Review | Wonder by R.J. Palacio

Auggie has always been home-schooled, but his mom thinks it’s time for him to go to a ‘real’ school. Which would be fine, except that Auggie was born with severe facial deformities. Auggie is used to people looking away from him, whispering about, or staring at him when he’s not looking, but he’s just not sure that he’s ready for a bunch of 5th graders to be seeing him everyday. How will they respond to him?

After some convincing by mom and dad, and meeting a couple kids from Beecher Prep who seemed okay, Auggie decides to give it a try. If you’ve ever been the new kid, then you know how hard that can be. But being the new kid, plus having an extraordinary face… Auggie is in for a bit of a journey and so are the people he meets along the way. Can Auggie convince his new classmates that he’s just like them, despite his appearance?

I have been hearing buzz about this book for months now: lots of Newbery award type buzz. Well, come Monday (January 28th), when the 2013 Newbery’s winners are announced, I’ll be rooting for Wonder. Palacio has done a fantastic job with the voices of his characters. The story is told from various points-of-view: Auggie, his friends, his sister, and a few others. The story opens in Auggie’s voice and as you hear about life from his perspective, you’re immediately drawn in, feel a bit sorry for him, and want him to succeed. When the POV changes to his sister, you can tell that she loves him fiercely, but there is also a sense of what she has had to give up and go through as a result of having a little brother with so many health needs and concerns. It was also interesting to hear from Auggie’s friends and what they were thinking at different points in the story and comparing that to what Auggie was feeling at the same time.

This book had me really self-reflecting about how I treat other people. It brings up a load of good topics to talk about with young people: bullying, feeling inadequate, friend cliques, school transitions, and how we judge others. Even for kids that have perfectly normal bodies, I think there are feelings that many of the book’s characters express that they could connect with and relate to.

Wonder is a quick, feel-good read that I think all ages will enjoy. I really liked the quotes attached to many of the chapter headings. I listened to the audio version and thought it was very good. If you’re looking for a heart-warming story to help get you through the cold winter days, go pick up Wonder by R.J. Palacio. You won’t regret it.

*J.M. Barrie quote from Red Autumn and is a quote that is used in Wonder.

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Overall Rating: 

Parent’s guide:

• Sex: a girl and boy kiss
• Violence: some bullying
• Language: Deity and name calling