A Wonder-ful Book

August 28, 2012

There aren’t too many books on Amazon that get an average five-star rating by hundreds of readers, but Wonder by R.J. Palacio is one of them, and deservedly so. This is a juvenile fiction book published earlier this year, and I recently had the chance to read it. It tells a story from the point-of-view of 10 year-old August Pullman, who was born with a severely deformed face, much like the characters in the movies The Elephant Man and Mask. 

August’s parents and sister do a good job of raising him and protecting him from the outside world, but after several years of home-schooling, he decides to try a real school for fifth grade. The reader can’t help but love August, as he tries to ignore the stares and snide remarks of the other students, and we’re thrilled when he finally makes his first friend. The book takes him through the whole year and ends on a terrific note. 

Here’s a prediction…this book will be nominated for a Newbery Award, and will end up on many school required reading lists. It may even be considered one of the great children’s classics someday. If you have a child reading chapter books, get them this book before everyone else finds out about it and the waiting list starts growing! And don’t forget to read it yourself...especially if you want an inside look of what it’s like to be a fifth grader in this day and age. Right now, there are still a few copies available at MCPL, and it’s also available as a sound recording and an eBook. 

Lori G.
Colbern Road Branch