Synopses & Reviews
It is November. When Meg comes home from school, Charles Wallace tells her he saw dragons in the twins vegetable garden. That night Meg, Calvin and C.W. go to the vegetable garden to meet the Teacher (Blajeny) who explains that what they are seeing isnt a dragon at all, but a cherubim named Proginoskes. It turns out that C.W. is ill and that Blajeny and Proginoskes are there to make him well - by making him well, they will keep the balance of the universe in check and save it from the evil Echthros.
Meg, Calvin and Mr. Jenkins (grade school principal) must travel inside C.W. to have this battle and save Charles life as well as the balance of the universe.
Review
"The chief characters of
A Wrinkle in Time return in a complex sci-fi / fantasy adventure that is both similar and superior . . . The action is precipitated by Charles Wallace's failing health and his difficulties in being accepted by other children now that he's started school. Meg and O'Keefe are enlisted again to fight evil, this time in the shapre of Echthroi ('Light snuffers. Planet darkeners. The dragons. The worms. Those who hate.'), which are spreading through the universe. Guided by their mysterious teacher Blajeny and accompanied by a myriad-eyed, multiwinged cherubim named Proginoskes, Meg, Calivn and Mr. Jenkins (the crusty, unimaginitive school principal with whom Meg ha shad difficulty in the past) must pass three ordeals in order to save Charles Wallace from the Echthroi. Once again it is love that enables Meg to overcome evil, and L'Engle reaches mystical ecstasy in describing Meg's apprehension of the beauty and unity of the universe. Complex concepts of space and time are handled well for youn greaders, and the author creates a suspensful, life-and-death drama that is believably of cosmic significance. Complex and rich in mystical religious insights, this is breathtaking entertainment." --Starred,
School Library Journal
Review
"Complex concepts of space and time are handled well for young readers, and the author creates a suspenseful, life-and-death drama that is believably of cosmic significance. Complex and rich in mystical religious insights, this is breathtaking entertainment." --Starred, School Library Journal
Synopsis
A "Wind In The Door" is a fantastic adventure story involving Meg Murry, her small brother Charles Wallace, and Calvin O'Keefe, the chief characters of "A Wrinkle In Time." The seed from which the story grows is the rather ordinary situation of Charles Wallace's having difficulty in adapting to school. He is extremely bright, so much so that he gets punched around a lot for being "different." He is also strangely, seriously ill (mitochondritis -- the destruction of farandolae, minute creature of the mitochondria in the blood). Determined to help Charles Wallace in school, Meg pays a visit to his principal, Mr. Jenkins, a dry, cold man with whom Meg herself has had unfortunate run-ins. The interview with Mr. Jenkins goes badly and Meg worriedly returns home to find Charles Wallace waiting for her. "There are, " he announces, "dragons in the twins' vegetable garden. Or there were. They've moved to the north pasture now."
Synopsis
The companion to the 1963 Newbery Medal winner
A Wrinkle in Time.
Meg Murry can't help but be worried when her six-year-old brother, Charles Wallace, announces there are dragons in the vegetable garden. He's so bright and so different from other kids, he's getting bullied at school, and he is also strangely, seriously ill.
But Charles Wallace is right about the dragons actually a friendly entity who has come to help Charles Wallace fight his sickness. Meg and her friend Calvin O'Keefe join the dragon on a terrifying, wonderful journey into galactic space where they must battle the forces of evil to save Charles Wallace and themselves.
About the Author
Madeleine LEngle (1918-2007) was the Newbery Medal-winning author of more than 60 books, including the much-loved A Wrinkle in Time. Born in 1918, LEngle grew up in New York City, Switzerland, South Carolina and Massachusetts. Her father was a reporter and her mother had studied to be a pianist, and their house was always full of musicians and theater people. LEngle graduated cum laude from Smith College, then returned to New York to work in the theater. While touring with a play, she wrote her first book, The Small Rain, originally published in 1945. She met her future husband, Hugh Franklin, when they both appeared in The Cherry Orchard. Upon becoming Mrs. Franklin, LEngle gave up the stage in favor of the typewriter. In the years her three children were growing up, she wrote four more novels. Hugh Franklin temporarily retired from the theater, and the family moved to western Connecticut and for ten years ran a general store. Her book Meet the Austins, an American Library Association Notable Children's Book of 1960, was based on this experience. Her science fantasy classic A Wrinkle in Time was awarded the 1963 Newbery Medal. Two companion novels, A Wind in the Door and A Swiftly Tilting Planet (a Newbery Honor book), complete what has come to be known as The Time Trilogy, a series that continues to grow in popularity with a new generation of readers. Her 1980 book A Ring of Endless Light won the Newbery Honor. LEngle passed away in 2007 in Litchfield, Connecticut.
Reading Group Guide
- Members of the Murry family learn important lessons when they encounter evil forces. Identify the conflict in A Wind in the Door and discuss the overall theme of good vs. evil. How are these conflicts resolved? What does each Murry child learn about the power of love?
- In A Wind in the Door, Charles Wallace is tormented by his classmates. Meg says, "It's not right in the United States of America that a little kid shouldn't be safe in school." Discuss the safety issues facing public schools today, for example bullying, weapons, gangs, etc. How are these issues considered "evil" forces?
- In Europe, dragons are portrayed as ferocious beasts. In Asia, they are considered friendly. How are Charles Wallace's dragons portrayed in A Wind in the Door? Find stories about dragons from different parts of the world and share the various ways the dragons are portrayed. What do these stories reveal about the different cultures of the world?
Ideas prepared by Elizabeth A. Poe, associate professor of English, Radford University, Radford, VA, and by Pat Scales, library media specialist, Greenville Middle School, Greenville, SC.