years, she wrote numerous works for children, young adults, and adults, exploring themes of science fiction, fantasy, theology, and the struggles of adolescence.

Her most famous work, "A Wrinkle in Time," was published in 1962 and won the prestigious Newbery Medal in 1963. The novel, which blends elements of science fiction and fantasy, has since become a beloved classic and has been adapted into film, stage productions, and graphic novels.

L'Engle continued to write sequels to "A Wrinkle in Time," including "A Wind in the Door," "A Swiftly Tilting Planet," and "Many Waters." She also wrote other notable works such as the "Austin Family Chronicles" series and the "Time Quintet" series.

Later Years and Legacy: Throughout her career, L'Engle was known for her imaginative storytelling, complex characters, and exploration of philosophical and spiritual themes. She was a prolific writer, publishing more than 60 books over the course of her lifetime.

In addition to her writing, L'Engle was involved in various literary and artistic circles, and she was an active speaker and lecturer. She also taught writing workshops and served as a writer-in-residence at various institutions.

Madeleine L'Engle passed away on September 6, 2007, in Litchfield, Connecticut, at the age of 88. Her legacy continues to live on through her timeless works, which have inspired generations of readers and continue to captivate audiences around the world.

Becoming Madeleine: a Biography of the Author of a Wrinkle in Time by Her Granddaughters by Charlotte Jones Voiklis; LAna Roy
Call Number: J BIO L'ENGLE Voiklis
This middle-grade biography explores the life and works of Madeleine L'Engle --written by her granddaughters. This elegant and insightful biography of Madeleine L'Engle (1918-2007) was written by her granddaughters, Charlotte Jones Voiklis and Léna Roy. Using never-before-seen archival materials that include photographs, poems, letters, and journal entries from when Madeleine was a child until just after the publication of her classic, A Wrinkle in Time , her granddaughters weave together an in-depth and unique view of the famous writer. It is a story of overcoming obstacles--a lonely childhood, financial insecurity, and countless rejections of her writing--and eventual triumph. Becoming Madeleine will speak not only to fans of the icon's work, but also to anyone interested in writing.
Rick Riordan Presents Sal and Gabi Break the Universe (a Sal and Gabi Novel, Book 1) by Carlos Hernandez
Call Number: J FANTASY Hernandez
What would you do if you had the power to reach through time and space and retrieve anything you want, including your mother, who is no longer living (in this universe, anyway)? When Sal Vidon meets Gabi Real for the first time, it isn't under the best of circumstances. Sal is in the principal's office for the third time in three days, and it's still the first week of school. Gabi, student council president and editor of the school paper, is there to support her friend Yasmany, who just picked a fight with Sal. She is determined to prove that somehow, Sal planted a raw chicken in Yasmany's locker, even though nobody saw him do it and the bloody poultry has since mysteriously disappeared. Sal prides himself on being an excellent magician, but for this sleight of hand, he relied on a talent no one would guess . . . except maybe Gabi, whose sharp eyes never miss a trick. When Gabi learns that he's capable of conjuring things much bigger than a chicken--including his dead mother--and she takes it all in stride, Sal knows that she is someone he can work with. There's only one slight problem: their manipulation of time and space could put the entire universe at risk. A sassy entropy sweeper, a documentary about wedgies, a principal who wears a Venetian bauta mask, and heaping platefuls of Cuban food are just some of the delights that await in his mind-blowing novel gift-wrapped in love and laughter.
Saving Lucas Biggs by Marisa de los Santos; David Teague
Call Number: J FICTION De los Santos
The one thing thirteen-year-old Margaret O'Malley is sure of is that her father is innocent. So when the unthinkable happens and he's sentenced to death by the cruel Judge Biggs, Margaret is desperate to save him. She'll do whatever it takes, even if it means using her family's secret--and forbidden--ability to travel through time. Margaret's only hope is to stop the chain of events that turned Lucas Biggs into a corrupt and jaded man. With the help of her best friend, Charlie, and his grandpa Josh, Margaret jumps back in time to a year when everything in her town was going wrong--a year that changed Lucas Biggs forever. Together with a then-thirteen-year-old Josh, Margaret sets out to change the past. But the rules of time travel are strict, and as the forces of history resist, Margaret is running out of chances before she will be pushed back to a present where her father is doomed.
When You Reach Me by Rebecca Stead
Call Number: J FICTION Stead
Shortly after a fall-out with her best friend, sixth grader Miranda starts receiving mysterious notes, and she doesn't know what to do. The notes tell her that she must write a letter--a true story, and that she can't share her mission with anyone. It would be easy to ignore the strange messages, except that whoever is leaving them has an uncanny ability to predict the future. If that is the case, then Miranda has a big problem--because the notes tell her that someone is going to die, and she might be too late to stop it.
Time Traveling with a Hamster by Ross Welford
Call Number: J FIC WELFORD
My dad died twice. Once when he was thirty-nine and again four years later, when he was twelve. On his twelfth birthday, Al Chaudhury receives a letter from his dead father. It directs him to the bunker of their old house, where Al finds a time machine (an ancient computer and a tin bucket). The letter also outlines a mission: travel back to 1984 and prevent the go-kart accident that will eventually take his father's life. But as Al soon discovers, whizzing back thirty years requires not only imagination and courage, but also lying to your mom, stealing a moped, and setting your school on fire--oh, and keeping your pet hamster safe. With a literary edge and tons of commerical appeal, this incredible debut has it all: heart, humor, vividly imagined characters, and a pitch-perfect voice.

Islington Branch Book Club - Past Titles: "A Wrinkle in Time" by Madeleine L'Engle

"A Wrinkle in Time" by Madeleine L'Engle

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