Books On Board
series Reading Order

Austin Family Books in Order

8 Books
1960 – 2000 Published
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Reading order

Where to Start the Austin Family Chronicles

For most readers, the best place to start is with the first full-length novel, Meet the Austins. This introduces the core family members—Vicky, John, Suzy, Rob, and their parents—along with Maggy Hamilton, an orphan who joins their household. If you prefer a festive, younger-audience introduction, you can begin with the holiday prequel The Twenty-Four Days Before Christmas, which focuses on Vicky at age seven.

The Chronological Reading Order

Reading chronologically allows you to follow Vicky Austin's growth year-by-year, starting with her early childhood and moving through her adolescence and travels. Shorter works and holiday stories are integrated into this timeline:

  1. The Twenty-Four Days Before Christmas (1964) – A holiday prequel focusing on seven-year-old Vicky as she prepares for a Christmas pageant and the birth of her baby brother, Rob.
  2. A Full House: An Austin Family Christmas (1999) – A short story set when Vicky is eleven, capturing the chaos of welcoming unexpected guests over the holidays.
  3. Meet the Austins (1960) – The first core novel where twelve-year-old Vicky and her family welcome the orphaned, troublemaking Maggy Hamilton.
  4. The Anti-Muffins (1981) – A short story set during the timeline of the first novel, illustrating the children's stand against conformity and the formation of their inclusive club.
  5. The Moon by Night (1963) – Vicky, now fourteen, goes on a cross-country camping trip with her family, experiencing teenage angst and meeting the charming but troubled Zachary Gray.
  6. The Young Unicorns (1968) – Set in New York City, where the family relocates for a year. The story shifts toward mystery and street gang intrigue near the Cathedral of St. John the Divine.
  7. A Ring of Endless Light (1980) – A Newbery Honor-winning novel. At sixteen, Vicky spends the summer dealing with her grandfather's terminal illness, communicating with dolphins, and navigating three distinct suitors.
  8. Troubling a Star (1994) – The final major novel, sending Vicky on an adventure to Antarctica that combines self-discovery with political thriller elements.

Publication Order vs. Chronological Order

While the chronological order provides a smooth narrative flow of Vicky's life, the publication order is how original readers experienced the series. The main difference lies in the shorter works. The prequels The Twenty-Four Days Before Christmas and A Full House were published out of order compared to the main novels. Reading in publication order shows how L'Engle returned to the family's past to flesh out their world after establishing them in her longer books.

The "Chronos" vs. "Kairos" Crossover Universe

Madeleine L'Engle divided her fictional universe into two distinct timelines: Chronos (ordinary, linear wristwatch time) and Kairos (God's time, science-fantasy, and cosmic battles). The Austin Family series serves as the anchor of the realistic Chronos timeline. However, characters cross over frequently:

  • Zachary Gray: The recurring "bad boy" in the Austin series also crosses over into the Kairos/O'Keefe family novels, appearing in A House Like a Lotus and An Acceptable Time.
  • Canon Tallis: The mystery-solving clergyman appears in both the Austin family's urban mystery The Young Unicorns and the O'Keefe sci-fi novel The Arm of the Starfish.
  • The Murry-O'Keefe Connection: Major events and minor mentions weave the Austins and the Murrys (from A Wrinkle in Time) into the same literary universe, rewarding readers who explore both sides of L'Engle's work.

Frequently Asked

QWhat is the recommended starting book for the Austin Family series?

It is highly recommended to start with Meet the Austins (1960), the first full-length novel. If you want a quick, festive entry point that takes place earlier, you can read the short prequel The Twenty-Four Days Before Christmas.

QHow many main novels are in the Austin Family Chronicles?

There are five main novels in the series: Meet the Austins, The Moon by Night, The Young Unicorns, A Ring of Endless Light, and Troubling a Star. The remaining three works are shorter stories or novellas.

QWhat is the difference between L'Engle's Chronos and Kairos series?

Chronos refers to realistic, contemporary stories like the Austin Family Chronicles. Kairos refers to science-fantasy, time travel, and cosmic battles, exemplified by the Time Quintet (beginning with A Wrinkle in Time).

QHow do the Austin Family books connect to A Wrinkle in Time?

The two series exist in the same universe. Characters like Zachary Gray and Canon Tallis appear in both timelines, and characters in the Austin series occasionally reference the Murry-O'Keefe families.

QIs A Ring of Endless Light a standalone book?

While it is the fifth published book in the Austin Family Chronicles, A Ring of Endless Light can be read as a standalone novel. However, reading the previous books provides valuable context on Vicky's relationship with Zachary Gray.

QWhat age group are the Austin Family books intended for?

The main novels are written for young adults and middle-grade readers (ages 10-14+), dealing with real-world themes of grief, faith, and identity. The shorter holiday prequels are suitable for younger children.