Wonder

Wonder
R. J. Palacio
Bluebonnet Award


"Everyone in the world should get a standing ovation at least once in their life because we all overcometh the world."  The wonder full story of August, who is born with a combination of chromosomal anomalies.  No one ever expects to be born a certain way and Auggie seems to be a one of a kind case.  He has grown to be strong enough to ignore people looking at him as if he is a monster or a creepy alien. Thankfully he is not alone to face his situation. His parents and his sister Olivia are a wonderful family which some of the other characters wish they had. Now that Auggie is going to start school, the life he knew before will take a sudden turn. He will interact with other people than just his family and as any fifth grader, he is extremely nervous about it.  In his case he is worried about what others will tell him or how they react. A very important aspect about this story is that it makes you see how a person who is physically challenged can be a wonderful person. His sister Via for example lives in the same family but has a void that started after Auggie was born. She has lived a life where she feel excluded. Jack, though he is popular deals with living in an economic situation that makes him feel uneasy because the school he goes to is populated by students who are better off than he is.  He makes a mistake in an effort to keep his popularity and later realizes what is really important. Justin who seems to be a kind of cool guy has his own void. His family is not the family he wished he would have had.  Summer seems to be the only child who befriends Auggie without feeling forced to do so and gives us a great example about just doing good regardless of what others say.  She even leaves the party of the popular girls because she is not going to be influenced by peer pressure. And of course Miranda.  The one person who loves Auggi just as much as his own family.  I learned that regardless of how bad things can get, how bad certain people such as Julian can be, ultimately good overcomes evil. Auggie is sure a wonder and his life will never be the same.  

This is a great novel that I would use in my class because it teaches about being kind.  It would be appropriate for a Second through Fifth grade class and I would teach it as a read aloud.