Wonder
Wonder is a children's novel written by R. J. Palacio,[2] published on 14 February 2012.
R. J. Palacio wrote Wonder after an incident where her son noticed a girl with a severe facial difference and started to cry. Fearing he would react badly, Palacio attempted to remove her son from the situation so as not to upset the girl and her family but ended up worsening the situation. Natalie Merchant's song of the same name made her realize that the incident could illustrate a valuable lesson. Palacio was inspired by Merchant's lyrics and she began writing. She named the book directly after the song and used the song's chorus as the prologue of the first chapter.
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Readers say *Wonder* by R.J. Palacio is a heartfelt, honest story about courage, kindness, and acceptance, told through multiple narrators that reveal...
AH-MAZ-ING!
My son read this book for his Battle of the Books list. After reading it, he said, "Mom, you have to read this book." And so I did.
I don't know how to begin talking about a book that moved me so deeply. R.J. Palacio has written a true testament to the kindness of humanity in her debut middle grades novel. The character of August is not one I will ever forget.
August is a young boy born with an extreme facial deformity. There are a lot of medical terms I could share, but the words would be futile. He's been homeschooled most of his life, not just because of the oddity of his looks, but because of the amount of medical attention needed to help him - a lot of surgery...a lot. Yet, he still looks deformed. In the book he is described as a zombie, Gollum, an Orc and so forth - chilling depictions of how a little boy should look.
In fifth grade, his parents decide he should try going to school. This is a big step for August and for them. We all know kids can be cruel, and they are. This is not a "feel-good" story for the ages. The torment and shame Auggie endures broke my heart. Of course, I read this a parent knowing full well the pain of not being able to save your child from the hurt of the world - and my son is normal (by most accounts!). However, Palacio writes his journey as a bridge between what often is and what could be. I saw, in the world created at Beecher Prep, glimpses of myself throughout my life - ways my personality has changed and grown. Auggie's story is one that a reader at any age can connect with - a true bilodungrosman (coming of age story) of a novel. I laughed. I cried. I cried some more. I put down the book for Kleenex. I laughed again.
The development of the story and characters felt absolutely real. Palacio writes without a melodramatic overtone that would make you feel sorry for the misshapen little boy; she writes with grit and passion about a child growing up a universe that has not been kind to him. She writes full of love and determination as the reader watches a young man struggle to accept what he cannot change, and fights with brave courage to impact what he can. She creates friendships that are flawed perfection, and because the book travels through multiple points of view, the reader can see how the world affects not only Auggie, but those on this journey with him.
I've not read a lot of middle grades novels, but I'm sure glad I read this one. This book is a MUST READ no matter your age.
From the Goodreads synopsis:
You can't blend in when you were born to stand out.
My name is August. I won't describe what I look like. Whatever you're thinking, it's probably worse.
August Pullman wants to be an ordinary ten-year-old. He does ordinary things. He eats ice cream. He plays on his Xbox. He feels ordinary - inside.
But Auggie is far from ordinary. Ordinary kids don't make other ordinary kids run away screaming in playgrounds. Ordinary kids don't get stared at wherever they go.
Born with a terrible facial abnormality, Auggie has been home-schooled by his parents his whole life, in an attempt to protect him from the cruelty of the outside world. Now, for the first time, he's being sent to a real school - and he's dreading it. All he wants is to be accepted - but can he convince his new classmates that he's just like them, underneath it all?
Narrated by Auggie and the people around him whose lives he touches forever, WONDER is a funny, frank, astonishingly moving debut to read in one sitting, pass on to others, and remember long after the final page
My son read this book for his Battle of the Books list. After reading it, he said, "Mom, you have to read this book." And so I did.
I don't know how to begin talking about a book that moved me so deeply. R.J. Palacio has written a true testament to the kindness of humanity in her debut middle grades novel. The character of August is not one I will ever forget.
August is a young boy born with an extreme facial deformity. There are a lot of medical terms I could share, but the words would be futile. He's been homeschooled most of his life, not just because of the oddity of his looks, but because of the amount of medical attention needed to help him - a lot of surgery...a lot. Yet, he still looks deformed. In the book he is described as a zombie, Gollum, an Orc and so forth - chilling depictions of how a little boy should look.
In fifth grade, his parents decide he should try going to school. This is a big step for August and for them. We all know kids can be cruel, and they are. This is not a "feel-good" story for the ages. The torment and shame Auggie endures broke my heart. Of course, I read this a parent knowing full well the pain of not being able to save your child from the hurt of the world - and my son is normal (by most accounts!). However, Palacio writes his journey as a bridge between what often is and what could be. I saw, in the world created at Beecher Prep, glimpses of myself throughout my life - ways my personality has changed and grown. Auggie's story is one that a reader at any age can connect with - a true bilodungrosman (coming of age story) of a novel. I laughed. I cried. I cried some more. I put down the book for Kleenex. I laughed again.
The development of the story and characters felt absolutely real. Palacio writes without a melodramatic overtone that would make you feel sorry for the misshapen little boy; she writes with grit and passion about a child growing up a universe that has not been kind to him. She writes full of love and determination as the reader watches a young man struggle to accept what he cannot change, and fights with brave courage to impact what he can. She creates friendships that are flawed perfection, and because the book travels through multiple points of view, the reader can see how the world affects not only Auggie, but those on this journey with him.
I've not read a lot of middle grades novels, but I'm sure glad I read this one. This book is a MUST READ no matter your age.
From the Goodreads synopsis:
You can't blend in when you were born to stand out.
My name is August. I won't describe what I look like. Whatever you're thinking, it's probably worse.
August Pullman wants to be an ordinary ten-year-old. He does ordinary things. He eats ice cream. He plays on his Xbox. He feels ordinary - inside.
But Auggie is far from ordinary. Ordinary kids don't make other ordinary kids run away screaming in playgrounds. Ordinary kids don't get stared at wherever they go.
Born with a terrible facial abnormality, Auggie has been home-schooled by his parents his whole life, in an attempt to protect him from the cruelty of the outside world. Now, for the first time, he's being sent to a real school - and he's dreading it. All he wants is to be accepted - but can he convince his new classmates that he's just like them, underneath it all?
Narrated by Auggie and the people around him whose lives he touches forever, WONDER is a funny, frank, astonishingly moving debut to read in one sitting, pass on to others, and remember long after the final page
Very sweet and funny, and also honest: not everyone will embrace difference right away, you can't always control your first reactions and that's ok. I liked the way the story progresses through various narrators, giving each time another piece of the puzzle and outlining the fact everyone reacts differently and at a different pace. I liked that the characters were given time to grow and understand...even Auggie...
Absolutely phenomenal! Every fifth or sixth grader should be required to read this book!! A story of perseverance, strength and the importance of kindness. You will want to jump into the book and fix the problems and will not want to put it down to see what comes next! A true "feel-good" book for everyone!!
Kindness is the main theme in Wonder. It helps us realize that a small, simple act of kindness can make a big difference, and we have the ability to CHOOSE KIND.
I liked the theme of this book. I like the character especially Auggie who has a facial problem. Everyone thinks he's scary because of his face or his face burned on the fire. But, he makes some friends. Especially his friends Julian and summer. Some kids make fun of his face and I kinda feel that way. Not that I have a facial problem like Auggie but some people judge you by how you look and someday, I'm going to put on a brace. I remember when I was in Grade 6. My classmates used to make fun of me and bully me (sometimes). Anyway, the book was great!
I liked the theme of this book. I like the character especially Auggie who has a facial problem. Everyone thinks he's scary because of his face or his face burned on the fire. But, he makes some friends. Especially his friends Julian and summer. Some kids make fun of his face and I kinda feel that way. Not that I have a facial problem like Auggie but some people judge you by how you look and someday, I'm going to put on a brace. I remember when I was in Grade 6. My classmates used to make fun of me and bully me (sometimes). Anyway, the book was great!
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