{ Wonder }

Wonder

by R.J. Palacio. New York: Alfred A. Knopf, 2012.  978-0375869020.  Grades 3-7. 

Wonder is the groundbreaking, New York Times Bestselling, novel by R.J. Palacio.  All over town and in reading groups I have heard about this book.  I knew what it was about before I ever started it.  I heard that it was the story of a boy, a boy who was born with a facial abnormality and his first year in "regular" school, middle school.

Wonder is so much more than just that.  Yes, it does revolve around a boy, August, who does have a physical abnormality.  However, it is so much more than just that.  Palacio takes you into the mindset of each of the children who encounter and befriend August and what they are thinking.  From his sister Via to his best friend Zach.

By allowing the reader into each person's mind Palacio encounters the bigger picture, seeing things from everyone's perspective and not judging.  Sure when Via's best friend Miranda stops speaking to her we want to dislike her or when Jack, August's first friend at school, says that he would kill himself if he looked like August and was only his friend because the principal made him, we want to hate him.  However, when Palacio shows the reader their side of the story you begin to understand, divorce and social pressure caused these things to happen.  These are both things that children can relate to, especially social pressure.

This book is a must have in any library.  It teaches children about acceptance, not just of people who are different from you, but even your friends who begin to grow apart from you or say something stupid without thinking about it.  You never know another person's story and in this easy to read and relate to book does an outstanding job at teaching children and adults what it is like from another person's perspective.   

This book is a must read for children and adults and I hope that you will pick it up today.

Purchase it here on Amazon.

Other books you might like:

Paperboy 

Mockingbird  

Out of My Mind