A Wrinkle in Time: The Graphic Novel [Hardcover]

The illustrator/adaptor Hope Larson has done a very good job in converting the classic "A Wrinkle in Time" into a graphic novel format. To someone who grew up with "Archie" and "Superman" comic books, this looks like a very strange hybrid; a book I know practically by heart because I read it over and over as a grade school student blended with a traditional comic book, action shown in graphics, thoughts and words written out in balloons.

While this is a very excellent adaptation, I wonder how it fits into a young person's education, because all books, even reading for pleasure, are a part of education. I wonder.....do graphic novels keep you from making those amazing movies-in-your-mind that happen when you read a printed book, especially one without illustrations (Harry Potter, for example)? Or are graphic novels a helpful assist for those kids who can't or won't read for pleasure?

I think, for kids who don't read very well, this book could really whet the appetite for the print novel. This is still of my favorite books and I think, along with Charlotte's Web and other classics for children, should be read and read often. So if you have a student or child who hates to read, or has difficulty, this graphic novel, with all the exciting science fiction and interpersonal heartbreak of the teen years, could spark a love of books. So I think this is a great version of "A Wrinkle in Time". I'd hate to think that it would be the ONLY version someone would ever read because my version (in my head) is much richer, more colorful and far more SCARY than the graphic version. And I'd hate for anyone to miss the chance to read the written version and have their own opportunity to make their own "movie in your head." The ability to visualize from the written word is a skill that is essential. However, this is an excellent graphic rendition, and it was fun to read.

This adapdation of Madion L'Engle's sci-fi classic is a tad bit rough and could've used another draft or two to tighten up the narrative cohesion. Still, Hope Larson's clean art style is crisp and elegant as always and its still worth reading through if you were a fan of the original book just to see her visual take on this memorable tale. If this is your first time with the book start off with the original novel and come back to this graphic adaptation for best results.

This is a really interesting graphic novel version of the the much loved story _A Wrinkle in Time_. For the most part, it follows the story fairly accurately.

The graphics are unique and interesting. I admit, I was a tad bit put off with the blue toned shading on the artwork, but it grows on you after a little while. In fact, the artwork alone is a good enough reason to purchase this version of the story, though a full color edition would have been much better. Perhaps we can hope for one in the future.

Okay, to the details. :) The graphic novel follows the prose novel pretty well. The author/artist does make some minor changes to the story. I found those changes quite interesting, as they gave me a bit of insight on how the author interprets this story. She makes a few different choices than I do.

One choice is how the characters are drawn, Meg is close to how I have always seen her in my minds eye, but Charles Wallace and Calvin are totally different than I ever envisioned. And that was pretty fun, because it was almost like these characters were new again.

Still interesting, though not so entertaining, were depictions of things the author and artist saw in the characters I have never seen before. Meg's anger came through in an almost disturbing manner throughout the book, disturbing because I had never seen that particular kind of anger in her character. It seemed like an unreasoned anger, not the despairing anger I expected. It was also resolved just a little too easily. There were similar things emphasized in the other characters too. None of which was wrong, all of which I think represented the way the author/artist saw the characters when she read the original story.

No, those depictions were not entertaining, but they sure were interesting. And they made reading the graphic novel a great experience. I read it straight through in one sitting, then came back over the next couple days to savor parts I had particularly enjoyed.

I think most people will find IT most amusing in this retelling.

Well worth the very reasonable price for this this book, and a must have for any collection. I think most of us will find this version resonates well with our children, even if it does, at times, leave those of us who read the book when it was new, slightly bemused.