Wonder
“When given the choice between being right, or being kind, choose kind.”- Dr. Wayne W. Dyer.
This is a quote that is used toward the beginning of the book, Wonder, and now one can’t help but think of the story, and it’s a powerful message of kindness when hearing the above words. As a teacher, I think every kid needs to read this book. As an adult who sees that this world can be so full of hatefulness, every grown-up needs to read this book as well.
At the beginning of the story, we meet a ten-year-old boy, Auggie Pullman. He’s just like most boys his age, he loves video games, Star Wars movies, and learning all he can about space. However, he was born with a rare facial difference that sets him apart from all who meet him. Because of this condition, he’s been homeschooled this entire time.
He’s a bright kid, and because of this, his mother feels like his educational needs are beyond what she can provide for him. He needs a school that can challenge his brilliant mind, but going to school for a kid who has a face like Auggie’s is easier said than done.
This book chronicles Auggie’s first year in school as a fifth-grader. Readers meet kids who don’t choose kindness when meeting Auggie, but they will also meet kids who do. The theme of kindness is strong throughout the book up until the last page.
I’ve read this story several times to my students, and each time, I’ve had so many in-depth class discussions about kindness, bullying, what it means to be an “upstander,” and friendship. Kids are the target audience for this story, and they need to have conversations like this. I recently listened to the audiobook with my two boys, and we’ve been able to have these same conversations. My oldest is starting middle school next year, so I’m grateful that we are having these conversations before he becomes a 5th-grade student. I can’t tell you enough how powerful the message of kindness is in this story.
Auggie and Me
I’m not going to go into too much detail with this book because I don’t want to give away any spoilers, but readers will read from three additional perspectives, but the story from Wonder is the same. It’s an interesting and enjoyable read because readers have a different understanding of these one-dimensional characters from the previous book. They become more dynamic which gives the reader an entirely new take on the first book.
The Julian Chapter-Again, I don’t want to give away any spoilers, but readers will recognize the narrator as the main bully in Wonder. Why would anyone want to read from his perspective? Yeah, I asked myself the same question, but I trusted RJ Palacio enough to know that Julian’s voice should be heard. After reading this part, I can say that I loved reading from Julian’s perspective just as much as I loved Auggie’s perspective.
Pluto- This is told from Christopher’s perspective. Christopher is Auggie’s oldest friend, but at the time that the story, Wonder begins, Christopher and his family moved a few hours away from Auggie and his family. Auggie still keeps in touch with him. It’s interesting to see Christopher’s side of their friendship.
Shingaling- Charlotte tells this part of the story. Charlotte is the nice little girl at the beginning of Wonder who had been asked to be one of Auggie’s welcome buddies. She has a lot to say as well. I love how she discusses the age-old social structure in middle school in regards to who’s popular and who’s not and what it meant to be part of the “in” crowd.
We’re All Wonders
This is a beautifully illustrated picture book that is written and illustrated by RJ Palacio. It’s told from Auggie’s perspective and it begins in the same way the book, Wonder begins. Auggie tells who he is and what makes him different, but also what makes him the same. Kids who enjoyed Wonder would love this book, but it would also be a great read-aloud for younger kids who don’t have the attention span yet for a story like Wonder but will someday. My favorite line from this book is: “I know I can’t change the way I look, but maybe just maybe...people can change the way they see. That’s a powerful message for both kids and grown-ups.
White Bird
If you haven’t read Wonder, stop here. Seriously, I’m about to drop some spoiler bombs, so go read Wonder, and Auggie and Me, and then you can come back to this part. For those of you who’ve read Wonder and at least read The Julian Chapter, you’re safe to proceed.
This book is written as a graphic novel and tells Sara’s story. Readers will recognize Sara as Julian’s grandmother. She told her story in the Julian chapter, and her story was the reason why Julian had a change in heart. He finally realized how wrong he was in the way he treated Auggie.
Even though the story is the same as it is in the Julian Chapter, it goes into more detail with Sara’s story. Readers will have a better understanding of the events that took place in relation to the time period. The illustrations are amazing and give the story an entirely new life.
As much as I love this book, I should mention that it is a bit graphic. The time period is World War 2 in France, and Sara is Jewish. There’s a scene where a member of the resistance is shot and killed while he was trying to save the Jewish children in a school. There’s also a scene where Jewish children are taken away in a truck and are never heard from again. I think it’s so important that kids learn these stories because they are very real. However, depending on the sensitivity level and age of your child, read with caution. You might want to read the story on your own and mark the parts that might be too much for your children. If you do this, you can prepare your children for the more violent scenes as you read this book with them.
Julian is present at the beginning of the story and at the very end. Again, I don’t want to give anything big away, but the last page gave me chills.
Since I love these stories so much, I wanted to create a way to discuss the message of the first story, Wonder with my kids. However, I didn't want it to feel like they were in school, so I created a Bingo game that we played after reading the first story together. Sign up for my email list to access this free resource for your family!
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