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ISBN: 978-0-7660-2708-4 Madeleine L'Engle is the author of challenged books including A Wrinkle in Time and Many Waters. |
Madeleine L'Engle was an only child and was raised with a nanny and governess. She spent most of her lonely childhood eating meals in her room and writing stories, drawing, learning to play the piano, and reading her favorite books.
Against Madeleine's mother's wishes, her English nanny would secretly hide sugar in the bottom of Madeleine's oatmeal bowl.
Madeleine and her parents lived in an apartment in New York City, near Central Park until they moved to Switzerland when Madeleine was twelve years old. They returned to the United States when Madeleine was about fifteen and lived in the family beach house in Florida to be with her paternal grandmother.
As a young child, Madeleine entered a poetry contest and won. Her teachers did not believe that she had written the poem herself, they accused her of copying it. Madeleine's mother went to school carrying examples of the poems, novels, and stories she wrote at home before the teachers would concede that perhaps she did deserve to win the prize.
As a child, Madeleine's favorite author was Lucy Maud Montgomery, who is best known for her Anne of Green Gables stories. But Madeleine's favorite story was Emily of New Moon because the character, Emily, was also an only child who had difficulty in school and had an ailing father.
For more about Madeleine L'Engle check out our book: Madeleine L'Engle: Banned, Challenged and Censored from our Authors of Banned Books series.
