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A Wrinkle in Time
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From: EWRIGH61 at MAINE.maine.edu <EWRIGH61>
Date: Sun, 06 Jul 97 08:51:01 EDT
In a successful science fiction or fantasy story, which _A Wrinkle in Time_ surely is, the underlying fantastic assumptions (for instance, that a human physicist can tesser himself through space) must be convincing and consistent. _A Wrinkle in Time_ achieves this, but it also has a more important element that has made it a classic in children's literature, not just children's fantasy or science fiction: convincing, consistent characters and situations that touch readers' emotions. Who could not be touched when Meg voluntarily leaves the comfort of Aunt Beast's arms to tesser back through the Black Thing to find Charles Wallace, knowing that she may die trying? Or when her father and Calvin try their hardest to prevent it? Situations like this one, which Madeleine L'Engle concieved and then wrote so well, are what have made _A Wrinkle in Time_ endure.
And it has endured, at least at my library. I have kids come in looking for it, and better yet, for its sequels, which is about the best praise they can give it (why would they want to hear more about these characters if they didn't really like the first book?). _A Wrinkle in Time_ was the first audio book in our children's audio collection to wear out from overuse (I have since replaced it, of course). And in my library, where parents select a lot of their kids' reading for them, _A Wrinkle in Time_ and its sequels are books that children take out themselves.
Beth Wright Children's Librarian Edythe Dyer Community Library Hampden, Maine
Received on Sun 06 Jul 1997 07:51:01 AM CDT
Date: Sun, 06 Jul 97 08:51:01 EDT
In a successful science fiction or fantasy story, which _A Wrinkle in Time_ surely is, the underlying fantastic assumptions (for instance, that a human physicist can tesser himself through space) must be convincing and consistent. _A Wrinkle in Time_ achieves this, but it also has a more important element that has made it a classic in children's literature, not just children's fantasy or science fiction: convincing, consistent characters and situations that touch readers' emotions. Who could not be touched when Meg voluntarily leaves the comfort of Aunt Beast's arms to tesser back through the Black Thing to find Charles Wallace, knowing that she may die trying? Or when her father and Calvin try their hardest to prevent it? Situations like this one, which Madeleine L'Engle concieved and then wrote so well, are what have made _A Wrinkle in Time_ endure.
And it has endured, at least at my library. I have kids come in looking for it, and better yet, for its sequels, which is about the best praise they can give it (why would they want to hear more about these characters if they didn't really like the first book?). _A Wrinkle in Time_ was the first audio book in our children's audio collection to wear out from overuse (I have since replaced it, of course). And in my library, where parents select a lot of their kids' reading for them, _A Wrinkle in Time_ and its sequels are books that children take out themselves.
Beth Wright Children's Librarian Edythe Dyer Community Library Hampden, Maine
Received on Sun 06 Jul 1997 07:51:01 AM CDT
