Madeleine L'Engle was born on November 29, 1918 to Charles Wadsworth Camp, a foreign correspondent, and Madeleine Barnett Camp, a talented pianist who helped her develop a love for classical music. An only child, Madeleine was initially cared for by a nanny and governess.

After the family moved to Switzerland, she attended boarding schools in Europe and the United States. She went on to graduate from Smith College in 1941 and pursued a career in the theater for several years. Her first book, one of many for adults, The Small Rain, was published in 1945.

In 1946, L'Engle married actor Hugh Franklin, whom she met during a production of The Cherry Orchard. When Franklin decided to leave the stage for a period, they moved to Connecticut, where they ran a general store and had three children, Josephine, Maria, and Bion. L'Engle continued to pursue a career as a writer...