Madeleine L'Engle

Madeleine L'Engle was a highly respected American author, best known for her works of young adult fiction, such as the Time Quintet series and the Austin Family series. She was born in New York City on November 29, 1918 and spent her formative years there. L'Engle found school work uninteresting and would rather spend her time writing stories, poems, and journals. This lack of interest was reflected in her grades, but she was not discouraged from pursuing her passion.

At the age of 12, L'Engle moved to the French Alps with her parents and attended an English boarding school, where her love for writing continued to flourish. She returned to the United States for high school, attending Ashley Hall in Charleston, South Carolina, and vacationing in Florida with her mother. L'Engle then studied English at Smith College, graduating with honors. She moved to Greenwich Village in New York and worked in the theater, which allowed her the time and flexibility to write. It was during this time that she published her first two novels, 'A Small Rain' and 'Ilsa'.