Children's book author Madeleine L'Engle dead at age 88

Beloved children's book author Madeleine L'Engle has died of natural causes in Connecticut, the New York Times reported Friday. She was 88.

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Best-known for spinning magical children's tales like "A Wrinkle in Time" and "A Wind in the Door," the Newbery Award-winning author penned more than 60 books, including religious meditations and science fiction.

She also wrote poetry, plays, an autobiography and books on prayer.

The "St. James Guide to Children's Writers" described L'Engle as "one of the truly important writers of juvenile fiction in recent decades."

"Why does anybody tell a story?" L'Engle once asked. "It does indeed have something to do with faith. Faith that the universe has meaning, that our little human lives are not irrelevant, that what we choose or say or do matters, matters cosmically."

The Manhattan native married actor Hugh Franklin in 1946. He died in 1986.

L'Engle, who is also predeceseased by a son, Bion, is survived by her daughters, Josephine F. Jones and Maria Rooney; five grandchildren; and five great-grandchildren.