A Wind in the Door facts for kids
Original hardback edition
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| Author | Madeleine L'Engle |
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| Cover artist | Richard Cuffari |
| Language | English |
| Series | Time Quintet |
| Genre | Young Adult Science fiction |
| Publisher | Farrar, Straus & Giroux |
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Publication date
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January 1, 1973 |
| Media type | Print (hardback & paperback) |
| Pages | 146 |
| ISBN | 978-0-374-38443-2 |
| OCLC | 709787 |
| LC Class | PZ7.L5385 Wi |
| Preceded by | A Wrinkle in Time |
| Followed by | A Swiftly Tilting Planet |
A Wind in the Door is an exciting science fantasy novel written by Madeleine L'Engle. It's a follow-up story to her famous book A Wrinkle in Time and is part of a series called the Time Quintet.
Contents
What is A Wind in the Door About?
Meg's Worries and a Strange Illness
The story begins with Meg Murry, a high school student, feeling worried. Her younger brother, Charles Wallace, is a super smart 6-year-old. But he's being bullied at school.
The new principal, Mr. Jenkins, used to be Meg's principal. Meg thinks he dislikes her family. She tries to get his help for Charles Wallace, but it doesn't work.
Later, Meg finds out Charles Wallace has a serious illness. He's having trouble breathing. Their mom, a microbiologist (someone who studies tiny living things), thinks it's a problem with his mitochondria. These are like tiny power plants inside his body's cells.
In this fantasy world, mitochondria have even tinier parts called farandolae. Charles Wallace's farandolae are not working right.
Dragons, Cherubim, and a New Mission
One day, Charles Wallace tells Meg about "dragons" in their yard. They find strange feathers there. Later, Meg has a scary meeting with a monster that looks just like Mr. Jenkins.
That night, Meg, Charles Wallace, and their friend Calvin O'Keefe make an amazing discovery. Charles Wallace's "dragons" are actually an alien being. It's a type of cherubim named Proginoskes. Meg calls him 'Progo'.
Proginoskes is guided by a huge, human-like being named Blajeny. They recruit the three friends. Their mission is to fight against evil creatures called the Echthroi.
Facing the Echthroi and Saving Charles Wallace
Meg's first challenge is to figure out the real Mr. Jenkins. Two Echthroi have copied him. Meg must find the good in the real Mr. Jenkins, even though she doesn't like him.
The heroes then learn that the Echthroi are destroying Charles Wallace's farandolae. To help, they travel inside one of his mitochondria. There, they meet a young farandola named Sporos.
They need to convince Sporos to grow up and accept its important role. An Echthros is trying to stop Sporos. During this adventure, Meg almost disappears. Mr. Jenkins is also taken over by the Echthroi.
To save Charles Wallace, Proginoskes makes a huge sacrifice. He "fills in" the emptiness of the Echthroi. Because of this, Charles Wallace is saved from his illness.
Main Characters in the Story
Meg Murry
Meg Murry is a high school student. She often feels like an outsider. She gets along best with her family and her friend Calvin O'Keefe. She wears glasses and has brown hair.
At first, Meg thinks she looks "repulsive" and feels "dumb." But she's actually very good at math. In A Wind in the Door, Meg is happier at school because of Calvin. However, she is very worried about Charles Wallace.
Through the story, Meg learns to appreciate Mr. Jenkins. She learns to "kythe" with others. This means she can communicate with them using her mind, like telepathy.
Charles Wallace Murry
Charles Wallace Murry is known for being extremely smart and wise. He can also read minds. His mother says he is something "new" and "different."
He is often the first to discover important things, like Proginoskes. Charles Wallace is bullied by other kids. Adults outside his family often misunderstand him. He knows he must learn to adapt to survive.
Charles has blue eyes and is small for his age. His illness, mitochondritis, is very dangerous.
Calvin O'Keefe
Calvin O'Keefe is tall and thin. He has orange hair, freckles, and blue eyes. He is a popular boy and plays on the basketball team.
In A Wind in the Door, he is a high school senior at fifteen. He is also the class president. But he felt no one understood him until he met the Murry family.
Calvin is one of eleven children. His parents often seem to neglect them. He feels different from the rest of his family. His family is poor, so Calvin often wears clothes that are too short. He grows very close to the Murry family, especially Meg and Charles Wallace.
Mr. Jenkins
Mr. Jenkins is another character from A Wrinkle in Time. He used to be the high school principal. Now he is the principal of Charles Wallace's elementary school. This seems like a step down for him.
He is described as having dandruff and thin, mouse-brown hair. He smells like "old hair cream." Meg first thinks he is a failure and a problem. But she is surprised when he tries to help. He finally understands their strange situation.
Proginoskes
Proginoskes is a new character. He is a "singular cherubim" who looks like a Seraph. He becomes a special friend to Meg. Meg calls him "Progo."
Progo has hundreds of wings that are always moving. He has many different eyes. Meg sometimes feels like she travels through his eyes. He also has "jets of flame" and smoke.
He doesn't always appear in a physical form. Even when he does, not everyone can see him. Like Meg, Proginoskes is a "Namer." He once knew the names of all the stars. His own name means "foreknowledge." He teaches Meg how to kythe, which is a type of mind-to-mind communication.
Audio Versions
In 1994, an audio version of the book was released. It was read by the author, Madeleine L'Engle, and came on four audio cassettes. ISBN: 0-8072-7506-9
In January 2012, a new audio CD version came out. This one was read by actress Jennifer Ehle. ISBN: 0307916618
