Wonder

Author: R.J. Palacio 

Release Date:  February 14th, 2012 

Publisher: Knopf

Genre(s): Middle Grade, Contemporary 

Pages: 315
*Stand-alone*

Summary (from Goodreads):

I won't describe what I look like. Whatever you're thinking, it's probably worse.

   August (Auggie) Pullman was born with a facial deformity that prevented him from going to a mainstream school-- until now.  He's about to start 5th grade at Beecher Prep, and if you've ever been the new kid then you know how that can be.  The thing is Auggie's just an ordinary kid, with an extraordinary face.  But can he convince his new classmates that he's just like them, despite appearances? 

R. J. Palacio has written a spare, warm, uplifting story that will have readers laughing one minute and wiping away tears the next. With wonderfully realistic family interactions (flawed, but loving), lively school scenes, and short chapters, Wonder is accessible to readers of all levels.

Review: 

Books like these remind me why I love Middle Grade novels just as much as YA.  

Gosh, this book is really beautiful. I love-love-Auggie and his relationship with his family- especially with Via. Though Auggie is great, Via is really my favorite character. I understand her and her role as the older sibling- which is never ever EVER easy, especially with a younger sibling who is treated differently because of his appearance. 

I also love how the book seems so real; nothing in that book could not happen in real life. But it's really sad too how real the book is. In this appearance conscious world, there are so many more Julians than Summers and Jacks. 

Auggie's quirks of being a ten year old reminds me of when I was ten. It brings back all my silly insecurities and how hard it is to be not quite a kid, but not quite an teenager either. It's heartwarming to see Auggie struggling to make sense of his world and everyone else's world and come out victorious at the end. 

People could really read deeply into this book and say it's about the nature of humans, blah blah blah, but in the end this book is just about a normal boy named Auggie who is living and learning- much like all of us.

And that is all.

Happy Readings~!

Rating: 4.5 out of 5