Wonder is the story of a 10 year-old boy named Auggie who has a severe facial deformity. Auggie is familiar with the way people react when they see him: the shock, the discomfort, the sideways glances, the hostility. He feels safe in his Manhattan neighborhood, where he’s been homeschooled for his entire life, but Auggie’s parents have decided it’s time for him to go to school. Wonder recounts his difficult year as a fifth-grader at Beecher Prep, told from the point of view of Auggie, his older sister, Olivia, and their friends. As hard as it is to be the new kid in class, it’s so much harder to be Auggie in that situation — some of the kids are kind to him, and some are not.
I wish I’d read this book when I was a kid — maybe it would have helped me be less afraid of other folks’ differences when I was young.
A great choice to read with your kids as a launching pad for a discussion on being different and bullying. Excellent for teachers to use in their classrooms, as well!
Wonder by R.J. Palacio; $15.99; Knopf Books for Young Readers, Ages 10+
