Wonder
Title: Wonder
Author: R. J. Palacio
Genre: Contemporary Realistic
Number of pages: 320
Born with a cleft palate and other facial facial deformities, August is used to people staring at him. Well, sort of. You see, he's a totally normal kid, really. He loves his dog, his X-Box, and Star Wars, is good-natured, and has a good sense of humor. But those things don't stop people from staring, whispering, avoiding eye-contact, and all of the other things they think he doesn't notice.
He just wishes he could blend in with everyone else.
Because of all the surgeries he's had, August has been homeschooled all of his life, but now he's starting 5th grade at Beecher Prep and blending in is not a possibility.
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With my students, I know that I would love to use this book to have a discussion of how our actions effect others, even when we think they didn't notice. It's also a chance for me to ask my students, "So, what's the big deal, anyway? His face is different. So what? Why is it so natural to have a negative reaction when we see someone who is different that way?"
I'd want them to study the different perspectives and tones in the narration and analyze how that affects their view of the characters.
I also want to draw attention to how August handles all of the bullying situations. Would my students advice him do react differently? Would they defend someone this was happening to?
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