Madeleine L'Engle

Born in New York City in 1918, she became one of the most distinctive voices in American literature for young readers. After graduating from Smith College, she worked in the theater before building a writing career that would span fiction, poetry, memoir, and spiritual reflection.

Her best-known novel, A Wrinkle in Time (1962), won the Newbery Medal and helped define modern young adult fantasy. Across a long career, she wrote dozens of books for children and adults, often mixing science fiction, imagination, and religious thought in a way that felt both adventurous and deeply personal.

She died in 2007, but her books continue to find new readers. What makes her work last is the warmth behind it: even at its most cosmic, it stays close to ordinary fears, family bonds, and the hope that love and courage matter.