A Wrinkle in Time: The Graphic Novel

by Madeleine L'Engle, Hope Larson (Illustrator)

Overview

The world already knows Meg and Charles Wallace Murry, Calvin O'Keefe, and the three Mrs-Who, Whatsit, and Which-the memorable and wonderful characters who fight off a dark force and save our universe in the Newbery Award-winning classic A Wrinkle in Time. But in 50 years of publication, the book has never been illustrated. Now, Hope Larson takes the classic story to a new level with her vividly imagined interpretations of tessering and favorite characters, like the Happy Medium and Aunt Beast. Perfect for delighting old fans and winning over new ones, this graphic novel adaptation is a must-read.

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9781250056948
Publisher:	Square Fish
Publication date:	03/31/2015
Pages:	416
Sales rank:	11,657
Product dimensions:	5.40(w) x 8.20(h) x 1.00(d)
Age Range:	10 - 14 Years

About the Author

Madeleine L'Engle (1918-2007) was the author of many acclaimed books for children.
Hope Larson is the author of Salamander Dream, Gray Horses, Chiggers, and Mercury. She won a 2007 Eisner Award. She lives in Los Angeles, California.

Date of Birth:

November 2, 1918

Date of Death:

September 6, 2007

Place of Birth:

New York, NY

Place of Death:

Litchfield, CT

Education:

Smith College, 1941

Reading Group Guide

This graphic novel was adapted from a classic prose novel. Adaptations are very common-many
movies and plays were originally books. What is unique about adapting a book into a graphic novel? How is it similar to adapting a book into a play or movie?

Before they confront IT, Meg, Calvin and Charles Wallace are given gifts. Calvin's natural gift of communication is strengthened, Meg is given her faults, and Charles Wallace is given the resilience of his childhood. What gift do you think you would receive from Mrs. Whatsit?

IT argues that everyone is safer and happier because IT controls them-but obviously Camazotz is a very scary place. What do you think is the right balance between freedom and playing by the rules?

Meg, Charles Wallace and Calvin rely on instincts to make many of their decisions. What do you think of this strategy? Do you trust your own instincts?

Many graphic novels represent three dimensions on a piece of paper-but this one had to represent two, three, and more dimensions when the children traveled via tesseract. What did you think of the illustrations of these hard-to-imagine concepts?

Meg tells IT, "Like and equal are not the same thing at all!" Do you agree? How do the ideas of "like" and "equal" differ?

Meg, Charles Wallace and Calvin venture thousands of light years from home to find Mr. Murry, and Meg returns to Camazotz alone to save Charles Wallace. How far would you go to save a family member? What if you weren't sure you would succeed?

The Dark Thing is evil. Mrs. Which tells the children that some of the best fighters of evil have come from earth. They list great people throughout history: Jesus, da Vinci, Shakespeare, and more. Who would you add to their list? What makes you choose them?

Meg's advantage against IT is that she has love and IT does not. What types of love do you see in the novel? What strengths is Meg able to draw from loving and being loved?

Editorial Reviews

"Larson has remained true to the story, preserving the original chapter format and retaining L'Engle's voice. Black-and-white artwork is accented with blue, echoing the original cover color." - School Library Journal

From the Publisher

Know somebody who hasn't met Mrs Whatsit, Mrs Who or Mrs Which? Larson's colorful panels bring Madeline L'Engle's brilliant time-travel favorite to life in an exciting new way. This is page-turning eye candy of the highest order.

James Patterson

The memorable story of Meg Murry, Charles Wallace Murry, and Calvin O'Keefe's adventure across space and time is conveyed with all the intellectual and emotional impact of the original novel.

BCCB

This adaptation is fabulous for presenting a fresh vision to those familiar with the original, but it's so true to the story's soul that even those who've never read it will come away with a genuine understanding of L'Engle's ideas and heart.

starred review Booklist

L’Engle’s Newbery Medal–winning 1962 novel of good, evil, and quantum physics gets a stellar (no pun intended) graphic novel treatment from Eisner-winner Larson (Mercury). Larson’s loose, modern drawing style focuses on the characters, largely omitting backgrounds and leaving readers room to add their own imagination. Meg Murry looks every bit as gawky and uncomfortable in her own skin as she feels, and Larson also plays up Charles Wallace’s specialness and strangeness, giving him large, haunted eyes that seem to see things his other family members cannot. The b&w art, highlighted with Wedgwood blue, effectively accents the children’s sense of alienation, but limits some critical storytelling elements (like a villain’s red eyes) after Meg, Charles Wallace, and their neighbor Calvin are whisked across time and space on a mission to rescue Dr. Murry from an evil force that threatens the universe. While fans may miss L’Engle’s detailed and evocative prose, her original dialogue, combined with Larson’s deft interpretation, will remind them of their first reading, while simultaneously bringing a seminal classic to a new generation. Ages 10–up. Agent: Edward Necarsulmer IV, McIntosh & Otis. (Oct.)¦

Publishers Weekly

Meg's father is missing. When her little brother insists that Meg come with him to visit a strange old lady living in a rundown house in the woods, Meg is worried. What follows is one of the most classic, groundbreaking science fiction stories for children ever written. Many generations of children have been introduced to Meg, Charles Wallace, and Mrs. Whatsit. Now, all of those readers can see these characters as imagined by Hope Larson, the creator of Chiggers and Mercury. This is a graphic novelist destined for greatness; adapting one of the most beloved pieces of literature of all time. The result is beautiful. Rendered in blue, black, and white, Larson shows us her visions of the Happy Medium, the Man with Red Eyes, and Meg's crush, Calvin. Unfortunately, the retelling leaves lovers of the original unsatisfied. Graphic novels almost always tell stories through showing the events of the tale. They do not always capture how the characters feel about the events portrayed. This is a pitfall of this adaptation. Even fans of Larson's previous works may miss the experience of being inside Meg's head as she goes through the story's otherworldly events. By attempting to include all the disparate pieces and planets of this epic story, we lose some of the dramatic weight of the prose book. The pacing feels off. The amazing sights and figures feel a little less grand. The darkness is a little less terrifying than when we imagined it in our heads. In the end, one wonders why this accessible, classic tale needed to be adapted into a graphic novel—even longer than the original—at all. Although the marketing campaign and Larson's deservedly acclaimed illustrations will attract a readership to this book, I hope that readers discover this classic story in its original form first. Reviewer: Raina Sedore

Children's Literature - Raina Sedore

Gr 5 Up—Generations of readers have treasured this science-fiction classic, so comparisons with the original are inevitable. Larson has remained true to the story, preserving the original chapter format and retaining L'Engle's voice. Black-and-white artwork is accented with blue, echoing the original cover color. Blue shading distinguishes flashbacks. Images of Meg's bruised, expressive face and slouched body shift the focus of the story slightly, making this truly her story, told from her perspective. She is initially portrayed as an "ugly duckling," and her angst and tender feelings are palpable. Larson does an excellent job of building tension. Look for the arrival of Mrs Which, the meeting with IT, and the awe-inspiring approach to Uriel. Imagery of transitions is especially effective. Mrs Whatis's metamorphosis and the dawning of morning after darkness are memorable. Striking black backgrounds with fragmented blue and white outlines perfectly capture tessering sequences. Charles Wallace's demeanor and personality variations are worth noting. Larson's crowning achievement, though, is the noticeable change in Meg's appearance after her encounter with Aunt Beast. Her face and posture portray her maturation and her willingness to not "be afraid to be afraid." However, the expansiveness of travel through time and space seems at odds with the book's trim size. Pages feel somewhat crowded, due to the numerous small panels and relatively dense text. "Playing with time and space is a dangerous game" applies to adapting a literary classic. While some may quibble with specific discrepancies from the original, this book serves as an excellent introduction and companion to a classic children's story.—Barbara M. Moon, Suffolk Cooperative Library System, Bellport, NY

School Library Journal

A faithfully adapted graphic novel of the beloved 1962 classic, just in time to celebrate its 50th anniversary. With a keen eye, Eisner Award winner Larson (Mercury, 2010) doesn't stray a moment from L'Engle's original text, following the Murry children, Charles Wallace and Meg, and their friend, Calvin O'Keefe, as they tesser through outer space looking for Meg and Charles Wallace's lost father. Larson's illustrations are clear and concise, neatly ordered across each page with a tidy sensibility. While it is an amazingly envisioned and sophisticatedly stylized offering, some purists may be slightly put off by the three-color black, white and blue palette. It's difficult to see The Man with Red Eyes with baby blue eyes, or to miss out on her rainbow wings when Mrs. Whatsit morphs into the centaurlike creature on Uriel. Minor grievances aside, this is a stunning reimagining of L'Engle's Newbery-winning tale, and it should entrance old and new readers alike. Adaptations can be difficult to execute with style and grace; Larson manages to do both and still add her own flair. Larson's admiration and respect for the original text shines through; this is an adaptation done right. (Graphic fantasy. 9-14)

Kirkus Reviews