Stop What You Are Doing And Read Wonder!

“When given the choice between being right or being kind choose kind.” – Wonder, R J Palacio

I recommend this book with all my heart. Everyone should read Wonder by R J Palacio. It was so touching and filled with beautiful messages. This is one of the books that must be taught in school.

In this story, we follow the life of Auggie, his family and friends. August Pullman is a ten-year-old boy with rare facial deformities. Auggie has undergone 27 surgeries to correct the facial anomalies he was born with. He has faced constant staring and looking away, some kids had even asked him if he was in a fire.

He is home-schooled throughout his life until his first year at middle school. August joins Breecher prep as his parents think going to an actual school would be good for him. Mr Tushman, the principal had arranged an informal tour and he invites three other kids – Jack, Julian and Charlotte. Julian immediately torments Auggie.

His first day at school was not so easy. He did get a couple of friends, a few fake smiles, and a lot of not so friendly classmates. Wonder is about Auggie’s first year at a real school. Will he be able to convince his classmates that he is just an ordinary boy with an extraordinary face?

“The best way to measure how much you’ve grown isn’t by inches or the number of laps you can now run around the track, or even your grade point average– though those things are important, to be sure. It’s what you’ve done with your time, how you’ve chosen to spend your days, and whom you’ve touched this year. That, to me, is the greatest measure of success.”

– Wonder, R J Palacio

I loved the theme, the characters and the writing style. This story is told from six different viewpoints. I enjoyed reading different narratives. It helped me get an idea about the people around Auggie.

Auggie had the most supportive family. August wanted to be treated like every other kid. I was rooting for Auggie throughout the story. He is bold, filled with positivity and hope. Isabel Pullman, Auggie’s mother is the strongest character. She was always there for him and the family. She constantly motivated Auggie and made sure he was happy. Via’s perspective was nice. This part explains how her life has changed after her brother was born.

I enjoyed reading Mr Brown’s precepts. It was an insightful idea, so many beautiful thoughts told in such a light manner. Summer represented pure friendship. She spoke to Auggie because she genuinely wanted to be friends with him.

The key takeaway is being kind that necessary. Wonder is a must-read. This book speaks so much about bullying and spreading kindness, and it gives the reader’s an insight into how treating others with kindness can change someone’s life. This book made me cry and was also heart-warming at the same time. This may sound like a sad story but there is breezy humour carried throughout the book. Although the plot is quite predictable, Wonder by R J Palacio is a page-turner.

I strongly recommend you pick this book as soon as possible.

“Courage. Kindness. Friendship. Character. These are the qualities that define us as human beings, and propel us, on occasion, to greatness.” – Wonder, R J Palacio

This book was later adapted into a film later in the year 2017, starring Owen Wilson and Julia Roberts. Several spin-offs were including the calendar book 365 Days of Wonder: Mr Browne’s Book of Precepts and Auggie and Me have been published. Wonder is based on a real-life encounter with a child who had a craniofacial disorder.

Get your copy –

https://www.amazon.in/Wonder-R-J-Palacio/dp/0375869026

About the author –

R J. Palacio lives in Brooklyn, NY with her husband, two sons and two dogs (Bear and Beau). Her debut novel, Wonder, has been on the New York Times bestseller list since March 2012 and has sold over 5 million copies worldwide. The book’s message of kindness has inspired the Choose Kind movement and has been embraced by readers, young and old, around the world.