The book I chose to read was Wonder, written by  R. J. Palacio. This book would be great for grades 4-6. It was an easy read and discussed themes students can relate to. This novel was also made into a movie, and I think would be a great movie to watch after reading the book.

This book follows a 10-year-old boy named August Pullman, but many call him “Auggie.” Up until now, Auggie has always been homeschooled by his mother due to a condition he has known as Treacher Collins syndrome and having to undergo many surgeries, making it hard for him to attend mainstream school. This novel provides multiple perspectives, such as through the eyes of the sister, mother and classmates. As he starts his new year at a new school, he faces multiple challenges, such as bullying and creating friendships. As we read further in the novel, we see how these challenges affect Auggie and how he overcomes them and steps out of his comfort zone.

My favourite part of Wonder is seeing Auggie’s mother’s growth in releasing Auggie. Throughout the story, Auggie’s mother was, I’d say, the most concerned individual about Auggie attending mainstream schooling. It would be seen in the beginning feeling anxious about how others would see Auggie and all the bullying he will face. But as we progress through the novel, we see his mother slowly learning to release him, not be so uptight with him, and make Auggie her whole world. 

If you liked reading Wonder, I recommend reading “The One and Only Ivan” by Katherine Applegate, “Fish in a Tree” by Lynda Mullaly Hunt, and “The Julian Chapter: A Wonder Story” by R.J. Palacio.