Re-posting today, Wonder, by R.J. Palacio. Today, October 10th, is the main character Auggie’s birthday. The day has been chosen to help celebrate the Choose Kind movement – an anti-bullying campaign started by the author. It’s not just about being nice, it’s about being kind…which is more than just being polite.
- Sign the Pledge today to Choose Kind.
Don’t miss these two GREAT articles about Wonder:
- Slate: Wonder is the Best Kids’ Book of the Year. Slate talks to R.J. Palacio about bullying and empathy. (Empathy is when you are aware of and sensitive to the feelings of other people.) It is a great article for kids and parents both.
- Happy Birthday Auggie Blog Post from the author of Wonder, R.J. Palacio
- Every Kid Needs a Hero Blog Post by Peter’s Mother. Peter has a craniofacial syndrome like Auggie’s. Here is a message for readers of Wonder from Peter himself:
If you don’t know about Auggie yet…read about him here:
Auggie is ten and has never been to school. His Mom teaches him at home. For fifth grade Auggie’s Mom and Dad decide it would be a good idea for him to try school. He’s never been to school AT ALL so he’s going to start in Middle School. What do you think? Would you want to do that?
Auggie isn’t sure what he thinks about school because he’s never been there. He knows he wants one thing though, friends…and school is where the other kids are. Auggie just wants to be a regular kid.
I think the only person in the world who realizes how ordinary I am is me.
My name is August, by the way. I won’t describe what I look like. Whatever you’re thinking, it’s probably worse. (page 1)
The reason Auggie hasn’t been to school yet is because he has had 27 surgeries since he was born. He has an extreme facial abnormality. He did survive, and now he’s strong enough to not just survive; he’s strong enough to live, to grow, to learn and to go to school. But he still doesn’t look like other kids. In Middle School, kids worry if their shoes aren’t like the other kids’ shoes. Auggie’s got something different that is a lot different, and he can’t do a thing to change it.
Wonder is a “so truthful it hurts” story about an ordinary kid in an ordinary family in an ordinary school…living an extraordinary life. Life can be difficult and confusing and messy and make you cry, even while it is being wonderful. I loved getting to know Auggie and his family, especially his sister Via. I really liked that the point of view of the chapters change so that you hear from Auggie, as well as his sister and some of the kids at his new school. This is important because this isn’t just Auggie’s story, it is their story too. It takes them all to get the story right. Author: R.J. Palacio
- Wonder on CD
- Amazon Look Inside Wonder
- GoodReads: Wonder
- Official Website R.J. Palacio
- Choose Kind Anti-Bullying Resources
| If you liked reading Auggie’s story and understand what it feels like to want to be just another kid in the crowd, but feel stuck being known for something about yourself you didn’t choose and can’t change, try one of these. And if you identify more with Via, Auggie’s sister, try Rules. |
|||
Print This Post