Yes, A Wrinkle in Time Is Banned!
ISBN: 9780374386139
A Wrinkle in Time follows Meg Murry, her brother Charles Wallace, and their friend Calvin as they travel through space and time to rescue Meg’s father, a physicist who disappeared while working on a mysterious project. Guided by three supernatural beings, Mrs Whatsit, Mrs Who, and Mrs Which, they confront a great cosmic evil called the Black Thing. Published in 1962 by Farrar, Straus and Giroux after being rejected by 26 publishers, it won the Newbery Medal and has sold over 14 million copies.
The novel has been banned or challenged in every decade since publication. In 1985, a parent in Polk City, Florida claimed it promoted witchcraft. In 1990, parents in Anniston, Alabama challenged it for “sending mixed signals about good and evil” and for listing Jesus Christ alongside other artists and thinkers like Shakespeare, da Vinci, and Einstein. In Newton, North Carolina, it was challenged in 1996 for “undermining religious beliefs.” L’Engle, a devout Episcopalian, responded: “It seems people are afraid of any book that makes you think.”
Why You Should Read This
L’Engle performed a trick few authors have managed: she wrote a book that’s been attacked for being too Christian and too un-Christian at the same time. She includes Jesus in a list of great fighters against darkness alongside the Buddha and Copernicus, which infuriates people who want Jesus in a category by himself. She includes supernatural beings and space travel, which infuriates people who think those things are demonic.
A Wrinkle in Time is really about a stubborn, imperfect girl who saves her father through sheer force of love. Meg Murry is angry, insecure, bad at math on Monday and brilliant on Tuesday. She’s one of the most human heroines in children’s literature. L’Engle once said she wrote the book for herself, the awkward girl who didn’t fit in. The result is a story that has comforted millions of awkward kids for over sixty years, and the people trying to ban it have never once managed to explain what, exactly, they’re protecting children from.
Why Was It Banned?
Where Was It Banned?
Read It Anyway
The best response to a book ban is reading the book. Here's where to get it:
Frequently Asked Questions
Is A Wrinkle in Time banned?
Yes, A Wrinkle in Time by Madeleine L'Engle has been banned or challenged in 40 documented instances across 3 states in the United States, including Florida, Alabama, North Carolina. It remains one of the most frequently challenged books in America.
Why was A Wrinkle in Time banned?
A Wrinkle in Time has been challenged and banned for the following reasons: Religious Objections, Occult/Supernatural. These challenges have come from school boards, libraries, and parent groups seeking to restrict access to the book.
Where is A Wrinkle in Time banned?
As of 2025, A Wrinkle in Time has been banned or challenged in Florida, Alabama, North Carolina. Notable bans include Polk City Elementary School (1985), Anniston City Schools (1990), Catawba County School Board (Newton) (1996).