Wonder
Title: Wonder
Author: R. J. Palacio
Genre: Fiction
# of pages: 320
Reading Level: 790L
Summary: In this 2012 novel written by R. J. Palacio, we follow the story of 10-year-old Auggie Pullman. A young boy has been diagnosed with mandibulofacial dysostosis, a genetic condition that has left his face misshapen. Auggie has grown up homeschooled, so when his parents tell him he has been accepted into Beecher Prep Middle School for the coming school year he realizes everything he knows is going to change. As Auggie faces bullying and oppression, he also discovers true friendship and the impact a simple act of kindness can make. This book is a physical representation of not judging a book by its cover and a clear reminder to, “... be “kinder than is necessary because it's not enough to be kind. One should be kinder than needed” (CITE). This novel will warm the hearts of anyone who reads it and will engage students in hearing the story of someone who has shown such resilience in the face of immense adversity.
Genre: This novel fits into the fiction genre as it is written about a fictional character, Auggie, and his life. I have also included this novel in the diverse characters category as he faces a lot of adversity because of his condition.
Reading the Novel: I would use Wonder as a class read and keep it in my student library. The content is age-appropriate and is written about a child their age, so I can see it being very relatable for the students.
Teaching the Novel: Wonder is a great way to open up discussion of the importance of family, friendship, and acceptance. These are all themes that are so important to students growing up, especially in how they treat others. An activity I would like to do with this book would be to have students draw their Wonder portraits, which are self-portraits drawn in black ink with very few facial details. Then students would pick a quote or song lyric that they feel best describes them. We could display the pictures without names and use them as a gallery walk. This could promote seeing people past what they look like and appreciating them for how they feel.
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