L'Engle, Madeleine 1918–

(Madeleine Camp Franklin L'Engle)

PERSONAL: Surname pronounced "Leng-el"; born Madeleine L'Engle Camp, November 29, 1918, in New York, NY; daughter of Charles Wadsworth (a foreign correspondent and author) and Madeleine (a pianist; maiden name, Barnett) Camp; married Hugh Franklin (an actor), January 26, 1946 (died, September, 1986); children: Josephine (Mrs. Alan W. Jones), Maria (Mrs. John Rooney), Bion. Education: Smith College, A.B. (with honors), 1941; attended New School for Social Research (now New School University), 1941–42; Columbia University, graduate study, 1960–61. Politics: "New England." Religion: Anglican.

ADDRESSES: Home—924 West End Ave., New York, NY 10025; Crosswicks, Goshen, CT 06756. Agent—Robert Lescher, 155 East 71st St., New York, NY 10021.

CAREER: Writer. Active career in theater, 1941–47; teacher with Committee for Refugee Education during World War II; St. Hilda's and St. Hugh's School, Morningside Heights, NY, teacher, 1960–66; Cathedral of St. John the Divine, New York, NY, librarian, 1966–. University of Indiana, Bloomington, IN, member of sum-mer faculty, 1965–66, 1971; writer-in-residence, Ohio State University, Columbus, OH, 1970, and University of Rochester, Rochester, New York, 1972. Lecturer.

MEMBER: Authors Guild (president), Authors League of America, PEN.

AWARDS, HONORS: And Both Were Young was named one of the Ten Best Books of the Year, New York Times, 1949; Newbery Medal, American Library Association, 1963, Hans Christian Andersen Award runner-up, 1964, Sequoyah Children's Book Award, Oklahoma State Department of Education, and Lewis Carroll Shelf Award, all 1965, all for A Wrinkle in Time; Book World Spring Book Festival Honor Book, and School Library Journal Best Books of the Year selection, both 1968, both for The Young Unicorns; Austrian State Literary Prize, 1969, for The Moon by Night; University of Southern Mississippi Silver Medallion, 1978, for outstanding contribution to the field of children's literature; American Book Award for paperback fiction, 1980, for A Swiftly Tilting Planet; Smith Medal, 1980; Newbery Honor Book, 1981, for A Ring of Endless Light; Books for the Teen Age selections, New York Public Library, 1981, for A Ring of Endless Light, and 1982, for Camilla; Sophie Award, 1984; Regina Medal, Catholic Library Association, 1984; Adolescent Literature Assembly Award for Outstanding Contribution to Adolescent Literature, National Council of Teachers of English, and ALAN Award, both 1986; Kerlan Award, 1990; World Fantasy Award, 1997, for lifetime achievement; Margaret A. Edwards Award, 1998, for lifetime achievement in young adult literature; numerous honorary degrees.

WRITINGS:

The Small Rain: A Novel, Vanguard (New York, NY), 1945, published as Prelude, 1968, new edition published under original title, Farrar, Straus (New York, NY), 1984.

Ilsa, Vanguard (New York, NY), 1946.

And Both Were Young, Lothrop (New York, NY), 1949, reprinted, Delacorte (New York, NY), 1983.

Camilla Dickinson, Simon & Schuster (New York, NY), 1951, published as Camilla, Crowell (New York, NY), 1965, reprinted, Delacorte (New York, NY), 1981.

A Winter's Love, Lippincott (Philadelphia, PA), 1957, reprinted, Ballantine (New York, NY), 1983.

The Arm of the Starfish, Farrar, Straus (New York, NY), 1965.

The Love Letters, Farrar, Straus (New York, NY), 1966.

Lines Scribbled on an Envelope, and Other Poems, Farrar, Straus (New York, NY), 1969.

Dance in the Desert, illustrated by Symeon Shimin, Farrar, Straus (New York, NY), 1969.

Intergalactic P.S.3, Children's Book Council (New York, NY), 1970.

The Other Side of the Sun, Farrar, Straus (New York, NY), 1971.

Everyday Prayers, illustrated by Lucille Butel, More-house (New York, NY), 1974.

Prayers for Sunday, illustrated by Lizzie Napoli, More-house (New York, NY), 1974.

Dragons in the Waters (sequel to The Arm of the Starfish), Farrar, Straus (New York, NY), 1976.

(Editor, with William B. Green) Spirit and Light: Essays in Historical Theology, Seabury Press (New York, NY), 1976.

The Weather of the Heart (poetry), Harold Shaw (Wheaton, IL), 1978.

Ladder of Angels: Scenes from the Bible Illustrated by the Children of the World, Seabury Press (New York, NY), 1979.

Walking on Water: Reflections on Faith and Art (poetry), Harold Shaw (Wheaton, IL), 1980.

The Anti-Muffins, illustrated by Gloria Ortiz, Pilgrim (New York, NY), 1981.

The Sphinx at Dawn: Two Stories, illustrated by Vivian Berger, Harper (New York, NY), 1982.

A Severed Wasp (sequel to A Small Rain), Farrar, Straus (New York, NY), 1982.

And It Was Good: Reflections on Beginnings, Harold Shaw (Wheaton, IL), 1983.

A House like a Lotus (sequel to The Arm of the Starfish), Farrar, Straus (New York, NY), 1984.

Dare to Be Creative, Library of Congress (Washington, DC), 1984.

(With Avery Brooke) Trailing Clouds of Glory: Spiritual Values in Children's Books, Westminster (Louisville, KY), 1985.

A Stone for a Pillow: Journeys with Jacob, Harold Shaw (Wheaton, IL), 1986.

A Cry like a Bell (poetry), Harold Shaw (Wheaton, IL), 1987.

An Acceptable Time, Farrar, Straus (New York, NY), 1989.

Sold into Egypt: Joseph's Journey into Human Being, Harold Shaw (Wheaton, IL), 1989.

The Glorious Impossible, Simon & Schuster (New York, NY), 1990.

Certain Women, Farrar, Straus (New York, NY), 1992.

The Rock That Is Higher: Story as Truth, Harold Shaw (Wheaton, IL), 1993.

Anytime Prayers, Harold Shaw (Wheaton, IL), 1994.

Troubling a Star, Farrar, Straus (New York, NY), 1994.

Glimpses of Grace: Daily Thoughts and Reflections, collected by Carol Chase, Harper (San Francisco, CA), 1996.

A Live Coal in the Sea, Farrar, Straus (New York, NY), 1996.

Penguins and Golden Calves: Icons and Idols, Harold Shaw (Wheaton, IL), 1996, reissued as Penguins and Golden Calves: Icons and Idols in Antartica and Other Unexpected Places, Harold Shaw (Wheaton, IL), 2003.

(With Luci Shaw) Wintersong: Seasonal Readings, Harold Shaw (Wheaton, IL), 1996.

(With Luci Shaw) Friends for the Journey: Two Extraordinary Women Celebrate Friendships Made and Sustained through the Seasons of Life, Vine Books/Servant Publications (Ann Arbor, MI), 1997.

Bright Evening Star: Mystery of the Incarnation, Harold Shaw (Wheaton, IL), 1997.

Mothers and Daughters, Harold Shaw (Wheaton, IL), 1997.

Miracle on 10th Street and Other Christmas Writings, Harold Shaw (Wheaton, IL), 1998.

My Own Small Place: Developing the Writing Life, Harold Shaw (Wheaton, IL), 1998.

Mothers and Sons, Harold Shaw (Wheaton, IL), 1999.

(With Luci Shaw) A Prayerbook for Spiritual Friends, Augsburg (Minneapolis, MN), 1999.

The Other Dog, illustrated by Christine Davenier, Sea-Star Books (New York, NY), 2001.

Madeleine L'Engle Herself: Reflections on a Writing Life, collected by Carol Chase, WaterBrook Press (Colorado Springs, CO), 2001.

The Genesis Trilogy (contains And It Was Good: Reflections on Beginnings, A Stone for a Pillow: Journeys with Jacob, and Sold into Egypt: Joseph's Journey into Human Being), WaterBrook Press (Colorado Springs, CO), 2001.

"AUSTIN FAMILY" SERIES

Meet the Austins, illustrated by Gillian Willett, Vanguard (New York, NY), 1960.

The Moon by Night, Farrar, Straus (New York, NY), 1963.

The Twenty-four Days before Christmas: An Austin Family Story, illustrated by Inga, Farrar, Straus (New York, NY), 1964, illustrated by Joe De Velasco, Harold Shaw (Wheaton, IL), 1984.

The Young Unicorns, Farrar, Straus (New York, NY), 1968.

A Ring of Endless Light, Farrar, Straus (New York, NY), 1980.

Troubling a Star, Farrar, Straus (New York, NY), 1987.

A Full House: An Austin Family Christmas, Harold Shaw (Wheaton, IL), 1999.

"TIME FANTASY" SERIES

A Wrinkle in Time, Farrar, Straus (New York, NY), 1962.

A Wind in the Door, Farrar, Straus (New York, NY), 1973.

A Swiftly Tilting Planet, Farrar, Straus (New York, NY), 1978.

Many Waters, Farrar, Straus (New York, NY), 1986.

An Acceptable Time, Farrar Straus (New York, NY), 1996.

"CROSSWICKS JOURNALS"; AUTOBIOGRAPHY

A Circle of Quiet, Farrar, Straus (New York, NY), 1972.

The Summer of the Great-Grandmother, Farrar, Straus (New York, NY), 1974.

The Irrational Season, Seabury Press (New York, NY), 1977.

Two-Part Invention: The Story of a Marriage, Farrar, Straus (New York, NY), 1988.

PLAYS

Eighteen Washington Square, South: A Comedy in One Act (first produced in Northhampton, MA, 1940), Baker (New York, NY), 1944.

(With Robert Hartung) How Now Brown Cow, first produced in New York, NY, 1949.

The Journey with Jonah (one-act; first produced in New York, NY, 1970), illustrated by Leonard Everett Fisher, Farrar, Straus (New York, NY), 1967.

OTHER

Contributor of articles, stories, and poems to periodicals, including McCall's, Christian Century, Commonweal, Christianity Today, and Mademoiselle. Contributor to Origins of Story: On Writing for Children, edited by Barbara Harrison, Simon & Schuster, and Watch for the Light: Reading for Advent and Christmas, Plough Publishing, 2001. Author of foreword to She Said Yes: The Unlikely Martyrdom of Cassie Bernall, Plough Publishing, 1999.

Collections of L'Engle's manuscripts are housed at Wheaton College, at the Kerlan Collection of the University of Minnesota, and at the De Grummond Collection of the University of Southern Mississippi.

ADAPTATIONS: A Wrinkle in Time was recorded by Newbery Award Records, 1972, adapted as a filmstrip with cassette by Miller-Brody, 1974, and adapted for a four-part mini-series for ABC, 2004; A Wind in the Door was recorded and adapted as a filmstrip with cassette by Miller-Brody; Camilla was recorded as a cassette by Listening Library; A Ring of Endless Light was recorded, adapted as a filmstrip with cassette by Random House, and adapted for television on the Disney Channel, 2002. And Both Were Young, The Arm of the Starfish, Meet the Austins, The Moon by Night, A Wrinkle in Time, and The Young Unicorns have been adapted into Braille; The Arm of the Starfish, Camilla, Dragons in the Waters, A Wind in the Door, and A Wrinkle in Time have been adapted into talking books; The Summer of the Great-Grandmother is also available on cassette.

SIDELIGHTS: Madeleine L'Engle is a writer who resists easy classification. She has successfully published plays, poems, essays, autobiographies, and novels for both children and adults. She is probably best known for her "Time Fantasy" series of children's books: A Wrinkle in Time, A Wind in the Door, A Swiftly Tilting Planet, Many Waters, and An Acceptable Time. These novels combine elements of science fiction and fantasy with L'Engle's constant themes of family love and moral responsibility.

As the daughter of a respected journalist and a gifted pianist, L'Engle was surrounded by creative people from birth. She wrote her first stories at the age of five. She was an only child; in her autobiographies she writes of how much she enjoyed her solitude and of the rich fantasy life she created for herself amid her relatively affluent surroundings. As she wrote in The Summer of the Great-Grandmother: "[My mother] was almost forty when I was born…. Once she and Father had had their long-awaited baby, I became a bone of contention between them. They disagreed completely on how I ought to be brought up. Father wanted a strict English childhood for me, and this is more or less what I got—nanny, governesses, supper on a tray in the nursery, dancing lessons, music lessons, skating lessons, art lessons."

Her father's failing health sent her parents to Switzerland and young Madeleine to a series of boarding schools, where she found herself very unpopular be-gale:pageBreak gale:page="2107" gale:pdfName="cmtw_0001_0003_0_02130-p.pdf"/>cause of her shy, introspective ways. "I learned," L'Engle recounted in The Summer of the Great-Grandmother, "to put on protective coloring in order to survive in an atmosphere which was alien; and I learned to concentrate. Because I was never alone … I learned to shut out the sound of the school and listen to the story or poem I was writing when I should have been doing schoolwork. The result of this early lesson in concentration is that I can write anywhere."

These unpleasant boarding school memories were the ones L'Engle transformed into her first published novel, written in the first years after her graduation from Smith College. The novel, titled The Small Rain, features Katherine Forrester, a boarding-school student who finds solace in her music and becomes increasingly dedicated to her art. The Small Rain thus featured "one of L'Engle's predominant themes: that an artist must constantly discipline herself; otherwise her talent will become dissipated and she will never achieve her greatest potential," commented Marygail G. Parker in Dictionary of Literary Biography.

After publishing several books in the late 1940s, L'Engle's career as a writer was postponed in favor of raising her own family. During the 1950s she and her husband operated a general store in rural Connecticut. L'Engle still wrote stories in her spare time, but these were invariably rejected by magazines. As she recounted in A Circle of Quiet: "During the long drag of years before our youngest child went to school, my love for my family and my need to write were in acute conflict. The problem was really that I put two things first. My husband and children came first. So did my writing." On her fortieth birthday, in 1958, discouraged by several years of rejections, she renounced writing completely, but found that she was unable to stop. She explained, "I had to write. I had no choice in the matter. It was not up to me to say I would stop, because I could not. It didn't matter how small or inadequate [was] my talent. If I never had another book published, and it was very clear to me that this was a real possibility, I still had to go on writing." Soon thereafter, things began to change for the author, and her writing began to sell again.

Selling A Wrinkle in Time, however, proved a challenge. The juvenile novel was rejected by twenty-six publishers in two years. Reasons given vary. The book was neither science fiction nor fantasy, impossible to pigeonhole. "Most objections," L'Engle recalled in an interview with Children's Literature in Education, "were that it would not be able to find an audience, that it was too difficult for children." Speaking to Michael J. Farrell in National Catholic Reporter, L'Engle commented that A Wrinkle in Time "was written in the terms of a modern world in which children know about brainwashing and the corruption of evil. It's based on Einstein's theory of relativity and Planck's quantum theory. It's good, solid science, but also it's good, solid theology. My rebuttal to the German theologians [who] attack God with their intellect on the assumption that the finite can comprehend the infinite, and I don't think that's possible."

The book was finally accepted by an editor at Farrar, Straus. "He had read my first book, The Small Rain, liked it, and asked if I had any other manuscripts," L'Engle recalled for More Books by More People. "I gave him Wrinkle and told him, 'Here's a book nobody likes.' He read it and two weeks later I signed the contract. The editors told me not to be disappointed if it doesn't do well and that they were publishing it because they loved it." The public loved the book too. A Wrinkle in Time won the Newbery Medal in 1963, the Lewis Carroll Shelf Award in 1965, and was a runner-up for the Hans Christian Andersen Award in 1964.

Speaking with Roy Newquist in his Conversations, L'Engle recalled winning the Newbery Medal: "The telephone rang. It was long distance, and an impossible connection. I couldn't hear anything. The operator told me to hang up and she'd try again. The long-distance phone ringing unexpectedly always makes me nervous: is something wrong with one of the grandparents? The phone rang again, and still the connection was full of static and roaring, so the operator told me to hang up and she'd try once more. This time I could barely hear a voice: 'This is Ruth Gagliardo, of the Newbery Caldecott committee.' There was a pause, and she asked, 'Can you hear me?' 'Yes, I can hear you.' Then she told me that Wrinkle had won the medal. My response was an inarticulate squawk; Ruth told me later that it was a special pleasure to her to have me that excited."

In A Wrinkle in Time, Meg Murry must use time travel and extrasensory perception to rescue her father, a gifted scientist, from the evil forces that hold him prisoner on another planet. To release him, Meg must learn the power of love. Writing in A Critical History of Children's Literature, Ruth Hill Viguers called A Wrinkle in Time a "book that combines devices of fairy tales, overtones of fantasy, the philosophy of great lives, the visions of science, and the warmth of a good family story…. It is an exuberant book, original, vital, exciting. Funny ideas, fearful images, amazing characters, and beautiful concepts sweep through it. And it is full of truth."

According to L'Engle, writing A Wrinkle in Time was a mysterious process. "A writer of fantasy, fairy tale, or myth," she explained in Horn Book, "must inevitably discover that he is not writing out of his own knowledge or experience, but out of something both deeper and wider. I think that fantasy must possess the author and simply use him. I know that this is true of A Wrinkle in Time. I can't possibly tell you how I came to write it. It was simply a book I had to write. I had no choice. And it was only after it was written that I realized what some of it meant."

In his book A Sense of Story: Essays on Contemporary Writers for Children, John Rowe Townsend examined the themes in L'Engle's work: "L'Engle's main themes are the clash of good and evil, the difficulty and necessity of deciding which is which and of committing oneself, the search for fulfillment and self-knowledge. These themes are determined by what the author is; and she is a practising and active Christian. Many writers' religious beliefs appear immaterial to their work; Miss L'Engle's are crucial." Townsend saw a mystical dimension to A Wrinkle in Time. In that book, he wrote, "the clash of good and evil is at a cosmic level. Much of the action is concerned with the rescue by the heroine Meg and her friend Calvin O'Keefe of Meg's father and brother, prisoners of a great brain called IT which controls the lives of a zombie population on a planet called Camazotz. Here evil is obviously the reduction of people to a mindless mass, while good is individuality, art and love. It is the sheer power of love which enables Meg to triumph over IT, for love is the force that she has and IT has not."

L'Engle has gone on to write several more books featuring the characters introduced in A Wrinkle in Time, creating the "Time Fantasy" series. In each of these books, she further develops the theme of love as a weapon against darkness. Although the series has been criticized as too convoluted for young readers, and some reviewers have found the Murry family to be a trifle unbelievable and elitist, most critics praise the series for its willingness to take risks. Michele Murray, writing in New York Times Book Review, claimed that "L'Engle mixes classical theology, contemporary family life, and futuristic science fiction to make a completely convincing tale." Speaking of A Wind in the Door, School Library Journal contributor Margaret A. Dorsey asserted: "Complex and rich in mystical religious insights, this is breathtaking entertainment."

L'Engle's ability to entertain is evident in her popularity with readers. A Wrinkle in Time has continued to be one of the best-selling children's books of all time, but it has also gained a reputation as one of the most banned books, accused by some as providing an inaccurate portrayal of the deity. However, reviewing a year 2000 reprint of the ever-popular title, Patrick McCormick, writing in U.S. Catholic, felt that "this is a story that mixes mystery, science, and theology while offering a prescription of compassion and uncommon sense."

In 1998 L'Engle received the Margaret A. Edwards Award honoring her lifetime's work. In particular she was cited for the "Austin Family" series. "L'Engle tells stories that uniquely blend scientific principles and the quest for higher meaning," said Edwards Award Committee chair Jeri Baker, quoted on the American Library Association Web site. "Basic to her philosophy of writing is the belief that 'story' helps individuals live courageously and creatively." Asked about the evolution of the science fiction and fantasy genre, L'Engle told Booklist contributor Sally Estes, "I think right now it's in a state of transition—just as the whole planet is, as we head toward another millennium. We're just going to be different; things are changing. Computer chips are changing a lot of things. We're getting more and more used to living in an electronic world, and I think fantasy is probably the best way to reflect what that means to our lives."

In 2001 L'Engle published her first picture book, The Other Dog, a poodle's account of the arrival of a new "dog" in the family. In this case, the poodle belongs to the L'Engle family, and the new arrival—which is fed on demand, does its business in something called a diaper, and is not forced to go outside for a walk in all sorts of weather—is actually a baby. Our poodle narrator, Touche, however, does not yet realize this. Booklist's Ilene Cooper called the picture book a "delightful offering" and further commented that young readers "who get the joke that Touche misses, will find this very funny." Starr LaTronica, writing in School Library Journal, called The Other Dog a "whimsical look at sibling rivalry from a canine point of view." A contributor for Publishers Weekly dubbed the picture book an "impish, tongue-in-cheek memoir," concluding that any family "with a cosseted dog and a new baby will feel this is written just for them."

In addition to her long career as a children's book writer, L'Engle has published both adult novels and nonfiction. Her nonfiction books explore family relationships as well as religious and metaphysical subjects. Mothers and Daughters, produced in collaboration with her adopted daughter, is an "homage to the relationship between mothers and daughters," according to a re-viewer for Publishers Weekly. A compilation of short prose extracts, prayers, and quotations from her earlier works, Mothers and Daughters explores the "ebb and flow" of such relationships, according to the writer from Publishers Weekly. In Bright Evening Star, L'Engle "offers a set of poetic meditations on the meaning and mystery of the incarnation of God in Jesus," according to a contributor for Publishers Weekly. The same writer concluded, "While there is nothing very theologically profound about L'Engle's meditations, her sparkling prose and ability to tell a good story about the nature of faith make the book worthwhile." Indeed, in all of L'Engle's writing, the element of religion and faith is important if not central to the story. In an interview with Dee Dee Risher of the Other Side, L'Engle commented, "I didn't have a Damascus-road experience. I just wandered along in the world of literature and allowed myself to see stories more and more as proof [of Christianity]. Some stories we have heard so often we've forgotten what they mean." Speaking with Charlie LeDuff of New York Times, L'Engle remarked, "I'm lightly Episcopalian, but I thrive on the mystery. I don't particularly want to understand that mystery."

BIOGRAPHICAL AND CRITICAL SOURCES:

BOOKS

Authors and Artists for Young Adults, Volume 28, Thomson Gale (Detroit, MI), 1999.

Authors in the News, Volume 2, Thomson Gale (Detroit, MI), 1976.

Beacham's Encyclopedia of Popular Fiction, Beacham Publishing (Osprey, FL), Volume 2, 1996, Volume 8, 1996.

Beacham's Guide to Literature for Young Adults, Beacham Publishing (Osprey, FL), Volume 2, 1990, Volume 4, 1990, Volume 5, 1991, Volume 7, 1994.

Characters in Young Adult Literature, Thomson Gale (Detroit, MI), 1997.

Chase, Carole F., Madeleine L'Engle, Suncatcher: Spiritual Vision of a Storyteller, LuraMedia (San Diego, CA), 1995.

Children's Literature Review, Thomson Gale (Detroit, MI), Volume 1, 1976, Volume 14, 1988.

Contemporary Literary Criticism, Volume 12, Thomson Gale (Detroit, MI), 1980.

Dictionary of Literary Biography, Volume 52: American Writers for Children since 1960: Fiction, Thomson Gale (Detroit, MI), 1986.

Encyclopedia of World Biography Supplement, Volume 18, Thomson Gale (Detroit, MI), 1998.

Hopkins, Lee Bennett, More Books by More People, Citation (New York, NY), 1974.

Huck, Charlotte S., Children's Literature in the Elementary School, 3rd edition, Holt (New York, NY), 1976.

Karolides, Nicholas J., editor, Censored Books, II: Critical Viewpoints, 1985–2000, Scarecrow Press (Lanham, MD), 2002.

L'Engle, Madeleine, A Circle of Quiet, Farrar, Straus (New York, NY), 1972.

L'Engle, Madeleine, The Summer of the Great-Grandmother, Farrar, Straus (New York, NY), 1974.

Meigs, Cornelia, editor, A Critical History of Children's Literature, Macmillan (New York, NY), revised edition, 1969.

Newquist, Roy, Conversations, Rand McNally (New York, NY), 1967.

Norton, Donna E., Through the Eyes of a Child: An Introduction to Children's Literature, 2nd edition, Merrill Publishing (Indianapolis, IN), 1987.

St. James Guide to Children's Writers, 5th edition, St. James Press (Detroit, MI), 1998.

St. James Guide to Science Fiction Writers, 4th edition, St. James Press (Detroit, MI), 1996.

St. James Guide to Young Adult Writers, 2nd edition, St. James Press (Detroit, MI), 1998.

Shaw, Luci, editor, The Swiftly Tilting Worlds of Madeleine L'Engle: Essays in Her Honor, Shaw (Wheaton, IL), 1998.

Townsend, John Rowe, A Sense of Story: Essays on Contemporary Writers for Children, Lippincott (Philadelphia, PA), 1971.

Viguers, Ruth Hill, Margin for Surprise: About Books, Children, and Librarians, Little, Brown (Boston, MA), 1964.

Wytenbroek, J. R., with Roger C. Schlobin, Nothing Is Ordinary: The Extraordinary Vision of Madeleine L'Engle, Borgo Press (San Bernardino, CA), 1995.

PERIODICALS

America, October 2, 1993; March 16, 1996, p. 19.

Booklist, September 1, 1992, p. 4; April 15, 1994, p. 1547; August, 1994, p. 2039; May 1, 1996, p. 1488; May 15, 1996, p. 1604; March 15, 1997, p. 1253; May 15, 1998, pp. 1620-1621; March 1, 2001, Ilene Cooper, review of The Other Dog, p. 1287.

Book Report, November-December, 1994, Sister Mary Veronica, "Madeleine L'Engle," pp. 24-28.

Children's Literature in Education, winter, 1975, Ruth Rausen, "An Interview with Madeleine L'Engle;" summer, 1976, pp. 96-102; winter, 1983, pp. 195-203; spring, 1987, pp. 34-44.

Christian Century, April 6, 1977, p. 321; November 20, 1985, p. 1067.

Christianity Today, June 8, 1979.

Christian Science Monitor, May 12, 1980, Brad Owens, "L'Engle: A Voice for 'Love and Commitment,'" p. B8; February 4, 1993, p. 13; December 13, 1994, p. 11.

Horn Book, August, 1963, Madeleine L'Engle, "The Expanding Universe;" December, 1983.

Language Arts, October, 1977, pp. 812-816; February, 1993, "L'Engle Speaks of How Stories Capture Human Truths and Give People the Courage to Live," p. 137.

Library Journal, May 1, 1996, p. 100.

Lion and the Unicorn, fall, 1977, pp. 25-39.

Los Angeles Times, August 7, 1983; September 26, 1985; October 12, 1992, p. E1.

Ms., July-August, 1987.

National Catholic Reporter, June 20, 1986, Michael J. Farrell, "Madeleine L'Engle: In Search of Where Lion and Lamb Abide."

New Yorker, April 12, 2004, Cynthia Zarin, "The Storyteller," p. 60.

New York Times, June 1, 1991, p. 9; March 15, 2001, Charlie LeDuff, "Busier than Ever at 82, and Yes, Still Writing," p. B2.

New York Times Book Review, July 8, 1973, Michele Murray, review of A Wind in the Door, p. 8; June 15, 1980, review of The Young Unicorns, p. 31; June 29, 1980, review of The Arm of the Starfish, p. 35; January 11, 1981, review of A Ring of Endless Light, p. 29; November 30, 1986, review of Many Waters, p. 40; December 18, 1988, Dan Wakefield, review of Two-Part Invention: The Story of a Marriage, p. 35.

Other Side, March-April, 1998, Dee Dee Risher, "Listening to the Story," pp. 36-39; March-April, 1998, pp. 40-42.

PEN Newsletter, September, 1988, p. 18.

People, November 28, 1994, p. 47.

Publishers Weekly, July 13, 1990, p. 55; August 3, 1992, p. 58; July 4, 1994, p. 65; March 25, 1996, p. 60; May 13, 1996, p. 68; February 24, 1997, review of Mothers and Daughters, p. 76; September 15, 1997, review of Bright Evening Star, p. 70; October 18, 1999, p. 85; February 12, 2001, review of The Other Dog, p. 212.

School Library Journal, May, 1973, Margaret A. Dorsey, review of A Wind in the Door, p. 81; May, 1990, p. 66; November, 1990, p. 128; March, 1994, p. 183; June, 1995, pp. 60, 71; May, 2001, Starr LaTronica, review of The Other Dog, p. 126.

U.S. Catholic, August, 2000, Patrick McCormick, review of A Wrinkle in Time, p. 46.

Writer's Digest, April, 1992, Shel Horowitz, "The Story of Truth and Fact," p. 6.

ONLINE

American Library Association Web site, http://www.ala.org/ (April 22, 2004), "Madeleine L'Engle."

Madeleine L'Engle Home Page, http://www.madeleinelengle.com/ (April 22, 2004).

Madeleine L'Engle Workshop Web site, http://www.madeleinelengle.org/ (April 22, 2004).