Wonder

Wonder

Author: R.J. Palacio
Genre: Realistic Fiction
Grades: 3-6
Awards: Bluebonnet Award, The New York Times Best Seller, An E.B. White Read Aloud Award Winner

This novel follows August Pullman, a boy born with a facial deformity, going into the fifth grade. August's parents have felt that it is finally time for him to attend public school. The principal of Beecher Prep, Mr. Tushman, organized a welcoming committee for August, where he meets Jack, Charlotte, and Julian. They show August the ins and outs of Beecher Prep and to prepare him for his first day of school. Once school starts, he befriends Jack and a girl named Summer. August begins to realize that it is becoming harder for him to fit into school because of the way he looks. His classmates would pretend that he would have the plague and people would join Julian along in making fun of and bullying August. August had to deal and figure out who is true friends are, especially with Jack. He discovered that Jack is actually a good friend when he punched Julian in the face, in defense of August. The big turning point in this novel happened when the students went on a school retreat. Once encountering other students from a different school, August was immediately bullied for his appearance from these strangers. Jack and Julian's friends, that used to make fun of August, stepped in to stop these bullies. August became popular and was accepted among his classmates for the person he is and not by his looks.

I would love to use this book in my classroom as it demonstrates to not judge a book by its cover, or to not judge someone just by the outwardly appearance. This book would be great for those in third to sixth grade, as the students reading this will be around the same age as the characters. In my classroom, I would split my students into groups and have them discuss what they have read and learned. I would then have my students write their own precepts and give a little description as to why they chose that precept.