A Wrinkle in Time by Madeleine L'Engle

A Wrinkle in Time, by Madeleine L'Engle, offers something most young adult science fiction can't. Philosophy. It is full of adventure, mystery, suspense, and of course zany humor. This book, while written for the young adult set, can be enjoyed by adults as well. I found it as a child, and I eventually went on to read the whole series. A set of books, I'm proud to say, that still graces my personal library.

It covers complex theories of time travel in a way that makes children interested in science and life's possibilities. At the same time it teaches about the importance of family and friendship. A quick read, each page leaves you thirsting for more. By the book's end, you are hooked and thankful for sequels. You'll want to spend more time with Meg Murray, Charles Wallace Murray, and Calvin O'Keefe.

The story centers around Meg and her brother Charles Wallace. They are waiting for their father to return home. He has been gone for a long time, and no one knows where he is. After an odd meeting with three women, Mrs. Whatsit, Mrs. Which, and Mrs. Who, Charles Wallace and Meg, joined by her new friend Calvin, set off to find him. The children travel by tesseracts which are folds in space and time.

They land on another planet which is covered with a dark cloud of evil. Meg's father was working on a government project to achieve faster travel through the tesseracts. Unfortunately, he landed on a planet inside the dark cloud and was imprisoned. The children face many dangers and obstacles while trying to recue Mr. Murray, and they ultimately learn to respect and understand their differences.

Madeleine L'Engle had great difficulty in getting this book published. Written in 1959, this book dealt with many topics not usually met with in a childrens book, let alone a work of science fiction. Publishers believed that the religious and philosophical undertones had no place in a science fiction work, let alone one for children.

They had also never seen a female protagonist in a science fiction book and were reluctant to take such a risk. While these such problems seem trivial by today's standards, they were not small matters then. However, they help to make the book time transcendental, a feat that isn't easy.

Since its original publishing, A Wrinkle in Time has been reprinted numerous times. It has been made into a television movie, ands it even appears as an audio book. Two generations have fallen in love with this story, and you will too.