A Wrinkle in Time (Madeleine L'Engle)

This book is a CLASSIC. It was published in 1962 and is widely considered one of the earliest children's science fiction books. It's also currently being made into a movie, which is what prompted me rereading it. (I had first read it a few years back)

The book's protagonist, Meg Murry, is awkward. On top of the typical high school troubles, Meg deals with a whole host of family troubles. The most important of these is Meg's father, who went missing a few years back. But along with family friend and her younger brother Charles Wallace, Meg discovers a threat greater than any high school bully- a threat to her father and to the entire universe.

This is technically a children's book, but it has themes and lessons that readers of any age can relate to, not to mention the fact that it has a fast paced and captivating plot. The movie has yet to come out, but the book sets the bar pretty high.