Battle of the Books, Book 4: A Wrinkle in Time

This was another nostalgic pick for me—A Wrinkle in Time was on my Battle of the Books list back when I was in middle school. I remembered loving the concept: strange cosmic beings, time travel, a tesseract (which still sounds cooler than most actual science words). But I didn't go into this reread expecting a warm reunion with an old favorite.

The concept? Still great. The themes? Still powerful. I love a good underdog-saves-the-universe story, especially when it features a brainy, caring girl like Meg. But the prose? That’s where I struggled. For whatever reason, the writing just didn’t pull me in—not now, and honestly, not back then either. It’s not that it’s bad, but something about the tone and pacing kept me at arm’s length. Like I wanted to love it, but it just wasn't happening.

That said, I can see why A Wrinkle in Time has earned its place as a classic. It’s imaginative, ambitious, and it gives middle school readers something big to chew on, and that’s no small thing.

So while this one doesn't quite hold the magic for me, I’m still glad I gave it another shot. Not every reread has to be a home run—but they all help me better understand the kinds of stories that do resonate with my students. And that’s kind of the point of this whole reading challenge anyway.