KidLit Forum

This is a book which deals with physical difference and discrimination. ’’My name is August, by the way. I won’t describe what I look like. Whatever you’re thinking, it’s probably worse’’. This quote is very suggestive because August, apart from having a severe facial deformity, is as normal as any other child of his age. He has to learn to accept that no matter how normal he perceives himself, the others still view him differently. Even if he does ordinary things, he is aware of the fact that others do not see him this way. What is amazing is that he knows that not even his parents or sister can see him as ordinary: ’’Via doesn’t see me as ordinary. She says she does, but if I were ordinary, she wouldn’t feel like she needs to protect me as much. And Mom and Dad don’t see me as ordinary, either. They see me as extraordinary. I think the only person in the world who realizes how ordinary I am is me’’.
The book is surprising because its narrated from various points of view. We don’t have only Auggie’s perspective over the story. The reader has the chance to know him better by viewing the things from various angles. I think that all the narrators are reliable because there is no contradiction between their versions. The story told by one narrator is confirmed somehow by the others.

I really enjoyed the book because it deals with a very controversial subject of nowadays. It is scientifically demonstrated that when we meet a new person for the first time, we are unable to see beyond appearances and we judge people by how they look from the outside. Sometimes a moment is enough to accept or ignore someone. According to Olivia Puerta it was demonstrated that little children are are always attracted to beautiful faces. So, we all say that people are equal, no matter of sex, colour, skin etc. But it is in our human nature to be prejudiced although sometimes we don’t intend to. This can be seen when looking for a job. Most of the time unattractive people are not given the chance for an interview just because they are not pretty. Maybe because most of the people associate good looks with a good behavior.

August (Auggie)faced many obstacles during the school year because of the way he looked like. Even Jack, who was supposed to understand well with him, tells Julian that he would kill himself if he would look like Auggie, which he overheard. Feeling hurt and betrayed, he wanted to quit school, but sis sister Via convinced him not to. Julian's mother sid that Auggie didn't belong to Breecher Peep, because it is not an "inclusion school" although he didn't suffer of any mental diseases. But things changed and other children befriended him mostly after what had happened in an overnight camping trip, when he and Jack are attacked and insulted by older students from another school. This is the moment when other classmates defend and befriend him. But the supreme act of acceptance, of feeling ok with the way he is, is at the graduation ceremony, when after he was awarded, he took pictures with everyone, which he refused to take before....

Anyway he is to be admired, because some of us don't accept to take pictures if they are unarranged or not maked up, or if their hair is not in the right position...not to say it their face would be difformed...

Auggie's story impresses everyone that reads it. His harsh fate that begins since he was born with that malformation which complicates also the elementary things that we would do in a daily routine, to eat. And continues with those difficult surgeries that had big results but they do not resolve everything. I think that August main problem after the one of his malformation was the difficulty of society integration, because he was regarded as a person with hag. His affection was not inheritable but everyone looked strange to him. There were people that shrieked or run away when they saw him. It was very difficult to him to mantain his optimism in this kind of situation. His first year of study, when he went to a real school was sincerely a cruel experience. He was avoided by most of the people from that school and not only this, but he was hardly insulted day by day. At the beginning he had three so called friends that were instructed by the Principle, but after the children started to accept him as he was, he had real friends as Summer and Jack(his best friends). There was a moment when August wanted to give up school because of the ugly experiences that had there. From my point of view the most horrible experience was when he lost his hearing aid because of Eddie's malice. His sister was neglected by their parents becuse all their attention was on August. So he was overprotected till he followed the classes of a real school.
This book, "Wonder" illustrates hard and real situation of discrimination and ways to treat it. We should not evil doing although there are people with special aspects, needs, problems. We should try to integrate in our circle, society everyone that is nearby.

Wonder isn't just for young readers in school..this is a book just as relevant for adults and really illustrates how prejudice and discrimination can affect people without you realising it. Beauty is on the inside!

This is such an inspiring book. Kindness is truly the best remedy for life and it was captured so well in this book.We have to always remember, every person is a WONDER of the UNIVERSE.Just like Auggie's mother says at the end of the story:"You really are a wonder Auggie"

Wonder by Palacio is a book I would recommend each generally school child. Why I would recommend this book? I think that it is necessary for each teenager to see what problem must face a real diformed child. Auggie is the perfect example of a person who fights against discrimination. He struggles so much to integrate and be accepted in a group. Some of the pupils complain that they can't integrate. Some of them have different nicknames and are mocked by other colleagues.
If ordinary boys have this problem and physically speaking don't have a handicap suffer imagine the case of deformed child. He doesn't take to serious his deformity. Humor is the thing which helps him be accepted. Despite his appearance he is nice and funny. He get used to the way others see him. He is making fun of himself in difficult situations. At the end he is accepted by everyone, in a school camp he is defended by some of his colleagues and people accept the way he is different but physically speaking. The negative discrimination transforms into positive discrimination.
Maybe after reading this book some pupils will understand that it is not impossible to adapt and socialize better. If Auggie could integrate in his group a regular student should succeed too. And the collegues who use to laugh by others could understand that it is not so cool.
Being different doesn't mean somebody should be rejected.

I think this story deals with a positive discrimination. Despite the fact that the Pullmans love their son, they send Auggie to school even if they are aware that he would have to face a lot of problems due the fact that he is different. They've taken this decision because they are the loving parents every child would love to have and they know that is time for Auggie to face the real world. As a parent it's hard to know that your child is going to suffer, but there are times when through suffering they become stronger and they learn that the world we live in isn't always as we would like to be.
Wonder was one of those books that made me appreciate what I have. I would recommend it to my children in order to love themselves more. Unfortunately, nowadays, children are never pleased with the way they look- they are, or they think they are, too slim or too fat, too tall or too short... Hopefully reading Auggie's story they will appreciate more what they have.

The idea of sending August to a normal, public school belonged to Olivia. She was the first who realised that if her brother will not attend a normal school, then facing a real world will be a great problem for him. Parents, especially her mother, were very protective with August. But Olivia sees the real life, faces the society*s stereotypes and convices her mother that August must be integrated in a normal school. And she was right, it was difficult at the begining, but over a period people get used with August.
The story of August is the most impressive I have ever read and it achieves a very delicate problem: children discriminating other children. It is very difficult to explain them why the other child is not the same. In addition children are very curious, so unavoidable they will stare at those who are not like them.