A Wrinkle in Time by Madeleine L'Engle

Whoa, I haven't done a book review in a LONG time! I have been reading though... a lot! I've been reading so many books for children's lit and, no I am not complaining one bit about this! Most of the people in my class are early childhood or primary grades and I am one of the few upper elementary and middle school people so of course my books are all chapter books.

It's kind of cool how this class is set up, we read one book each week from a different genre and then we meet with the others that read it and basically have a book club discussion. I am loving it! It's been great practice for my actual book club and I think I'm getting better at facilitating the conversation (it's finally getting easier!). The first time we did the discussion in class one of the girls looks at me and goes, "Don't you have a book club? You can start the discussion!" Well, ok then. No problem. ;) Kind of caught me off guard, but I guess she heard me talking about it one day.

Earlier this semester I read A Wrinkle In Time by Madeleine L'Engle to satisfy the science fiction genre and I am officially in love with that book. I know I read it in elementary school (which is too young, if you ask me) and I didn't get anything out of it. In fact, I specifically remember a paper coming back from my teacher with the comment, "Did you even read this?" I remember, because I was mad. I was mad I got caught! Ha! I was too busy reading Sweet Valley Twins and Babysitters Club to worry about A Wrinkle in Time!

This book is about time travel and the basically the overall theme of good versus evil. There is so much going on in this book and so many themes you could talk about! It's hard to even know where to begin!

Twelve year old Meg, her brother Charles Wallace and her friend Calvin are trying to rescue Meg and Charles' father who has mysteriously disappeared after experimenting with the fifth dimension of time and is stuck in another world. Together the three of them visit these other dimensions and places that are completely different from earth. Through all of these travels, the main character Meg, figures out that it is okay to be different. Meg is struggling with wanting to be like everyone else and not be different at all. In Camazotz, the main planet they visit, everyone seems to operate from one mind. Everyone does the exact same thing, at the exact same time, in the exact same way. Meg finds out that life this way is no life at all.

Other interesting themes I enjoyed were the theme of love conquers all, the inessential need of words to communicate, and that one person cannot know everything.

My favorite quote comes from Meg's mother:

"Just because we don't understand doesn't mean an explanation does not exist."

(maybe I am a quote person after all!)

This book is a fantastic read that children and adults are sure to enjoy. It's a classic that I'm sure I will over and over again and that I hope will be in my curriculum someday.

Have you read A Wrinkle in Time? What are your thoughts?