9. A Wrinkle In Time: The Graphic Novel

A Wrinkle In Time: The Graphic Novel adapted and illustrated by Hope Larson (Margaret Ferguson Books, 2012).

Genre

Science Fiction/Graphic Novel

Review

After her mother lets a strange women into her house, Meg finds herself wrapped up in an adventure through time and space with her brother Charles Wallace and new friend Calvin O'Keefe to find her father and fight The Black Thing.  Meg finds her father on a strange world where everyone acts the same (a metaphorical representation of why it's not always best to completely fit in).  Here, her brother is brainwashed and Meg's father has to quickly transport Calvin and Meg away.  In order to save her brother Meg is sent back to the cookie cutter world armed with all of her flaws and one thing the world's ruler doesn't have -- love.

Opinion

As with her own original works, Larson is at her best when she can narrate wordlessly.  (In fact when she does include dialogue the pages feel weighed down and overcrowded because her pictures often already contain so much detail.) 

Larson's three color approach (blue, black, and white) lends to the feeling of fantasy.  She is at her best (as in Salamander Dream) when she illustrates the surreal and the strange.  She manages to make Charles Wallace and Meg look unusual but appealing as opposed to all of the inhabitants of Camazotz who are strange in an uncanny, off-putting way.

Ideas

The book might work as a nice gateway from graphic novels to chapter books for some readers.  Sometimes reluctant readers are more willing to read something they already know, and this would be a nice push to L'Engle's original book .  Once there, readers may excitedly latch onto the sequels.