| Meg Murry was a girl with a stubborn temper. It hindered her ability to do well in school, and all the other kids mocked her for it. But she was from an unusual family; both of her parents were scientists and her youngest brother has the ability to understand what Meg thinks before she even says it. Everyone in the town that she lives in is beginning to think that her father has died because he has not returned for several years from his top secret mission. Meg does not believe it, and neither does her mother.
Everything begins to change one night. A little old lady who has recently moved into the town stops at the Murry house to get out of the storm. This old lady drops a phrase that freezes up Mother: she says "tesseract." Because of Mother's reaction, Meg asks what it is and gets told to ask later, but the oppurtinity does not happen again. Charles, Meg's little brother, and Meg go out for a walk and meet a boy named Calvin when all three run into the old lady again who says that the time has come. The children are told after they are taken that they are needed to save Mr. Murry. They discover that a darkness is beginning to cover planets and the children need to go through it to find Mr. Murry. Once the children arrive on the planet, they are given a warning to never separate. Although the children find Mr. Murry shortly, Charles is taken under control by the IT, and Mr. Murry tesseracts only Meg and Calvin leaving Charles on the dark planet. In the final chapters of the novel, Meg is given the mission to return to the planet and save Charles before time runs out. | ||
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Plot & Themes Tone of book - very upbeat FANTASY or SCIENCE FICTION? - science fiction story Explore/1st contact/ enviro story Yes Explore: Spying & Investigations Yes What is main char. doing? - rescue mission/escape from confinement Is this an adult or child's book? - Kid's book (ages 7-14) Descript. of chases or violence - 10 % planning/preparing, gather info, debate puzzles/motives - 10 % Feelings, relationships, character bio/development - 40 % Descript. of society, phenomena (tech), places - 40 % Main Character Identity: - Female Profession/status: Age: - a kid Main Adversary Identity: - An "It". Age: - 60's-90's Has magical powers? Yes Magical/mental powers of main antagonist: - mind control How much of work is main antagonist actually present in: - a substantial amount How sensitive is this character? Intelligence - Genius (really!) Setting Planet outside solar system? Yes Writing Style Accounts of torture and death? - no torture/death scientific jargon? (SF only) - a fair amount of scientific explanation How much dialogue? - mostly dialog |
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