Kristin Raper Ed 224 Wonder By R.J.

Palacio 2012 Random House Realistic Fiction Characteristic of Difference Physical Disability 315 pages

Summary: This story is told from several different perspectives. The main character is August (Auggie), he is ten years old and he was born with severe facial abnormalities. The story focuses on the transition that Auggie goes through as he goes from being home schooled to entering a private school in the fifth grade. For all of Auggiess life he has been in the comfortable bubble of his neighborhood and his close circle of friends and family. When Auggie enters fifth grade he faces the taunts and fears of his peers and struggles to be seen as just another student. By the end of the school year everyone, children and adults, have learned a lesson of strength, courage, and acceptance. Personal Response: I really enjoyed this book. The story teaches so many lessons and it is very easy to connect with all of the characters, you can even understand the antagonists position. They are wrong and misguided, but you can easily remember dealing with their kind in school. I like how the book told the story from several different viewpoints; it really cemented the connection with the characters. Each person in Auggies circle had a valid opinion and investment in Auggie succeeding in fifth grade. I honestly dont know which my favorite character was; the author made it easy to slip inside the characters shoes and walk a mile in them. The author also did a very good job of putting you in the fifth grade right along with

Auggie, navigating cliques, being the new kid, bullying, and the ignorance that most people have regarding physical disabilities. I realized I had not forgotten, nor forgiven a few bullies from my school years, it is amazing how alike they all are. It also does a great job of showing what it is like to be the sibling of a disabled child, the constant struggle with resentment / love. Strengths / Weaknesses: S: This is such an enjoyable book to read. It does a great job of showing how something like having a disabled child affects everyone in that family, and can pull that family together, and also test that bond. I think this book is well written and does a great job of giving the reader a peek inside the world of those who have disabilities and the ups and downs of gaining acceptance by those that are normal. I strongly believe this book should be required reading for all Teachers/ Administrators and children in the age range of 10-18. This book has not won any awards yet, but I bet it does. W: I think this is a remarkable book. The different perspectives and the dialects can be slightly confusing, younger students may have a hard time keeping them straight. I honestly do not think there are significant weaknesses to this book. How this book might be used: This book would work very well as a read aloud for students in grades 3-6. The themes of accepting those that are different and the anti-bullying message would be very effective for this age group because this age group could easily empathize with Auggiess story and see how wrong the bullies actions are. For older students, this book could be used for independent or small group reading in grades 5-8. This book could be used to prompt the reader to reflect on their own responses and analyze the actions and intentions of the characters, which would be great for journaling for this age

group. I think this book could also be used as a jumping off point to prompt students in grade 5-8 to research such things as education/ inclusion laws and the Americans with Disabilities Act.

Other books I read / considered for this genre: Shiloh by Phyllis Reynolds Naylor Rules by Cynthia Lord Hoot by Carl Hiaasen