L’Engle, Madeleine. A Ring of Endless Light (Austin Family Chronicles #4). Square Fish, 2008 (reprint). ISBN 978-0312379353 352 pp. $10

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I’ve read A Wrinkle in Time about a million times but for some reason never got around to reading Madeline L’Engle’s other books. Until now. I just read A Ring of Endless Light.  Now I am going to read every single book by her.

A Ring of Endless Light is the fourth book in series about the Austin family. Vicky Austin and her family are staying with her grandfather for summer. He is very ill and they want to be with him as much as they can for his last summer. Vicky is friends with Leo, an honest guy who has just lost his father and leans on her for comfort. She’s also friends with Zachary, a rich kid whose attempt at suicide is connected with the death of Leo’s father. Vicky has a third friend, Adam. He is spending the summer working at a marine biology station. Adam invites Vicki to help out with his dolphin study. They discover that she has a real connection with the dolphins and can communicate with them. We follow the Austin’s summer and Vicky’s relationships with each of the boys while exploring all kinds of philosophical, ethical and moral issues. The book is smart and the reading is interesting and fun.

Now I am starting the first book in this series, Meet the Austins.