This is book two of the Time Quintet, and it happens a little while after A Wrinkle in Time. I’m a bit of a completionist (word?), so I want to read the whole Time Quintet.
This book was only about 210 pages long, and it was a pretty quick read. I think I read it in three short sittings. It has all my favorite characters – Calvin, Charles Wallace, and Meg. I actually like Meg more in this book than I did in A Wrinkle in Time. She’s less whiny and a little bit tougher. She still has a great big heart and a love of her family though, which is very important.
We start out this book learning that Charles Wallace keeps getting beat up at school. Meg talks to his principal, but nothing changes. One of the bullies is even Calvin’s little brother. He’s also sick in some nebulous way. He can’t breathe very well, and he’s tired. His parents and doctor don’t really know what to do, but they suspect it has to do with his mitochondria. Here’s where things get weird…
Charles Wallace tells Meg that he sees dragons in the garden. 
She reallllly wants to believe him, but you know, dragons aren’t real. Of course Charles Wallace isn’t lying, so they go meet a dragonesque creature. The drawing to the right is someone’s interpretation of him. His name is Progo (something), but they just call him Progo. I pictured him more warm and cuddly, even though they talk about all of his eyes and wings and fire in the book.
Anyway, Calvin, Meg, and Charles Wallace’s principal go on an adventure to save Charles Wallace. It’s confusing and a little weird, but I still liked it (3.5 stars). On to book three next!