Wonder by R.J. Palacio
Wonder is a very interesting read—it zips along and you’ll
find yourself rooting for all of the characters who have a voice in the
book. In Wonder, we meet August “Auggie”
Pullman who was born with a very serious health issue and face deformity. When
he’s 10, he goes to school for the first time and even attends a 3 day camp
away from home with his class-mates. Auggie’s experiences are both familiar and
unusual. Many people have been teased or treated as an outcast like Auggie is
in the book, but Auggie’s problems are made even worse because of his facial
deformity which is very serious. He
looks very different from other people and it takes some special kids to allow
themselves to see past Auggie’s looks and become friends with him.
Auggie’s family is
very interesting and we get to know them very well. In fact, many of the
characters—even characters that seem minor—in the story are fully developed and
we get to know them better through their own narration. Via’s part of the story
fleshes out the experiences of siblings of children with special needs. Via is
a great character: strong, but not perfect.
This book is an excellent read for all ages. The reader
comes to understand a lot about how kids feel embarrassed being friends with
someone who is different and how it feels to be bullied and singled out. I
think the story will also especially appeal to kids that are reluctant to read.
The chapters are very short and the characters are easy to identify with—many
of us have felt the way they felt at one time or another!
After reading the story, which follows Auggie’s first year
at Middle School, I really felt different. That’s the part of the story that is
really a “wonder.” I felt like Auggie was real and the people who loved and
supported him were real, too. I also
felt more hopeful about other people. The story really shows how we can all
help make differences through small (and big) acts of kindness and bravery in
our everyday lives.
Very much recommended!
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