The 50th Anniversary Commemorative edition features:
• Frontispiece photo*†
• Photo scrapbook with approximately 10 photos*†
• Manuscript pages*†
• Letter from 1963 Caldecott winner, Ezra Jack Keats*†
• New introduction by Katherine Paterson, US National Ambassador for Young People’s Literature †
• New afterword by Madeleine L’Engle’s granddaughter Charlotte Voiklis including six never-before-seen photos †
• Murry-O’Keefe family tree with new artwork †
• Madeleine L’Engle’s Newbery acceptance speech
* Unique to this edition † never previously published
I'm telling you-if you love A Wrinkle In Time, you need to get a copy of this edition!!
I've mentioned it several times before, but A Wrinkle In Time is one of my favorite books from my childhood. For me, A Wrinkle In Time is a book that stays with you and never lets you go. It's a book I still think about as an adult. From the first words, "It was a dark and stormy night" you can't help but be pulled in and want to escape into the pages. Growing up, I was much like Meg Murray. I felt like I didn't fit in, I had a terrible temper problem, and I felt a bit lost. Reading about Meg made me feel better. Meg could go on amazing adventures, save her father, and even win the affections of Calvin O'Keefe. If Meg could do it, so could I. And yes, I had a crush on Calvin-really, who didn't?
I was a shy reader and every time I went to the library, all I really wanted was for a librarian to tell me about a great book to read or talk to me about books. But I was too shy to talk to them first. I knew where and how the books were shelved, I knew how to search the catalog, and I knew how to browse for exactly what I wanted, so I never approached the children's desk. And the librarians never really approached me.
Now I work as a youth services librarian and it's my goal every day to reach out to those kids who are wandering in the stacks. They may already know about great books, but I know they're looking for more. I always love it when I come across that special reader who I can share a secret with-"have you read A Wrinkle In Time?" It's one of those books that you have to find the perfect reader and I feel it's a special book to share with my avid readers who are ready for this journey. It's a book for readers who are looking for something new and exciting. They have to want to journey with Meg, Calvin and Charles Wallace. They need to be able to accept new worlds and ideas of the tesseract. They must make new friends in Mrs. Whatsit, Mrs. Who, and Mrs. Which. A Wrinkle In Time is a very special book that deserves a very special reader. I love finding those readers and realizing that they, like me, are like Meg, or even Charles Wallace or Calvin. They will read the book and clutch it to them and reread it again after finishing. I love when they come back to the library and ask if there are more and I happily tell them that yes, the story isn't over yet!
Sharing my childhood favorites with readers and reaching out to kids who I know need A Wrinkle In Time make my job the best job in the world. I hope I can continue to share Meg, Charles Wallace and Calvin's journey with many readers to come.
How will you be celebrating A Wrinkle In Time's 50th Anniversary?
Madeleine L'Engle is my favorite author, and I think I've read/listened to A Wrinkle in Time about five or six times. I was lucky to find an audio version read by the author- that always makes it sooo much better.
ReplyDeleteI listened to that audio version as well and I agree-it makes it even better!
ReplyDeleteI can't believe I haven't read this or even heard of it and it's 50 years old! It's just amazing sometimes how much we miss. Ah well, GB, thanks for adding one more book to my enormous pile to be read.
ReplyDeleteI can still hear my third grade teacher's voice reading A Wrinkle in Time! I immediately fell in love with those characters.
ReplyDeleteI love all of the extras that come with the 50th Anniversary Edition--I would buy it for that acceptance speech, alone!
I love your thoughts on getting it to the right reader. That's what my post for this is about. And I just finished the audio read by the author too. She definitely adds something special to it.
ReplyDeleteMs. Queen :)
ReplyDeleteI've really enjoyed reading your blog posts ever since one of my librarians sent me a link! When I saw this post, I had to chime in. A Wrinkle in Time is one of my absolute favorites! My mom read it as a kid, then read it to me, and now I've read it several times. <3 L'Engle!
Thanks for posting about this new addition. I'll definitely have to pick up a copy.
I LOVE A Wrinkle in Time. The first time I read it was my mom's autographed copy with the original cover. (I can't believe she let me READ it-- it should have been kept pristine on the shelf!)
ReplyDeleteThis new edition sounds amazing. I'm excited that the cover echoes the original!