3 Canadian books to read if you loved A Wrinkle in Time
When Madeleine L'Engle published A Wrinkle in Time in 1962, it caused a furor. The novel follows Meg Murray on her quest through time and space to find her scientist father, who mysteriously disappeared. It was challenged by critics for blending Christianity and science, but went on to win the Newbery Medal and the Lewis Carroll Shelf Award and has been loved by readers for over 50 years now.
The film adaptation, starring Oprah Winfrey, Reese Witherspoon, Mindy Kaling and Storm Reid, and directed by Ava DuVernay, came out in March 2018.
If you're a fan of A Wrinkle in Time, you should check out these three Canadian novels.
The Chaos by Nalo Hopkinson
What it's about: In her first young adult novel, Nalo Hopkinson tells the story of a 16-year-old girl named Scotch who struggles to find her place in the world around her. A series of strange events unfold in her city, starting with a sticky black substance that takes over her skin and her younger brother's sudden disappearance. Soon, the chaos that swallowed her brother begins tormenting the city. Scotch must find a way to stop it before it's too late. In the process, she is led onto a journey of self acceptance.
Read this if: You want a darker twist on YA fiction, featuring a young female lead who deals with an internal conflict, while battling external forces.
Fate of Flames by Sarah Raughley
What it's about: In this YA science fiction, four girls hold the power to control the elements. The young protagonists have what seems like the weight of the world on their shoulders, when Phantoms, beasts made of nightmares and darkness, emerge and begin terrorizing the world. They must unite in spite of their differences to fight this evil force. It is the first in a series by novelist Sarah Raughley.
Read this if: You are on the hunt for more action-packed YA dystopian fiction driven by strong female protagonists.
Sputnik's Children by Terri Favro
What it's about: This genre-bending novel jumps between two realities: the one we all know (Earth Standard Time) and one ravaged by nuclear war (Atomic Mean Time). It is narrated by a successful comic book creator named Debbie Reynolds Biondi and author of a popular Cold War era–inspired superhero series, Sputnik Chick: Girl with No Past. As her series falls in popularity and she struggles to conjure new plotlines, she decides to tell Sputnik Chick's origin story. The character at the heart of her series is based on her life. Debbie was a teenager growing up in a Rust Belt town voted "most likely to be nuked" in Popular Science magazine. She was recruited by a time traveller to destroy Atomic Mean Time and prevent a nuclear war. In trying to save the world, Debbie risks everything. Favro draws from her own experience growing up during the Cold War.
Read this if: You are looking for more time travel, a female lead and a dystopian coming-of-age story tailored to an adult audience.