Wonder

Wonder | Realistic Fiction | R. J. Palacio | Booklist Editors' Choice: Books for Youth | ages 9-11 |

August Pullman was born with a facial abnormality. Because of this, people often stare, and children make rude comments whether on purpose or accidentality. Auggie has never even experienced going to school because he is afraid of how others will treat him. The time comes though, when his mom feels Auggie needs to go to school. It's a big move for Auggie but they meet with the principal Mr. Tushman who is incredibly nice and students from his grade to give Auggie a tour of the school. Though some are nice, one in particular, Julian, is a big bully who takes no consideration of anybody's feelings. It's a big change but Auggie decides to go to school and face life's challenges and meet new friends. Just as expected, the school year is tough with side stairs and people talking behind his back, and other who in his face are mean to him. However, he has new friends, Jack, Summer, and Charlotte, that'll stand up for him and provide that emotional support he needs. And further in the story, after experiencing a terrible event, more and more students stand up for Auggie and become his friend.

A good read for all ages! Touching topics of empathy, kindness, our differences, bullying, starting at a new school, standing up for what's right. So much in this book that feels like you finished so quick. There's so much potential in this that I'd use this for my class. It is appropriate for third to seventh grade. Wonder does something unique where certain chapters are written from the point of view of different characters in the story. It also allows you to use your imagination and picture the life of Auggie. As mentioned, Wonder is flooding with great topics so the way I'd applied it into the classroom is having meaningful discussions. And because we have chapters from different point of views, we can also have students enact with different roles from a specific scene or write letters to Auggie explaining more about themselves and why they act the way they do and how they feel towards him. We can also create a self portrait painting similar to the one from the book cover. And because kindness is an important topic, create a poster with your students about kindness and have them do a kind act every day for the whole week.