Book Trivia Questions about A WRINKLE IN TIME
Rejected by at least 26 publishers, banned in schools across America, and eventually flown into orbit aboard the Space Shuttle Columbia. Think you know A Wrinkle in Time?
Test yourself with 26 trivia questions covering the story, the characters, Madeleine L'Engle's life, and the facts that make this book one of the most fascinating ever written.
Perfect for book clubs, trivia nights, sci-fi fans, and anyone who's ever wondered what a tesseract actually is.
A WRINKLE IN TIME Trivia Questions — The Story
What does Mrs. Whatsit call the phenomenon that allows travel through the fifth dimension?
A tesseract — a "wrinkle" in the fabric of space and time, which gives the book its title.
Who are Meg's two companions on the journey to rescue her father?
Her younger brother Charles Wallace and her schoolmate Calvin O'Keefe, who Charles considers a kindred spirit from the moment they meet.
What force has engulfed several planets, including part of Earth, and is holding Meg's father prisoner?
The Black Thing — a spreading shadow of evil that several worlds have already succumbed to.
What is the name of the planet where Mr. Murry is being held?
Camazotz — a planet where every house, street, and person has been forced into total, terrifying conformity.
What entity controls Camazotz and enforces that conformity?
IT — a giant, disembodied, pulsating brain with complete telepathic control over the planet.
What happens when Charles Wallace tries to outsmart IT using his own intelligence?
He's overpowered and absorbed into it, becoming a robotic mouthpiece repeating whatever IT tells him to say.
Who rescues Meg and Calvin from Camazotz at the last possible moment — leaving Charles Wallace behind?
Mr. Murry, who appears just in time and tessers them away before IT can take them too.
What is the name of the planet where Meg recovers after escaping Camazotz?
Ixchel — home to Aunt Beast, a tall, furry, gentle creature who nurses Meg back to health.
What does Mrs. Which tell Meg she has that IT does not — the thing she must use to save Charles Wallace?
Love. Mrs. Which won't explain it further — Meg has to work out for herself what it means and how to use it.
Where does Meg land after finally tessering back to Earth with Charles Wallace?
Her twin brothers' vegetable garden, where her father and Calvin are already waiting for them.
A WRINKLE IN TIME Trivia Questions — Madeleine L'Engle & The Book
In what year was A Wrinkle in Time published, and what major award did it win the following year?
Published in 1962, it won the 1963 Newbery Medal.
At least how many publishers rejected the manuscript before it found a home?
26 — several of whom couldn't agree on whether it was a children's book or a book for adults.
What was the book's working title during the years it kept getting rejected?
"Mrs. Whatsit, Mrs. Who, and Mrs. Which" — the literal names of the three central characters.
Which publisher finally took a chance on the manuscript, and why?
John Farrar of Farrar, Straus and Giroux — reportedly because his own religious faith connected with the book's spiritual themes, the very thing that had scared off other publishers.
Where does A Wrinkle in Time rank on the American Library Association's list of the 100 most banned books?
No. 22.
Why was the book banned by some evangelical schools specifically?
Over its universalist religious themes — the suggestion that all belief systems could lead to the same ultimate truth.
Which character did L'Engle model closely on her own childhood self?
Meg Murry — right down to L'Engle's own experience of being written off as a poor student by teachers who didn't believe she'd written her own prize-winning poem.
Which two real scientific theories influenced the book's ideas about the tesseract?
Einstein's theory of relativity and Planck's quantum theory.
What did L'Engle compare conformity to in her Newbery Medal acceptance speech?
Muffins — she said the forces working against individuality wanted to make "muffins of us, muffins like every other muffin in the muffin tin."
The planet names Camazotz, Ixchel, and Uriel sound invented — where do they actually come from?
Real mythology: Camazotz is a Mayan bat god, Ixchel a Mayan jaguar goddess, and Uriel a Hebrew archangel.
A Wrinkle in Time Trivia Questions — Adaptations & Legacy
How many film adaptations has Disney made, and when?
Two — a TV movie in 2003 and a feature film in 2018.
Who directed the 2018 film?
Ava DuVernay.
Which three actresses played Mrs. Whatsit, Mrs. Who, and Mrs. Which in the 2018 film?
Reese Witherspoon, Mindy Kaling, and Oprah Winfrey.
How did Oprah Winfrey end up cast in the film?
No audition required — she was texting director Ava DuVernay, who mentioned she was developing the project and asked if Oprah wanted to be involved.
Which NASA astronaut took a copy of A Wrinkle in Time into space?
Janice Voss, aboard the Space Shuttle Columbia in 1997 — she'd read the book as a sixth grader in 1966 and credited it with inspiring her career.
What hidden pop culture reference appears in Mrs. Who's dialogue near the end of the 2018 film?
A nod to Hamilton — the line "Tomorrow there'll be more of us. Miranda, American" references Lin-Manuel Miranda's song "The Story of Tonight."
FAQ
What are the best A Wrinkle in Time trivia questions?
The most interesting cover both the story — the tesseract, Camazotz, IT, and how Meg ultimately saves Charles Wallace — and the facts behind the book, including the 26 publisher rejections, the banned-book history, and the real mythology behind the planet names.
Are these A Wrinkle in Time trivia questions suitable for book clubs?
Yes — the questions are split across story, author background, and adaptations, making them suitable for a full book club session, trivia night, or solo quiz. Fair warning: some answers contain spoilers.
Are these questions suitable for people who've only seen the movie?
Some of the adaptation questions will be familiar, but the story and author sections are written for readers of the book — the 2018 film changes several plot details, so movie-only viewers may find those questions trickier.
Is there an A Wrinkle in Time quiz podcast?
Yes — the Book Trivia Podcast covers A Wrinkle in Time in full in Season 2 Episode 6, including trivia, facts, adaptations, and Madeleine L'Engle's life. Available on Spotify, Apple Podcasts, and YouTube.
Want the Full Experience?
Hear the story, the trivia, the banned-book history, and the real story behind Madeleine L'Engle's classic in our full podcast episode.