Wonder - A Great Book for Middle School Kids (or Adults!)

R.J. Palacio has done it! She has created a book that had me hanging on every word. So often I find myself skimming as I read, anxious to get to the next part to see what is happening, but not with "Wonder." I'm relatively certain I read every single word on these 318 pages. As Palacio's first novel, she has certainly set the bar high for herself.

August Pullman is not an ordinary kid. At least that's what he would have us believe in the opening paragraph's; however, after turning only a few pages, you'll discover that "not ordinary" is not a good description of this fictional character born with more heartaches and trials than most adults can imagine. By the time we meet Auggie, he's in fifth grade, a difficult time in life for the one who does believe he is ordinary, let alone one whose life history and physical appearance can support his claim to "un-ordinary."

I love to read, but when I do, I seldom become emotional. I find myself keeping those fictional characters and their stories tightly locked inside my brain; however, August's story touched me. More than once I found myself smiling or chuckling, and just as often a tear blurred my vision as I attempted to continue to read through it. This is a book full of honesty and integrity. It challenged me to look at myself and my attitudes, although August and his family are gracious enough to offer real and truthful insight into the thoughts of those on the inside looking out, offering me a way out when my self-examination would make me wonder if I should feel guilty.

Perfect for every age, this book captivated me from cover to cover. Children who are reading chapter books will be enthralled at it as much as your grandmother whose been reading for half a century. Divided into "Parts" and then into smaller chapters, gives this book a lot of good "stopping places" for your less than avid readers. And despite the fact it's an easy read with a great flow, the storyline and little surprises keep even bookworms like me attentive till the end.

I highly recommend "Wonder." Get it for yourself or the child in your life. Teachers, make this the Christmas break reading assignment. Not only will it make you feel good, it will give the reader insight on the feelings of those who catch our stares even when we wish we could look away. It will help you find the good inside yourself and look for the beauty within others. It will remind you that "There will always be jerks in the world, Auggie . . . but I believe . . . that there are more good people on this earth than bad people, and the good people watch out for each other."

I loved this book so much that I bought it for my grandson. He was nine years old at the time. Both he and his eight year old sister enjoyed it. Then I bought a hard cover to keep at the church for our youth to borrow. Although it's not Christian fiction (what I generally encourage our young people to read), this is an excellent lesson in how to treat others and how they feel when we treat them badly.

This is a great book to give a young reader in your life. But I believe that even adults will enjoy this book.

R. J. Palacio lives in NYC with her husband, Russell, two sons, Caleb & Joshua and two dogs. For many years, she was an art director and book jacket designer, designing covers for countless well-known and not so well-known writers in every genre of fiction and nonfiction. Wonder is her first novel.

Learn more about R.J. Palacio by clicking on the link below