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A Swiftly Tilting Planet

(1978, Fiction - Mystery, Written by Madeleine L'Engle, Illustrated by No Illustrator)
  • Is it age appropriate?

    About our ratings

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    Not age appropriate for kids under 8, age appropriate for kids over 9; suggested age 9.
  • Is it any good?

    4.0
  • Common Sense says

    A teenager saves the world from destruction.

Why We Rated This on for Ages 9 and Up

The good stuff

  • Messages:

    Not an issue.
 

What to watch out for

  • Violence:

    The threat of a nuclear war that could wipe out the entire galaxy looms.
  • Sex:

    Not an issue.
  • Language:

    Not an issue.
  • Consumerism:

    Not an issue.
  • Drinking, drugs, & smoking:

    Not an issue.
 

What Parents Need to Know

About A Swiftly Tilting Planet

Parents need to know that this book offers a fascinating range of characters and concepts, though some readers might find the shifting storylines confusing. Spanning prehistoric times to the present, the story is a virtual trip through the history of the Americas as well as a complex family saga. The text blends multiple points of view, imagery, and poetry, and touches on violence in a non-direct way by injecting the threat of nuclear war into the story line.

Did this review help you decide?

Families Can Talk About

  • Families can talk about how this story connects to other books in the Chronos Quartet series. Which of these characters have appeared in the author's other books? In what ways have they changed or grown since we first met them? Families can also discuss the broader concept of "Might-Have-Beens." Is there any might-have-been moment in your own life that you'd like to go back and change?

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Our Members Say

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See all 6 member reviews

Most Recent Reviews

  1. Kid Reviewer Age 12
    Lives in Indiana
    I rate this title on for age 10 and give it 5.0

    Amazing!

    Some people are saying it's confusing, but I think that if you actually read, and don't just skim it, then it's the best book ever. It is the most thought-provoking book I have ever read. But of course, that is just how Madeleine L'Engles writes.

  2. I rate this title on for age 2 and give it 4.0

    great book. a bit confusing

    this is a really, really good book. it is a bit- okay, very- confusing, but people who have read a wrinkle in time will enjoy learning more about calvin's mother, a freaky, abusive woman with no teeth and tangled hair. i've noticed that some kids have rated the book OFF. i think they meant they didn't like it and didn't notice that the signals are for how appropriate the book is. don't be fooled. it's totally clean.

  3. Kid Reviewer Age 12
    Lives in Oklahoma
    I rate this title on for age 2 and give it 5.0

  4. Teen Reviewer Age 16
    I rate this title on for age 2 and give it 5.0

    i love this book! instead of reading the series in order, i read this one first. im glad i did. although its a littlle confusing because it jumps around a lot, i LOVE it! its my fav in the series

  5. Teen Reviewer Age 15
    I rate this title on for age 2 and give it 5.0

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