Book Review: Wonder

There are days when I wake up in the morning and just don't like how I look. Either I'm having a bad hair day or am dealing with a breakout on my chin. The rest of me could look fine, but I'll zoom in on the parts that are imperfect. So I can only somewhat imagine what Auggie, the hero of Wonder by R.J. Palacio, feels like on a daily basis whenever he looks in the mirror.

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? (Synopsis courtesy of Goodreads.)

I took interest in Wonder after a friend posted an article about adults reading books written for kids. Wonder was the main subject of the article and it just sounded so interesting. I immediately put it on hold at my library and then ended up suggesting it to my book club. It became our choice for the January meeting. (I can't wait to discuss it with everyone!) As soon as I cracked it open, I found it impossible to put down! I found myself laughing, sighing and even becoming "verklempt." The characters felt so real that I forgot I was reading a book. I felt like I was really connecting with each of them. There are beautiful and heartwarming moments that balance out the uncomfortable moments (a.k.a bullying).

When Auggie said he wasn't going to describe what he looked like because it was worse than whatever the reader was thinking, I formed my own images based on small hints he shared. Then his sister, Via, shared what Auggie looked like through her eyes. Honestly, as deformed as he was supposed to be, he also sounded adorable. (I don't know if that's the best word to describe it, but it's the first one that came to mind.) Via's description outweighed all the mean comments people would make about him. He really sounded like a great kid in general. He was smart, had a good sense of humor, treated people as he'd want to be treated, and had the same anxieties other kids his age might have, even if they might have been intensified due to his appearance.

There was an idealistic aspect to this novel. My take on it is that it's R.J. Palacio's message to people to treat each other better no matter how different they are from you. I'd like to think that the message from this book would impact others to do such a thing. Maybe I am cynical, but it seems like kids are a lot crueler than they were back when I was a kid. And they were pretty cruel back then! It would be great if Wonder had a global impact and kids started being nice to each other. R.J. Palacio would earn a Nobel Peace Prize if that were the case.

I don't want to give any spoilers as to why I loved this book, but I strongly suggest you read it right away. I loved everything about Wonder and even gave it to my older son to read. I only wish R.J. Palacio would write a follow-up novel to it for adults, that shared the perspectives of Auggie's parents, teachers and other adults in his life.


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