A Wind in the Door is the 'weird' sibling of A Wrinkle in Time. It trades the planet-hopping adventure for a journey inside a human cell, and while it's definitely a product of the 70s—expect some psychedelic descriptions—it holds up because the emotional stakes are so high.

If your kid liked the first book, they'll likely appreciate the deeper dive into the Murry family's cosmic struggles. It’s not 'brain rot'—it’s the exact opposite. It’s the kind of book that makes a kid look at a microscope and a telescope with the same amount of wonder.