January 1, 2013 I officially start my goal of reading 100 books in one year. I’ve been gearing up for the event by creating my list and trying to come up with a strategy for reading so many books! My list is tentative, as I know new books will be published that I’ll be dying to read. I have some ‘empty’ spots as well for book club picks. In doing some research about ‘must read books’, I came across a 2012 release titled Wonder by R.J. Palacio.
As an adult in her mid 30s, I rarely - if ever - read juvenile fiction. With the exception of Harry Potter, the last time I read a children’s book was when I was actually a child. Even Young Adult books have a hard time grasping my full attention. But this book was different.
This book had me hooked from the very first page. August Pullman was born with severe facial abnormalities. As Auggie puts it, “whatever you’re thinking, it’s probably worse.” He’s of middle school age and has always been homeschooled. With a medical condition that warrented multiple surgeries in early childhood, it made sense. However, mom has taught him as much as she could. It’s time to go to school. A real school.
Imagine middle school as the new kid. Terrifying, right? Imagine middle school as the new kid with an abnormality. The cruelty of children can be astounding, but so can their kindness. This is why the book resonates so deeply with me. I wasn’t different and I wasn’t teased. But I witnessed it happen on many occasions and my heart ached for them. I’m a sensitive artist type, my heart breaks for a lot of reasons. But with everything going on these days from shootings to bullying, this type of book is must read material. Empathy.
This book has several narrators and they each bring their own different perspectives. Auggie: a child wise beyond his years. Via: Auggie’s older sister who starts her own life anew as a high school freshman. Jack: a young man who befriends August, but not without some bumps in the road. Summer: a free spirit who befriends Auggie and doesn’t want to grow up too fast. Justin: Via’s first high school boyfriend, who is a natural talent, and a very caring young man. Miranda: Via’s ex-best friend whose secret is both embarrassing and crushingly honest.
You follow these main characters through a very challenging time in their lives. At these vulnerable ages, you’re still trying to define yourself. Figure out who your real friends are. Make new friends. Balance new friends and old friends who may not get along. On top of that, you may have to hear insults like “nerd”, “ugly”, “different”, “fat”, “insert label here”, etc. Perhaps there is a support system at home. Perhaps there is not. These characters all have their own inner struggles. Hearing these struggles from their perspective makes this book stand out. You understand exactly where they are coming from; because let’s face it, we’ve all been there before. You laugh when they laugh. You cry when they cry.
This book truly is a wonder.
As an adult in her mid 30s, I rarely - if ever - read juvenile fiction. With the exception of Harry Potter, the last time I read a children’s book was when I was actually a child. Even Young Adult books have a hard time grasping my full attention. But this book was different.
This book had me hooked from the very first page. August Pullman was born with severe facial abnormalities. As Auggie puts it, “whatever you’re thinking, it’s probably worse.” He’s of middle school age and has always been homeschooled. With a medical condition that warrented multiple surgeries in early childhood, it made sense. However, mom has taught him as much as she could. It’s time to go to school. A real school.
Imagine middle school as the new kid. Terrifying, right? Imagine middle school as the new kid with an abnormality. The cruelty of children can be astounding, but so can their kindness. This is why the book resonates so deeply with me. I wasn’t different and I wasn’t teased. But I witnessed it happen on many occasions and my heart ached for them. I’m a sensitive artist type, my heart breaks for a lot of reasons. But with everything going on these days from shootings to bullying, this type of book is must read material. Empathy.
This book has several narrators and they each bring their own different perspectives. Auggie: a child wise beyond his years. Via: Auggie’s older sister who starts her own life anew as a high school freshman. Jack: a young man who befriends August, but not without some bumps in the road. Summer: a free spirit who befriends Auggie and doesn’t want to grow up too fast. Justin: Via’s first high school boyfriend, who is a natural talent, and a very caring young man. Miranda: Via’s ex-best friend whose secret is both embarrassing and crushingly honest.
You follow these main characters through a very challenging time in their lives. At these vulnerable ages, you’re still trying to define yourself. Figure out who your real friends are. Make new friends. Balance new friends and old friends who may not get along. On top of that, you may have to hear insults like “nerd”, “ugly”, “different”, “fat”, “insert label here”, etc. Perhaps there is a support system at home. Perhaps there is not. These characters all have their own inner struggles. Hearing these struggles from their perspective makes this book stand out. You understand exactly where they are coming from; because let’s face it, we’ve all been there before. You laugh when they laugh. You cry when they cry.
This book truly is a wonder.
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