President George W. Bush awarded the 2004 National Humanities Medal Nov. 17 to seven Americans and one historical society for their contributions to the humanities, including Madeleine L'Engle, a WaterBrook Press/Shaw Books author. At a White House ceremony, Bush presented National Humanities Medals to L'Engle, Marva Collins, Gertrude Himmelfarb, Hilton Kramer, Harvey Mansfield, John Searle, Shelby Steele and the United States Capitol Historical Society.

The National Humanities Medal, first awarded in 1989 as the Charles Frankel Prize, honors individuals and organizations whose work has deepened the nation's understanding of the humanities, broadened citizens' engagement with the humanities, or helped preserve and expand America's access to important humanities resources.

L'Engle was cited for her talent as a writer on spirituality and art and for her novels for young people. She has written more than 60 books, the most famous of which is A Wrinkle in Time (Laurel-Leaf Books, 1962). Her most recent work is Madeleine L'Engle Herself: Reflections on a Writing Life (Shaw Books, 2001).

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