Wonders. A book about a boy named August Pullman, Auggie for short. When he was born, he had problems. Not minor problems, but major problems. He was "destined" to die, but he survived. He was homeschooled for 5 years of his life, until he got accepted into a private school, Beecher Prep. Julian, Charlotte, and Jack Will are the first kids that he meets that goes to this school. Julian is the mean one, he is " one way in front of grown-ups and another way in front on kids" as Auggie's mother says. Charlotte is a nice girl who will not stop talking about a play she was in, but as I said, she's friendly. Jack Will is a boy who pretty much everyone likes. He turns out later in the story as Auggie's absolute best friend for life. Another one of his friends who loves him for just the way he is, is a girl named Summer. She's friends with the popular kids, and Auggie. That fifth grade school year for Auggie was sad, humorous, and heartwarming. Auggie's big sister, Via is going through almost the same thing too. Her best friend went to camp last summer, and after she got home from camp, she would usually text her friend back. This summer she texted another friend named Eleanor. Via's friend changed, now wearing tube tops and having bright pink highlights in her hair. She has a boyfriend who is super caring, protective, and ( in Via's opinion) cute. R.J. Palecio melts hearts with her beautiful story.
Wonder
By R. J. Palacio
| Interest Level | Reading Level | Reading A-Z | ATOS | Word Count |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Grades 4 - 7 | Grades K - 1 | Guided Reading: V | n/a | 73053 |
Over 6 million people have read the #1 New York Times bestseller WONDER and have fallen in love with Auggie Pullman, an ordinary boy with an extraordinary face.
The book that inspired the Choose Kind movement.
I won't describe what I look like. Whatever you're thinking, it's probably worse.
August Pullman was born with a facial difference that, up until now, has prevented him from going to a mainstream school. Starting 5th grade at Beecher Prep, he wants nothing more than to be treated as an ordinary kid—but his new classmates can’t get past Auggie’s extraordinary face. WONDER, now a #1 New York Times bestseller and included on the Texas Bluebonnet Award master list, begins from Auggie’s point of view, but soon switches to include his classmates, his sister, her boyfriend, and others. These perspectives converge in a portrait of one community’s struggle with empathy, compassion, and acceptance.
"Wonder is the best kids' book of the year," said Emily Bazelon, senior editor at Slate.com and author of Sticks and Stones: Defeating the Culture of Bullying and Rediscovering the Power of Character and Empathy. In a world where bullying among young people is an epidemic, this is a refreshing new narrative full of heart and hope. R.J. Palacio has called her debut novel “a meditation on kindness” —indeed, every reader will come away with a greater appreciation for the simple courage of friendship. Auggie is a hero to root for, a diamond in the rough who proves that you can’t blend in when you were born to stand out.
Book Reviews (3828)
Wonder, wonder has came from a movie about a boy named Auggie Pullman when he is born with a facial difference. His life might change forever!!!! he has had multiple surgeries and he has been home schooled for to long now and has to go to...SCHOOL!!!!! he gets bullied an then he meets some friends and they don't care about his facial difference because they all love him for who they are. He meets a new friend named Summer and one new friend named Jack Will who changes his life forever!
Such a humorous, heartwarming book. An inspiring story about a boy with an extraordinary face. And if you like the book you will definitely like the movie. It features Julia Roberts, Owen Wilson, Jacob Trembley, and my favorite, Millie Davis. My favorite characters are Summer and Miranda.
When August Pullman was a baby, he was almost thought to be dead. So many things wrong with him, so many corrections and even with all his surgeries, the thing everyone stares at his face. It's so messed up that even I can't imagine it. The only thing that he wants in the whole wide world is to be "normal". So after so many years of home schooling by his mom, he finds out that his parents were going to send him to a normal school. Which was NOT a good thing by "Auggie". Sure enough, when he gets his tour of the school, the kids just stare, and like usual, he tries to ignore them. Even so, fate has it's strange ways, and on this fateful day he quickly picks up his soon to be arch bully Juilen, and his former friend Jack Will. Through the story Auggie picks up new friends, enemies, and changes lives. There are ups and downs and tears and joys in this tail, but I believe that i can truly say that this book is a wonder.
August "Auggie" isn't like most kids. While he's smart and funny with a good personality, his face is what people really remember. They try to look away and pretend to not see him, but Auggie knows that stare. From birth, Auggie's face was unique and different. Being homeschooled since he was a young child, school was luckily not the things he had to face. Multiple surgeries and so many doctors have all gone through trying to make Auggie look normal. So this year, when his parents decide to sent him to school, it's a mystery how it will go. Enemies, friends. and finding yourself make this book phenomenal.
It is one of the most moving books I have read in a long time, and I am still pretty amazed at how the author wove so much complexity into a story for middle schoolers. It is the story of a boy with a genetic craniofacial deformity who has been homeschooled through fourth grade because of his frequent childhood surgeries. When the story begins his parents have decided they think he should go to school for the first time for fifth grade. The story covers his first year in school. It is told in first person, but the parts of the story are told (and in some cases retold) from several characters' viewpoints. The boy himself, his older sister, two of his friends from school, his sister's boyfriend, and his sister's friend take turns. Each narrator adds subtle new dimensions to the story. The theme of the book is that we can all choose kindness, and this theme is developed through amazingly honest and poignant portrayals of middle school and high school social dynamics and family dynamics. The author excels at showing not telling. It never feels preachy or overdone, or like an issue advocacy book. But the messages are there loud and clear: Being nice is not the same as being a friend, doing the right thing often costs you something but it's worth it, everyone has something to be grateful for, peer pressure makes you stupid, but it's never too late to change your course, we all need people who love us unconditionally. The book was convicting, laugh out loud funny, truthful, hopeful, and heart-warming. Because I know some people are have stricter standards than I have, here are all the things anyone might possibly want to be aware of before recommending it to a child: There are some gluteal-themed jokes revolving around the names of a teacher named Miss Butt and the principal Mr. Tushman. The word "sucks" is used a few times. A funny story involves the "farting nurse" who attended the main character's birth. A dog is put to sleep. One character briefly explains his views of reincarnation. It is mentioned that peripheral characters play Dungeons and Dragons at recess. There are repeated references to Star Wars characters and other popular culture items. Halloween is the main character's favorite holiday. Middle school students have crushes on each other and "go out" with each other. The fifteen-year-old sister has a boyfriend and it mentions him kissing her twice. There are two references (both by girls) to being flat-chested. A couple times girls are referred to as "hot." One character's father has been killed in the Iraq war. There is a brief mention of one character's divorced father getting married to his pregnant girlfriend, and another character's parents are divorced. There are a couple instances of copying homework and lying to teachers or parents with no repercussions. There are varying degrees of bullying depicted, some of which is pretty cruel. Overall, it had very positive portrayals of family, parents, authority figures, and young people. It was really thought-provoking and has so much fodder for fruitful discussion with upper elementary or middle school students. The book is so beautifully written that older students (and parents) can also really appreciate it too.
I really love this book because it inspires people that are different from other people to come over there fears. August in the book had a deformed face but got rewarded a school medal at the end. he has to face people that aren't so nice to him, like Julian.
have you watched the movie yet. it is amazing
This book is not only telling people to not bullybut is also telling a story about a kid that feels different, I really enjoyed it and the movie. You should read/watch it!!!
Great book!