STUDENT SAMPLE: BOOK REVIEW POST

I recently read the realistic fiction book Wonder by Raquel.J.Palacio. Wonder is about a kid named August who was born with ‘facial issues.’ Because of this, Auggie has not yet gone to school, that is, until now. Auggie will be starting school in the 5th grade at Beecher Prep. And for those of you that have been the new kid, you know it’s hard! But with Auggie's ‘issues’, it is going to be really tough. Not only does he have to deal with normal middle school drama, he also has to deal with everyone’s reactions to his appearance. The thing is, Auggie is just an ordinary kid, but with an extraordinary face. Can his classmates look beyond his appearance? Will they ever truly accept him? Read to find out how Auggie’s journey unfolds.

Published on February 14th, 2012

Wonder was written by R.J. Palacio. She was born in Queens, New York but now lives in NYC with her husband, two boys and two dogs. R.J. always wanted to write novels. And one day, in front of an ice cream shop, she saw a boy with an extraordinary face who became her inspiration for the main character in Wonder. From that moment on, she started writing the book.

Because this book is realistic fiction, everything that R.J. writes can actually happen. I really like her style of writing because she writes in a way that every sentence is engaging and emotional; the book is a real page turner. This is a warm, uplifting story that will have you laughing one minute and wiping tears away the next. Additionally, R.J. also tells the story through the point of view of 7 different characters, including the Julian chapter. I think this is not only creative but also interesting to read.

I think Wonder is worth reading because it is a story which you read to understand the world a little better, and I think it gives you a better sense of middle school. Wonder pushes its readers to become more compassionate, empathetic, and accepting of differences.  I recommend this book to anyone who loved Mockingbird, The One and Only Ivan, or Stargirl, because these books all follow similar themes.

Overall, with its realistic family interactions, interesting school scenes, and short chapters, Wonder is accessible to all readers 8 years old and up. I rate this book 5 out of 5 stars.