This is definitely a children’s book. I only read it recently so I wasn’t much impressed but I know I would have loved it as a child.

I read alot of L’Engle when I was young…to this day I have most of the books on my shelf! Even though I was young when I read them, I nearly broke my neck getting to a book signing and lecture she gave! The book she signed is still on my top ten list…try it as well, “Ring of Endless Light”.

I read this when I was pretty young. It stuck in my mind as one of the best books I had ever read. I found it again in the supermarket a few years ago, and was somewhat shocked when I read it again- the religious references were way too overpowering for my jaded adult sensibilities. I’m really glad I read it when I was young, had an open mind, and could blithely ignore parts of stories that I disagreed with. I hope this continues to find an audience among children and young adults who can read it and love it like I did when I was younger, but I can’t help but feel cheated that the story I remembered wasn’t the story that was written.

I’ve read the rest of the books in the Time series several times, but since I lost my copy somewhere, I hadn’t read this one since I was a kid, when it was one of my favorite books. It doesn’t seem to really stand up as well as the others to an adult reading, maybe because it’s the first in the series and the protagonists are younger. Still has its moving and amusing moments, but it feels like it’s pandering to kids and laying on the Message a bit thick at times. Still better than 99% of kidlit, but my childhood expectations were a bit disappointed, is all.

I didn’t read this book as a child but as an adult I recently had the urge to remedy this. I couldn’t sleep last night and decided to read a few pages, an hour later I had to force myself to put the book down. I’m truly enjoying it.

I’m a firm believer that adults can enjoy most “children’s books.” This is one of those books. I never read it as a child but I read it a few years ago as an adult and loved it. This book proves that a scientific and spiritual mind can indeed live together in one body.

If you read this book and enjoy it, check out the next two books in the series—A Wind in the Door and A Swiftly Tilting Planet.

After re-reading this, I’m quite sure why this book has become a staple in every young reader’s bookshelf. It has an okay story, but about halfway though it starts getting a little too treacly, and then almost-preachy religious, to take seriously.

Still, any book that covers time travel is alright with me.

I’m almost tempted to pick up the rest of the series to see if the same muted religious themes are in place there as well. But then again, why waste my time.