Wonder, Written by R.J. Palacio

Wonder

Written by R.J. Palacio

Awards:

Josette Frank Award (2013)

West Australian Young Readers' Book Award (WAYRBA) for Younger Readers (2013)

Dorothy Canfield Fisher Children's Book Award (2014)

Deutscher Jugendliteraturpreis for Preis der Jugendjury (2014)

New Mexico Land of Enchantment Award for Children (2014)

Judy Lopez Memorial Award for Children's Literature (2013)

NAIBA Book of the Year for Middle Readers (2012)

Waterstones Children's Book Prize (2013)

Washington State Sasquatch Award Nominee (2015)

Bluestem Book Award (2014)

Goodreads Choice Award Nominee for Best Middle Grade & Children's (2012)

Carnegie Medal Nominee (2013)

James Cook Book Award Honorable Book (2013)

North Carolina Children's Book Award (2014)

Premio El Templo de las Mil Puertas Nominee for Mejor novela extranjera independiente (2012)

Wonder is is the story of August Pullman or Auggie. Auggie was born with a facial deformity. He has had many surgeries in is young life. At the age of 10 he has not ever been to school. He has been out in public and hates the looks of horror he gets from people. That is why Halloween is his favorite holiday. Auggie can put on a mask at Halloween and be treated just like any other kid. He has a hard time making friends and his sister Via always sticks up for him. His fifth grade year of school his parents decide it is time for Auggie to go to school. They enroll him in Beecher Prep a private school not far from their home. Auggie and his parents meet the principal, Mr. Tushman. While August is there Mr. Tushman has arrange for some of the kids who will be in August's grade take him on a tour of the school. One of them, Jack Will, is nice, but another, Julian, is noticeably rude. When Auggie starts school he has a rough start and not many want to be his friend. He stays friends with Jack and makes a new friend named Summer. There are many ups and downs through the school year. On a school trip to a Nature Preserve, Jack and Auggie are confronted by bullies from another school. Two boys who have been friends with Julian, and bullies to Auggie, step in to help their classmates. Auggie and Jack are surprised when they attack the bullies and bring them safely back to the area where the schools is watching the movie. Word spreads how Auggie was starting to stand up for himself and how the boys rescued him. This event starts a turn in the schools attitude toward Auggie. He is no longer considered untouchable like he has the plague. At the Fifth Grade End of The Year Graduation, Mr. Tushman gives Auggie the award for kindness and courage. Mr. Tushman also says at the end, " J.M. Barrie says,  'Shall we make a new rule of life ... always to try to be a little kinder than is necessary?' ... What a marvelous line, isn't it? Kinder than is necessary. Because it's not enough to be kind. One should be kinder than needed ... what I want you, my students, to take away from your middle-school experience is the knowledge that, in the future you make for yourselves, anything is possible. If every single person in this room made it a rule that wherever you are, whenever you can, you will try to act a little kinder than is necessary -- the world really will be a better place." Advice I think everyone should follow.