Wonder is a stand up and cheer, root for the underdog, feel-good
novel. After undergoing multiple surgeries to correct unsightly facial
deformities, August prepares to enter public school for the first time as
a fifth grader. Kids being kids, most shun him due to the abnormalities,
but he does acquire a few friends and begins to enjoy his new
environment. August's feelings are hurt when one such friend, Jack, admits
to some classmates that he has no real interest in being August’s
friend which places a strain on what was believed to be a genuine relationship.
August is later surprised and humbled when his classmates unite to shield
him from mean-spirited remarks hurdled by strangers during their class
retreat causing the dynamics of the group’s relationship to
be positively altered. The year ends on a high note with August's
arrival being celebrated during the fifth grade graduation ceremony and
referenced as a catalyst for change and the abandonment of narrow-minded
thinking.
Fans of Wonder looking to
read a text with similar themes will enjoy the novel Sway by Kat
Spears. Though intended for a slightly older audience due to references
to drugs and other unethical behavior, an identical instance in which one
character is overheard bashing another who was once considered a true friend
results in regret and feelings of abandonment and loss. Wonder would
serve as a great read-aloud at the middle school level to teach tolerance,
acceptance, and launch anti-bullying campaigns.
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