Our friends at Brightly have recommended Wonder by R.J. Palacio as their current choice for the Brightly’s Book Club for Kids, and we happily pass along this suggestion to you and your young readers.
Wonder is a glorious exploration of the nature of friendship, tenacity, fear, and most importantly, kindness. A moving read for both kids and adults, it’s a story of one boy’s journey of self-acceptance and an examination of how the ordinary can sometimes be extraordinary.
You’ll like Wonder if you like books with unusual, unique main characters facing difficult challenges or obstacles in their lives. If you’ve read and enjoyed Freak the Mighty, The Thing About Georgie, and/or Schooled, you might love Wonder. It’s also a great book for anyone looking to expand their horizons, challenge their perceptions, or be inspired.
Wonder takes readers back to the uncertainty and awkwardness of middle school, with its fragile friendships and quicksand-like social structures. Into all this Palacio thrusts August Pullman, a boy born with facial deformities so severe he won’t even describe what he looks like because, as he says, “Whatever you’re thinking, it’s probably worse.” The story, told by multiple narrators, follows Auggie, his family, friends, and fellow students as he navigates a new school and the challenges that come with it.
More Wondrous books by R.J. Palacio