The Tesseract:
A Madeleine L'Engle Bibliography
The Murry Family Novels (Time Quartet)

[Dr. Murry & Dr. Murry and their children: Meg, twins Sandy & Dennys, and Charles Wallace Murray; also featuring Calvin O'Keefe, who marries Meg prior to the events of A Swiftly Tilting Planet. A fifth book, An Acceptable Time, makes the series a quintet in Dell's reckoning, but is actually part of the O'Keefe family series, one generation after the Murry family. Everyone in the original Murry family, plus Calvin, also appears in the O'Keefe series, except for Charles Wallace, who as an adult is mysteriously absent and incommunicado from the rest of the family.]

Major characters introduced in this series include:

Dr. Alexander (Alex) Murry - The father of Meg, Sandy, Dennys and Charles Wallace, Dr. Alex Murry is an astrophysicist, researcher into the mysteries of the space/time continuum, specifically five-dimensional means of travel between planets. The second known U.S. government researcher to attempt to "tesser" to Mars, Dr. Murry accidentally transferred himself to the planet Camazotz, where he was imprisoned until rescued by his daughter Meg, his youngest son Charles Wallace and their friend Calvin O'Keefe. Over the years, Dr. Murry has been consulted by more than one U.S. President on a variety of subjects, some of them having little apparent connection to Dr. Murry's chosen field (but appearances are deceiving). The loving and beloved husband of Dr. Kate Murry, Alex suffers from arthritis in his later years.<>

Charles Wallace Murry - The youngest child of the Doctors Murry, Charles Wallace is both the most extraordinary and the most vulnerable, a possible "sport" in the sense of biological mutation. Charles Wallace did not talk at all until he was nearly four years old, but he then began to speak in entire sentences, skipping over "the usual baby preliminaries."  At the age of five, Charles is already able to empathically or telepathically "read" his mother's and sister's thoughts and feelings, and possesses an extraordinary vocabulary.  His need to find his father leads him to trust too much in his mental abilities on Camazotz, and he is taken over by the evil intelligence called IT before his sister Meg returns to rescue him.  A year later, the first grader meets the "singular cherubim" Proginoskes, who in turn helps Meg and Calvin to save Charles Wallace's life from mitochondritis. At fifteen, Charles travels across time on a unicorn's back to help change the might-have-beens of the past and thus prevent a nuclear war.  Little is known to date about Charles Wallace Murry as an adult. In A House Like a Lotus, Polly O'Keefe notes that her uncle Charles Wallace is "off somewhere on some kind of secret mission, we don't know where." Madeleine L'Engle has said that "Charles Wallace is alive until I'm told otherwise."

Dr. Dennys Murry - See previous entry.  Dennys Murry is the twin of Sandy Murry.  As a child, Dennys and his twin are usually inseparable, with Dennys generally following Sandy's lead. However, the teenage Dennys is slightly more open-minded and philosophical than his brother with respect to the strange theories and even stranger adventures which pop up from time to time in the Murry household.  At the age of fifteen, Dennys and Sandy accidentally tesser to the home oasis of the Biblical figure Noah, where Dennys is separated from Sandy and seriously injured by some of Noah's neighbors.  This leads to a long recovery period in which, still separated from his brother, Dennys becomes more independent of his twin.  As an adult, Dennys is a medical doctor, a vocation he chose as a teenager or earlier.  [Note: The name Dennys is a shortened version of Dionysus, but is pronounced the same way as the more common spelling Dennis.]

A WRINKLE IN TIME Newbery Award winner, 1962. Meg, Charles Wallace and new friend Calvin rescue Meg's father from the evil planet Camazotz, aided by the mysterious travelers Mrs Whatsit, Mrs Who and Mrs Which.

[Shown at left: original 1960s FSG dust jacket designed by Ellen Raskin, with Newbery Medal added. Later dust jacket is by Leo & Diane Dillon.]

Special Note: At least two book club / uniform edition hardcovers of A Wrinkle in Time are frequently listed on eBay as first editions. They're not. Here's how to tell these three editions apart:

1. The (U.S.) First Edition is published by Farrar, Straus and Cudahy (precursor of Farrar, Straus & Giroux) under their Ariel Books imprint. A First does not have any reference to the book being a Newbery Award winner, because it hadn't won the award yet. The indicia page probably gives the Library of Congress catalog number 62-7203, and probably also mentions that the book is published simultaneously in Canada by Ambassador Books Ltd., Toronto. I've never seen a genuine American First of this book, but bookseller David Holloway, who has one in his personal collection, reports the following identifying features: The dust jacket spine reads L'Engle A WRINKLE IN TIME Ariel Front panel of DJ shows the three silhouettes in circles with title and author. No Award Sticker or notice. The dust jacket is priced $3.25 with "12 and up" written underneath. The binding of my copy has a blue cloth spine, and paper covered boards with a patterned paper that looks a bit like marble. (not "marbled paper" but the actual stone) The copyright page reads in part "First printing, 1962" And the publisher is FARRAR, STRAUSS AND CUDAHY.

2. What is probably the earliest book club edition of A Wrinkle in Time was published by Junior Deluxe Editions, apparently with no reference to FSG on the indicia page. The dust jacket, if present, is also like the publisher's edition, with no Newbery medal on it. It has been reported that there is no reference to a Newbery medal inside, either, which leads me to think this book club is from 1962 or possibly early 1963. The cover has pictures of Meg, Charles and Calvin on the spine. The indicia page states: Copyright @1962 by Madeleine L'Engle Franklin Published simultaneously in Canada by Ambassador Books, Ltd.,Toronto Manufactured in the United States Of America. Garden City, NY: Junior Deluxe Editions, 1962 There is no Library of Congress catalog number on the indicia page.

3. The other uniform cover / book club edition has a black and yellowish-orange cover. The title on the front cover is in blue ink in the middle of a banner of blue and silver lines. The same kinds of blue and silver lines separate the title (in silver) from the name L'Engle (also in silver) on the spine. The dust jacket, if there is one, has the same illustration as the publisher's edition, but says "Book Club Edition" on the inside flap. Inside, the title page says Newbery Award 1963. The indicia page gives a 1962 copyright date, mentions the simultaneous Canadian publisher Ambassador Books, and says "Manufactured in the United States of America." No catalog number or printing number is given. This book is part of a series of classic YA / children's titles that were all put out with black and yellow-orange covers with blue and silver titles. they all look the same on the outside, even through various publishers are listed on the different books. Other known books in the series include Mary Poppins by P.L. Travers, Little House In The Big Woods by Laura Ingalls Wilder, The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe by C S Lewis and National Velvet by Enid Bagnold.

FORMAT	ISBN / LC	PUBLISHER	ISSUED	STATUS	NOTES
hardcover 203 pages (8.49" x 5.77" x .91")	LC 62-7203 0374386137	Farrar Straus & Giroux (originally Farrar, Straus & Cudahy (Ariel Books)	Jun 1962	available (with different dust jacket art from 1960s edition)	at least two different dust jackets issued, plus the addition of the Newbery Medal to the original dark blue cover
hardcover book club	none	Junior Deluxe Editions	possibly 1962 or 1963	out of print, somewhat hard to find	same dust jacket as FS&G 1962 edition but with no Newbery medal, and the words "Book Club Edition" on the inside flap
hardcover book club #2	none	nominally Farrar Straus & Giroux (Ariel Books)	1960s	out of print, uncommon but not rare	same dust jacket as FS&G 1962 edition but no Newbery medal. Black and orange cover. Uniform edition.
book club paperback	unknown	Scholastic Book Services	1970	out of print	Arrow Book Club or TAB (Teen Age Books)
paperback (hardcover- size)	0374386137 (same as hardback)	Farrar Straus & Giroux	1978?	out of print, hard-to-find	Softcover identical to 1978 hardback with Dillon cover. Either part of box set or a review copy.
large print hardcover	1557360596	Cornerstone Books	Sep 1987	out of print	Isis Large Print Books For Children.
25th anniversary edition hardcover	0374386145	Farrar Straus & Giroux	Dec 1987	out of print, rare	Ltd edition of 500 signed copies
turtleback edition	060605085X	Demco Media	Jul 1994	available	"Turtleback" is a hardcover library binding with no dust jacket.
Spanish language paperback	8420440744	Lectorum Publications	May 1995	available	Una Arruga En El Tiempo 8.45 x 5.12 x .52
trade paperback	0440498058	Dell Yearling Books	1976* (and probably much earlier )	available	7.61" x 5.15" x .62"
mass market paperback	0440998050	Dell Laurel-Leaf	Nov 1995?	available	6.79" x 4.2" x .43"
mass market paperback	0440227151	Dell Laurel-Leaf	Jun 1997	available	new cover and foreword by L'Engle
book & cassettes (paperback)	0807274135	Listening Library	Sep 1993	available	read by the author
cassettes (hardcover)	0807274127	Listening Library	Sep 1993	available	clamshell packaging, read by the author
cassettes (hardcover)	0394771575	Amer School Publications	Jan 1986	available	scholastic edition
cassettes	0807275875	Listening Library	Sep 1995	available	cardboard packaging, read by the author 7.11" x 4.12" x 1.18"
trade paperback (workbook)	0590373609	Scholastic Paperbacks	Sep 1997	available	Literature Guide

Study Questions: A Wrinkle in Time Because I'm constantly asked for help with school assignments involving this book, here are some questions to think about as you read about A Wrinkle in Time, and some general advice to help with your schoolwork: Advice: The most important part of any reading assignment is to READ THE BOOK. There is no good substitute for this - ­­not study guides, not web sites, not reading the dust jacket or back cover and trying to fake it from there. Trust me; I tried the alternatives myself when I was in school (except the web, which didn't exist then). They never helped much. You're much better off reading the book than hunting for the answers online or in Cliff Notes or whatever. It doesn't take much longer than trying to do it the lazy way, and the result is a better understanding of the book and a better grade. If you're running out of time, read as much as you can, skim the middle part, and read the end. It's not as good as reading the whole thing, but it's better than not reading it at all! The second most important part of a reading assignment is to THINK ABOUT THE BOOK. What does it mean to you? Is it "just a bunch of stuff that happens" (as Homer Simpson once said), or is the author writing about ideas and problems that are important in the real world too? Don't get stressed out if you don't understand everything in the book, and don't worry about finding out what someone else has said about it and what it all means. Think for yourself first, and then afterwards let your teacher guide you into understanding it better. Questions: 1. How are good and evil portrayed in this book? What is so evil about Camazotz? How are the good people in the book different from the people on Camazotz? 2. Why does Meg have trouble fitting in at school? Is it her fault, somebody else's fault, some of each, or nobody's fault? 3. Why does it have to be Meg who saves Charles Wallace? How does she do it? 4. What is a tesseract? Are there other concepts like that in Star Trek or other science fiction? 5. What is Mrs Whatsit really like? 6. Why do you think it is that some people have tried to get this book banned? Why are they wrong in thinking that this book is anti-Christian? Is it ever right to ban a book? There you go. I hope that helps!

A WIND IN THE DOOR Meg and Calvin go inside one of Charles Wallace's mitochondria, accompanied by a farandola, a cherubim and school principal Mr. Jenkins, to save Charles from the evil Echthroi.

FORMAT	ISBN / LC	PUBLISHER	ISSUED	STATUS	NOTES
hardcover 211 pages	L C 73-75176 0374384436	Farrar Straus & Giroux	1973	available	8.56" x 5.76" x .96" First dust jacket by Richard Cuffari; second by Leo & Diane Dillon
large print hardcover	1560546158	Thorndike Press	Mar 1993	out of print	Thorndike Large Print Fantasy
unknown edition 197 pages	041681090X	Methuen Books	unknown	out of print	Probably a hardcover library binding with no dust jacket.
paperback (hardcover- size)	0374384436	Farrar Straus & Giroux	1978?	out of print, hard-to-find	Softcover identical to 1978 hardback with Dillon cover. Either part of box set or a review copy.
trade paperback	0440487617	Dell Yearling Books	1976	available	7.61" x 5.15" x .62"
mass market paperback	044098761X	Dell Laurel-Leaf	Jan 1992?	available	6.79" x 4.2" x .43"
book & cassettes (paperback)	0807275077	Listening Library	Sep 1994	available	6.76" x 4.18" x .43"
cassettes (library pack)	0807275069	Listening Library	Sep 1994	available	7.35" x 5.57" x 1.25" clamshell packaging, read by the author

*current price; only given for books that are still in print

A SWIFTLY TILTING PLANET American Book Award winner. Newly married Meg O'Keefe takes a telepathic journey with her youngest brother as Charles Wallace rides a unicorn through time in a quest to save the world.

FORMAT	ISBN / LC	PUBLISHER	ISSUED	STATUS	NOTES
hardcover 278 pages	LC 78-9648 0374373620	Farrar Straus & Giroux	Jul 1978	available	8.59" x 5.84" x 1.07" school & library binding
large print paperback	1560547103	Thorndike Press	May 1993	out of print	Thorndike Large Print Young Adult Series
paperback (hardcover- size)	0374373620	Farrar Straus & Giroux	1978?	out of print, hard-to-find	Softcover identical to 1978 hardback with Dillon cover. Either part of box set or a review copy.
turtleback edition	0606018417	Demco Media	Jan 1996	probably available	"Turtleback" is probably a hardcover library binding with no dust jacket.
trade paperback	0440401585	Dell Yearling Books	1979	available	7.58" x 5.13" x .74"
mass market paperback	0440901588	Dell Laurel-Leaf	Jan 1996?	available	6.78" x 4.18" x .48"
book & cassettes & guide(?) (paperback)	0807277576	Listening Library	Sep 1996	available	unabridged, read by the author

MANY WATERS A few words typed on their mother's computer send Sandy & Dennys to the time and home oasis of the Biblical figure Noah, where both mundane and supernatural dangers await them.

FORMAT	ISBN / LC	PUBLISHER	ISSUED	STATUS	NOTES
hardcover 310 pages	LC 86-14911 0374347972	Farrar Straus & Giroux	1986	available	1.09 x 8.58 x 5.81
turtleback edition	0606050914	Demco Media	Dec 1991	probably out of print	"Turtleback" is a hardcover library binding with no dust jacket.
trade paperback	0440405483	Dell Yearling	1987	available	7.58" x 5.15" x .80"
mass market paperback	0440227704	Laurel Leaf	June 1998	available	0.95 x 6.92 x 4.19 illustrated by Cliff Nelson and Peter Sis

The Time Quartet (the four books above) was reprinted in 1998 Laurel Leaf editions with new covers and a new introduction by Madeleine L'Engle. However, the ISBN has not changed from earlier Laurel Leaf printings.

An Acceptable Time is also sometimes considered part of this series of books, since it involves time travel and features Meg's parents, Dr. Murry and Dr. Murry. However, it is primarily about Polly O'Keefe, so I have it on my page about the O'Keefe family instead.

BOXED SETS A Wrinkle in Time, A Wind in the Door, and A Swiftly Tilting Planet  make up The Time Trilogy. The Time Quartet  is all of the above plus Many Waters . Add An Acceptable Time (sold separately) to get the Time Quintet.

FORMAT	ISBN	PUBLISHER	ISSUED	STATUS	NOTES
trade paperback 3 volumes	0440952077	Dell Yearling	Oct 1986	out of print	Madeleine L'Engle's Time Trilogy
trade paperback 4 volumes	0440360374	Dell Yearling	Nov 1991	available	Madeleine L'Engle's Time Quartet 7.69" x 5.22" x 2.78

Last updated 3/14/2001