About the Book

Book Summary

About the Author

Discussion Topics

Activities

Suggested Snacks

A Wrinkle In Time

The 2004 - 2005 issues of the Page Turner will feature guides to help afterschool practitioners lead book clubs in their programs. See The Wire for help in setting up book clubs. If you'd like to start with a different book than the one we've selected, see our tips on creating your own discussion guide.

About the Book

Madeleine L'Engle's Newbery Award-winning book A Wrinkle in Time, published in 1962 by Farrar, Straus, and Giroux, continues to find new audiences. Though it has won several prestigious awards, this beloved novel also has the dubious distinction of being number 12 on the ACLU's list of Top 50 Most Frequently Banned Books, in company with such great works as Huckleberry Finn and The Catcher in the Rye. The book, available in several editions, runs about 232 pages and is appropriate for Independent Readers grades 4 and above.

Book Summary

Meg and Charles Wallace Murry's father, an atomic physicist, disappeared years ago on a secret mission. Aided by three, shall we say, "rather unusual" old women, Meg and Charles Wallace, accompanied by Meg's new friend Calvin O'Keefe, embark on a dangerous quest through time and space to find their father.

About the Author

Best known as a writer of children's books, Madeleine L' Engle is the author of more than fifty books of poetry, adult fiction, memoirs, biblical commentary, and essays. L'Engle spent the first 12 years of her life in Manhattan and then moved to Europe with her parents. She returned to the United States to attend Smith College in Massachusetts. After she graduated, she returned to New York City to begin her career as a writer and actress. At 85, L'Engle continues to work: She is writer-in-residence and a volunteer librarian for the Cathedral of St. John the Divine. She divides her time between New York City and her country home in Connecticut.

Discussion Topics

Here are some questions the book club discussion leader can use to get participants talking about the novel.

  • A Wrinkle in Time is very much about good versus evil. Who in the book represents good? Who represents evil?
  • How does Meg feel about her father and his work?
  • Imagine living in a community that mistrusts and resents you. What is it like for the Murrys to live in a community that doesn't understand them?
  • How is Charles Wallace like Meg? How is he different?
  • How would you describe tessering? Would you want to do it?
  • What are Meg's faults? How do they help her in the end?
  • Meg experiences various types of love throughout her adventure. How does her understanding of love develop over the course of the novel?
  • Who is the most courageous character?
  • Would you define this story as fantasy or science fiction? What are the differences between these two genres?
  • If you had the opportunity to time travel, would you? If you could choose the time, what time period would you travel to?
  • Would you recommend this book to others? Why or why not?

Activities

If your book club enjoys this book, invite them to spend more time with it using activities described in the previous issue of The Page Turner:

  • When the DVD of Disney's TV film of A Wrinkle in Time is released in November, your children might enjoy comparing the book and the film in a Critics Corner.
  • Since the book is about time travel, children can make their own Time Capsule.
  • If your program has Internet access for the children, they may enjoy exploring Madeleine L'Engle's site and Disney's site based on its TV film.

Suggested Snacks

Try the snacks Meg and Charles Wallace are eating the night of the storm: warm cocoa, milk, and bread-and-jam sandwiches. If your group is adventuresome, add liverwurst and cream cheese!


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