Becoming Madeleine: A Biography of the Author of A Wrinkle in Time by Her Granddaughters

This middle-grade biography explores the life and works of Madeleine L'Engle —written by her granddaughters.

This elegant and insightful biography of Madeleine L’Engle (1918–2007) was written by her granddaughters, Charlotte Jones Voiklis and Léna Roy. Using never-before-seen archival materials that include photographs, poems, letters, and journal entries from when Madeleine was a child until just after the publication of her classic, A Wrinkle in Time, her granddaughters weave together an in-depth and unique view of the famous writer. It is a story of overcoming obstacles—a lonely childhood, financial insecurity, and countless rejections of her writing—and eventual triumph. Becoming Madeleine will speak not only to fans of the icon’s work, but also to anyone interested in writing.

This title has Common Core connections.

“A publishing event. . .[Madeleine's granddaughters] do her proud, organizing the information well, presenting it clearly, and drawing on her journals for the lively excerpts that make this book so very readable. . .A fine tribute to a legendary writer, 100 years after her birth.” —Booklist, starred review

“The book will appeal to aspiring writers as well as L’Engle’s admirers. . .A personal prologue and a moving epilogue that succinctly touches on L’Engle’s later adulthood from her granddaughters’ perspective are additional highlights, as are the many photos of the writer and her family.” —Publishers Weekly

“This richly documented, intimate biography will give readers and writers of every age a deeper understanding of the beloved writer. In addition, readers will discover the pride, understanding, and bonds of kinship that emerge when generations within a family share life experiences.” —School Library Journal

“A sweet biography. . .nice insight into the artist as a young woman, particularly as demonstrated in her journal entries, generously shared here.” —The Horn Book