"You can't exactly blend in when you were born to stand out."
WonderR.J. Palacio
Oh. my. gosh. You guys, best book I've read in a long time. Definitely fits with where teen and juvenile literature is headed right now...kindness. kindness. kindness. Kids are tired of fighting, hatred, bullying, and meanies. Kindness is the new coolness. I'm buying a dozen paperbacks...one for every kid in my life. I would definitely recommend this book for kids, adults, and teens...fans of The Fault in Our Stars (John Green, DFTBA) would love this book! The covers of the two books even look alike! (Not sure what I'm talking about? Click here.) There is a reason this book has been on the top of the New York Times Best Seller list for middle-grade fiction for 24 weeks!
The author has created powerful characters that are likable, approachable...just totally real! Situations and relationships that are beautifully built. The whole book is structured creatively and told in a way that will keep readers of all ages flipping the pages to the very end!
If you haven't read Wonder... do it...now!
"It is not enough to be kind...be kinder than necessary"
There are so many excellent quotes from this book...but they all boil down to being kind, courageous, and a good friend. And...the fact that those three qualities rely heavily upon one another.
Here's what the publisher says:
I won't describe what I look like. Whatever you're thinking, it's probably worse.
August (Auggie) Pullman was born with a facial deformity that prevented him from going to a mainstream school—until now. He's about to start 5th grade at Beecher Prep, and if you've ever been the new kid then you know how hard that can be. The thing is Auggie's just an ordinary kid, with an extraordinary face. But can he convince his new classmates that he's just like them, despite appearances?
R. J. Palacio has written a spare, warm, uplifting story that will have readers laughing one minute and wiping away tears the next. With wonderfully realistic family interactions (flawed, but loving), lively school scenes, and short chapters, Wonder is accessible to readers of all levels.
book cover from goodreads.com and video from youtube
Palacio, R.J.. Wonder. New York: Alfred A. Knopf, 2012. Print. ISBN:9780375869020 Hardcover. U.S. $17.99
