Wonder

VOYA: 4Q because the multiple perspectives were numerous and, for some readers, confusing. Also a bit of rambling in some places. 3P because I think this is a tween read at highest, and most teens would find it too "young" of a read. (For a ten year old I would give it a 5P).

'I think there should be a rule that everyone in the world should get a standing ovation at least once in their lives, for we all overcometh the world.' -August (pg 310)

My Review:
August Pullman was born with a bad gene that caused facial deformity. He's used to people staring (or screaming) and whispering when he's around, but because of all his face-correcting surgeries he spends most days with his family and their close friends. Everything changes when he has to go to a real school for the first time, and middle school changes everything. This book is told from multiple perspectives: Auggie, his sister, his best friend, a family friend, his sister's boyfriend, and the girl he likes.
The voices were dead on: they really sound like goofy, insecure, Star Wars/Lego/Halo obsessed middle schoolers. The narrative rambles in places, but not horribly so, particularly as it fit the characters.
A story full of compassion and humor perfectly geared to the 9-13 year old crowd. The ending is almost nauseatingly optimistic and teary, but the rest of the book does a great job showing different reactions to a kid who is different.
The optimistic, upbeat tone may get some readers that a darker story of deformity would not. True, Auggie has it tough, but the author goes out of her way to point out that he's also lucky in a lot of ways that the other characters are not: his family is loving and positive almost to a fault (not so much for Miranda or Justin), he has a nice computer and his own room (not so for Jack), and he has friends who stick by him and he's the (sometimes positive) center of attention (not Via). I think I actually prefer this brand of rose-colored glasses to the over-the-top optimism of the ending scene; it can't be fun to have everyone around you assume your whole life is awful just because you have a different face. ( )

Wonder follows the struggles of ordinary/extraordinary 5th grader Auggie, a boy with a rare condition that affected the development of his face, and his first year in school. Though the focus of the story is Auggie and his surprisingly easy-going and often comical outlook on life, the story also shares a glimpse at the people in his life and how their own lives are altered by Auggie's presence. The fierce bond between Auggie and his family is especially touching, and the friends he makes are a heart warming testament to the power of kindness and friendship.

Though much of what Auggie goes through is incredibly difficult because of his circumstances, his experiences and interests are typical of any middle school student. He loves Star Wars, argues with his big sister, and worries about meeting new people on the first day of school just like a typical 10 year old boy, and indeed, Auggie emphasizes and proves that he is ordinary. Wonder drives home the message that who you are is not defined by what you look like. It's an excellent lesson on empathy that has the power to make anyone, regardless of their age, think twice before they judge someone by their appearance. ( )

4Q 4P. Auggie is a normal ten year old boy with a quirky personality and a giant heart. But he also has a facial deformity that most people cannot look past. Auggie tells a heart-wrenching story about the stares, the pointing, the teasing and his journey to a public school where he has to learn how to deal with a mirage of students who will most certainly react in the same way as those passing on the street. There were parts that absolutely tugged at my heart but the characters in this novel are so well developed that I couldn't put it down, even at the sad parts. The writing style could be called simplistic but the idea behind this story is anything but. I would definitely recommend this to young adults and adults alike. It was a fantastic read about overcoming the stigma of disability and finding peace with yourself. Wonderful book! ( )

5Q, 5P. This book follows Auggie as he begins 5th grade at a "real" school. Auggie has always been home-schooled because of a major facial deformity that has required numerous surgeries throughout his short childhood. While Auggie looks different to everyone who meets him, the boy that we meet through the story is just like most other kids his age: he's obsessed with Star Wars, is nervous to make new friends, and loves his family but gets annoyed with them sometimes.

The book is primarily narrated by Auggie, but shorter chapters are narrated by his sister and some of his new friends from school. At first a little jarring, these chapters allow the reader to really get a glimpse of Auggie's life - both from his perspective and from those characters who surround him and participate in his world. Neither sticky-sweet and unrealistically positive, or dark and depressing - this book is filled with humor, with, and lots of heart. In other words, it is a delight. ( )

3Q, 3P
This is the story of how August beings he first year in fifth grade, in a real school. Before this he was home schooled, due to his numerous (26) surgeries, due to a rare genetic distorter which causes him to have craniofacial anomalies. Auggie, as he is called, accepts that everyone stares at him, and often are scared of his appearance, but wishes that people would get past his appearance and learn to see him for who he really is. Despite a tough start at school, through Auggies strength and perseverance, he finishes 5th grade and is accepted by those around him. He knows he is normal like every other kid, but he learns, often the hard way, that he will never be treated like every other kids- just another face in the crowd, but despite this, he remains relatively optimistic and upbeat on the changes that school has brought him. Told through the first person narratives of Auggie, his sister and his friends, it gives each individuals perception on what it is like to know and befriend Auggie.
Quite relivable, until the last couple of chapters, this is a great read for children and adults alike to help bring those with disabilities or bodily abnormalities to life and give them a voice. Also great read for a parents to help display how you want your children to grow up like. (Summer, not Julian!) ( )