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November 2015



WONDER (R.J. PALACIO)


This book lives up to its name.  Totally.  I had heard about it and seen it kicking around at my previous school, and then the Grade 5 teacher at my current school requested it.  Good choice - all school libraries SHOULD HAVE THIS BOOK.  Yes the CAPS is for EMPHASIS.

August (Auggie) was born with some pretty serious facial defects.  He gets stared at - like, most of the time.  And it's not "nice" staring, it's staring in shock and horror, can't-believe-what-I'm-seeing staring.  Auggie for the most part has learnt to ignore it, but it still gets under his skin, and still makes him dread going into situations with new people.

So the idea of going to school for the first time? Utterly terrifying.  LOTS of new people, everywhere, and he is stuck with them for hours a day, and they will all stare, and comment, and pretend to look away, and talk about him behind his back.  Auggie knows exactly what it will be like and he is not sure he can bear it...  but will it really be that bad?

This is a book about what it is like to be constantly judged on your appearance, by kids and adults alike.  This is a book about how horrible kids can be at that age.  This is a book about overcoming what others think of you.  This is a book about how wonderful kids can be at that age.  100% yep.







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