Madeleine L'Engle

Hello! My name is Madeleine L’Engle, and I spent my life writing stories. I was born in a big, bustling place called New York City on November 29th, 1918. My mother was a beautiful pianist, and my father was a writer, so our home was always filled with music and books. I was a quiet and sometimes clumsy child, and I often felt a little lonely. But I had a secret world of my own—the world of stories! I started writing my first tales when I was just five years old, and I knew, even then, that I wanted to be a writer when I grew up.

After I finished college, I moved back to New York City to work in the theater. That's where I met a kind and handsome actor named Hugh Franklin. We fell in love and got married in 1946. Soon, we had our own family! We moved to a little town in Connecticut and ran a general store. It was a busy time, taking care of my children and helping customers. But even with all that work, I never stopped writing. At night, after everyone was asleep, I would sit down with my paper and pen and let my imagination fly.

One of my biggest adventures started during a family camping trip in 1959. As we drove across the country, I started thinking about space, time, and the big, amazing universe. An idea for a story popped into my head about a girl named Meg Murry who has to travel through space to save her father. I called it 'A Wrinkle in Time.' I was so excited about it! But when I showed it to publishers, they were confused. They said it was too different. More than 25 publishers said 'no'! I felt discouraged, but I didn't give up. Finally, one wonderful publisher said 'yes,' and my book was published in 1962. The very next year, in 1963, it won a special prize called the Newbery Medal!

Winning that award was a dream come true. It meant so many children would get to read about Meg's journey. I went on to write many more books about Meg and her family. I loved writing stories that mixed science, magic, and big questions about life and love. For me, writing wasn't just a job; it was how I explored the world and all its mysteries. I wrote more than 60 books in my lifetime, and each one was a special adventure for me.

I lived a long and wonderful life, full of family, faith, and stories. I lived to be 88 years old. Today, children all over the world still read my books. I hope that when you read 'A Wrinkle in Time,' you feel brave and remember that even when things seem dark, you have a powerful light inside you. Keep asking questions, keep imagining, and never be afraid to be different.