Auggie & Me: Three Wonder Stories

Wonder #1.5, 1.6, 1.7

by R.J. Palacio

WONDER tells the story of Auggie Pullman: an ordinary boy with an extraordinary face, whose first year at school changed the lives and the perspectives of everyone around him.

AUGGIE & ME is a new side to the WONDER story: three new chapters from three different characters - bully Julian, oldest friend Christopher and classmate Charlotte - giving an insight into how Auggie has touched their own lives. Thought-provoking, surprising, infuriating, heartbreaking and heartwarming, AUGGIE & ME is a must-read for the thousands of readers who loved WONDER.

Genres: Fiction, Middle Grade, Young Adult, Realistic Fiction, Contemporary, Short Stories, Childrens

303 pages, Paperback

First published January 1, 2014

About the author

R.J. Palacio lives in NYC with her husband, two sons, and two dogs. For more than twenty years, she was an art director and graphic designer, designing book jackets for other people while waiting for the perfect time in her life to start writing her own novel. But one day several years ago, a chance encounter with an extraordinary child in front of an ice cream store made R. J. realize that the perfect time to write that novel had finally come. Wonder is her first novel. She did not design the cover, but she sure does love it.

Raquel J. Palacio / R. J. Palacio is a pseudonym of: Raquel Jaramillo

Reviews

[Baba · Rating 4 out of 5]

Just can't get enough of this world! Three novellas covering three characters from Wonder; the first story is narrated by Justin and is a masterclass in first person thoughts and narration of a bully. It's not too harsh, and neither is it apologetic, it just provides a very well thought out rationale and background to why Justin had so much issue with Auggie; there's also some WONDER-ful scenes with one of his relatives. 9.5 out of 12, Four Star read.

The second story Pluto follows Christopher, Auggies lifelong friend who's now moved away, in the past and in the present - not as great as the other tales, but alone in having the main focus of the story be very far from Auggie and more just about Christopher. 8.5 out of 12. The final story wraps up the book as we follow Charlotte's own story during the period covered by Wonder - more boss storytelling, heart-warming, kindness promotion entails. 9.5 out of 12, Four Star read.

I've been really thinking what makes Palacio's writing so special, and i think it's because it focuses on kindness and doing good, about our individual responsibility to not do harm, and even more so to be kind, do good. Also, unlike virtually every other creator I've read/consumed, she absolutely nails the syntax, styles, tones, characterisations and relationships of middle-school aged kids. Another superb visit to the world of WONDER! 9 out of 12, Four Star read.

2020 read

[♛ may · Rating 2 out of 5]

Buddy read with my little bro!

dnf @ 50%

Try not to take the DNF as a symbol that I //didn’t// enjoying the book. It was more of just terrible planning on my little brother’s part (we had to send it back to the library ;-;).

I had read Wonder about a year ago and was greatly surprised by its impact on me. Not personally knowing or having met anyone with a similar condition, the majority of the struggles Auggie faced were very foreign to me.

Now going into this book, I had the background information from Wonder but my little brother didn’t and he was still able to easily keep up with the plot.



Besides propagating compassion and kindness like Wonder did, this three-story book delved a little deeper as we got to see Auggie from the perspectives of three other characters.

Julian the bully.
Pluto the best friend.
Charlotte the classmate.

Now because I wasn’t able to finish the entire book, I don’t even know what Charlotte’s story is about, so I can’t review that, but I actually found Julian’s story pretty insightful.

Yeah, yeah, he’s the bully and by NO means do we forgive the bully kid bc of his home situation or anything like that, but it just shows you a personal side to the bully. (His mom is a butthead, let’s be real) Seeing the story from his eyes (even if they are totally biased) does add an extra dimension to the initial novel.

The Pluto chapter I skimmed really quickly because Pluto PISSED. ME. OFF. This kid was so annoying and I’m sure he’s going to rectify his case in the remainder of the story but the way he treated his mom was just UGH.

Besides that, I’d like to point out that I found the book juvenile. Yes, it’s concerning a very important message of acceptance and compassion but the writing is like ??? kids don’t say things like ‘cool beans’ anymore, sorry.

This book wasn’t comparable to Wonder for me, but I’m glad I got to read it. I would have definitely enjoyed it more if the writing was more mature/normal. :p oops.

“Be kind, for everyone you meet is fighting a hard battle. —Ian Maclaren”

2.5 stars.

[Josu Diamond · Rating 4 out of 5]

Tres historias que merece la pena leer.

Tenía mucho interés en saber más del resto de personajes de La lección de August. La manera en la que la autora narra la historia en el libro es mediante diferentes puntos de vista, consiguiendo que conectes con todos ellos de una manera u otra. Y no os voy a engañar: es lo que buscaba en este libro.

Ver la vida de Auggie desde otros ojos es interesante, pero en este caso nos ponemos a su nivel. Es decir, sus compañeros de clase. Vemos su día a día como si fuéramos testigos -y lo somos-, y me ha encantado sentirme como Julian, Christopher y Charlotte. Aunque he de decir que una de estas historias me ha parecido bastante más floja. Pero vamos por partes.

Julian.
La primera historia es la más cercana a Auggie porque está implicado en diferentes conflictos. Al haber leído El libro de preceptos del señor Browne ya conocía parte de lo que iba a suceder con unos mails y cartas enviadas, por lo que estaba esperando esas escenas como agua de mayo. Ver cómo un villano evoluciona y se da cuenta de sus errores siempre es satisfactorio, pero en este caso me supo amargo. ¿Por qué?

Julian tiene una vida que no aparenta en La lección de August. En casa y en su día a día vive ciertas cosas que le condicionan quiera o no a tener una conducta negativa en la escuela. No se justifica el bullying pero sí quizá logramos entender del lugar desde el que viene. Y como siempre, R.J. Palacio consigue darle a todo eso forma y conectar contigo como lector/lectora.

Christopher.
Esta segunda historia me gustó pero no fue tan dura. Tenía muchas ganas de saber parte de la vida de Auggie antes de la novela principal, y sabía que en esta historia lo encontraría: Christopher es el amigo de la infancia de August. Elementos importantes como Darth Daisy o la fase de los planetas se convierten en algo más profundo e incluso doloroso en esta historia porque llegamos a entender las implicaciones reales de esos elementos con otros personajes. Es decir, no solo conocemos la versión de August, sino la de otro punto de vista totalmente diferente pero que sigue incluyendo esos elementos.

(No sé si me estoy explicando, lo siento. Tengo sueño.)

Respecto a lo demás, creo que la historia de Christopher podría haber aportado algo más en cuanto a detalles de la familia de August, porque continuamente sentía que la autora trataba de no mostrar demasiado de ellos. No sé, me quedé con ganas de saber más. Es como que nunca dejaría de leer cosas del mundo de Wonder.

Charlotte.
Llegamos a la peor parte. Durante las primeras páginas me indigné tanto que tuve que parar casi cada capítulo. Pasamos de una historia de problemática del divorcio, el dolor por la pérdida... a una historia sobre caer bien a las chicas populares del instituto. ¿Me explicas?

Al final he conseguido tragar, continuar y me he encontrado con una bonita historia coming-on-age que sinceramente he apreciado. No le habría puesto tantos detalles de algunas cosas (sé que los ensayos de baile eran importantes, ¿pero tanto?), y definitivamente le habría quitado hierro a muchos asuntos. Pero bueno, al final Palacio ha conseguido que conectara con Charlotte y entendiera parte de sus problemas.

Creo que la sensación de esta última historia es peor porque no es quizá de un corte tan dramático. No me voy a meter en tema de representación del papel de la mujer porque si no ya me duermo sobre el teclado -porque escribiría mucho, no porque me aburriera. Vaya, que tengo bastante que decir al respecto.

Pero vamos a ignorarlo, ¿okay? Y voy a recomendaros muy mucho que leáis estas historias. Consiguen que todo el universo que ha creado Palacio cobre otra perspectiva y estoy muy contento de haber podido disfrutar de todos y cada uno de los productos derivados de la novela original. ¡Jamás dejaré de recomendarlos! En serio <3

[Starjustin · Rating 4 out of 5]

R.J. Palacio is the author of ‘Wonder’, a well know middle-grade book about a boy who was born with a facial disorder requiring several surgeries which still left him very much different looking from other children. He wishes to start public school and his journey begins.
Augie & Me takes a look at the individual secondary characters and there reasons for their actions in ‘Wonder’.
Not a sequel, however, a great addition that helps the reader understand their connection and importance to not only Augie but also their own feelings towards accepting differences and coming to terms with their own beliefs.
If you read or have read ‘Wonder’ then you must read this one also to fully enjoy the entire scope of the story.

[Kai Spellmeier · Rating 4 out of 5]

“If we spend too much time looking backward, we can’t see where we are going!”

Wonder was just amazing and I'm so so glad for those three additional chapters/stories. R. J. Palacio is a gemstone, honestly.

Julian: Ah man he was such a dick. But at least his brain did that thing were it started thinking and comprehending and understanding how wrong his actions had been. It's not a big surprise though, seeing how spoiled and arrogant his parents behave. Which is why I'm glad that his grandmother had a few things to say to this...

Pluto: It was interesting to see a day out of Christopher's perspective, especially keeping in mind that he's barely mentioned in the novel.

Shingaling: Definitely the best story of the book! Charlotte's life and motives made me really curious about her while reading Wonder. This chapter came closest to the genius that was Palacio's first novel, showing off her exceptional talent in capturing friendships and feelings. Again I can only nod my head in agreement and say "That's exactly how I felt in that similar situation!"

Some episodes were less exciting than others. Some felt less realistic than others. Especially Julian's Grandmother - while her background was incredible and made me teary - didn't not seem authentic to me. Same applies Julian's parents. For me there was not enough character depth, and the realisation of their wrongdoing came too easily.

I just really hope for more novels by Palacio and soon! She captures people and their feelings in a way that makes her writing feel incredibly real and truthful.

Find more of my books on Instagram

[Sarah Dorothea · Rating 4 out of 5]

4 out of 5 stars! ⭐️ I really loved this book. I have to say my favourite story was the one from Julian! Honestly, I would have never expected that. It really touched me profoundly. 😭



So here is what the children's novel is about: Auggie & Me gives readers a special look at Auggie’s world through three new points of view. These stories are an extra peek at Auggie before he started at Beecher Prep and during his first year there. Readers get to see him through the eyes of Julian, the bully; Christopher, Auggie’s oldest friend; and Charlotte, Auggie’s new friend at school. Together, these three stories are a treasure for readers who don’t want to leave Auggie behind when they finish Wonder.

Overall I’d say that it is such a great extension of the Wonder story. If you loved it as much as I did you should definitely read it. It’s definitely not as good as Wonder but it still helps to complete the story and gibes you another three points of view on Auggie’s situation. You’ll see some characters in a completely different light. Just a little side note: the English book actually has 378 pages, as the Summer story is quite long.

“Julian Auguste Beaumier, born October 10, 1930.” ― R.J. Palacio, Auggie & Me: Three Wonder Stories

[Heba · Rating 4 out of 5]

الصبي " أوغي بولمان " لا يملك وجهاً عادياً..، لا..ليس مشوهاً، فهذه الكلمة تبدو لي ثقيلة حروفها ومُنبعجة لا تليق بتوصيف ملامح وجه انسان...
كيف يمكن تقبل صبي مختلف عن الآخرين ؟
الكتاب يضم ثلاثة فصول عن هذا الصبي وتأثيره على ثلاثة أشخاص، الذي قد أدى إلى تغييراً ملموساً في شخصياتهم وحياتهم..
فصل " جوليان " : كيف يمكن للخوف أن يدفع صبي لطيف إلى الكراهية ، التنمر ، وفعل اشياء غير متوقعة على الإطلاق..
عن الأهل ودورهم الجوهري في تشكيل شخصية أبنائهم ، قد يدعمون تصرفاتهم السيئة دفاعاً عنهم وتبريراً لموقفهم مما يرسخ لديهم التنمر والإساءة للآخرين دون وخزة للضمير ...
وقد يشيرون بمواربة إلى تدارك أخطائهم وتقبل من هو مختلف عنهم ، دون الإستهانة بمخاوفهم ودوافعهم وراء تصرفاتهم...
فصل " بلوتو " : لا يمكن أن نكون أصدقاء فقط حينما تسمح الظروف ، فالصداقات الجيدة تستحق بذل المزيد من الجهد..العطاء..والحب اللامشروط...
فصل " شنغالنغ " : لا يكفي أن تكون لطيفاً ودوداً بل صديقاً طيباً ومخلصاً...
عن الدراما في حياة الفتيات إلى درجة تفقدك عقلك...
بالنهاية ...تبدي إعجابك بشخضية " أوغي " الذي يصمد امام النظرات الساخرة ، التعليقات السخيفة ، والتصرفات المؤذية..كيف يتجاوزها دون التوقف عندها...
هذا الصبي الذي لن تدرك حقيقة ما هى عليه ملامح وجهه ، فهذا ليس مهماً .. إنه مختلف ولكن يستحق العيش كانسان برفقة الآخرين يتلقى دعماً وتعاطفاً وتقديراً لكل ما يبذل من جهود ليواصل العيش في واقع يمكن ان نطلق عليه مشوهاً ومُعتلاً ...
هل ما يزل صعباً ان يكن الشخص صديق لاوغي ؟
لربما..ولكن لا بأس فكل شيء يبدأ بخطوات صغيرة وليس علينا سوى الإنتظار....

[Pinky · Rating 5 out of 5]

“I think there should be a rule that everyone in the world should get a standing ovation at least once in their lives.”

This book is the companion novel to Wonder. If you haven't heard about Wonder, WHERE HAVE YOU BEEN? SERIOUSLY! Anyway, it is a beautiful story that I believe everyone or almost everyone should read. I read it with my class two years ago and I enjoyed it so much. But if you have read Wonder, this book is small novellas of different people in Wonder and how their lives were affected by August.

“Kinder than is necessary. Because it's not enough to be kind. One should be kinder than needed.”

If you haven't heard about the book Wonder, I'll tell you a small summary about it. It's about a boy named August who was home schooled for his entire life. August was born with a facial abnormality and had been through many surgeries. When he went to play in parks, so many people would stare at his face. But suddenly, August has to go to school, in front of a bunch of students and he doesn't know if they will accept him. So Wonder is basically his school experience and how he solves the problems that block his path.

“Courage. Kindness. Friendship. Character. These are the qualities that define us as human beings, and propel us, on occasion, to greatness.”

These novellas show us more about the characters Julian, Christopher and Charlotte. We learn how they dealt with situations and problems in school. And it was really interesting to read this and see how they all were affected differently. These characters were so different from each other and it was interesting to see how they would react to things.

“Sometimes I think my head is so big because it is so full of dreams”

When I read Wonder, I was so angry with Julian and we had an assignment of where we had to write a letter to him. I went back and read the letter from two years ago and I laughed so hard. I was just so angry at Julian and that letter expressed all my anger. Charlotte was a character that I really liked and Christopher was someone we got to learn a lot more about. I was so glad that this book came out!

“It’s not enough to be friendly. You have to be a friend.”

I highly recommend you read Wonder, if you haven't already.. And if you have read Wonder, I highly recommend you read this book. You get more background knowledge of all of the side characters in Wonder and it is really fast-paced. You will enjoy it and learn so many life lessons! I hope you all read this!!!

[Tonkica · Rating 4 out of 5]

4.5

Ne, ovo nije nastavak knjige Čudo. Kako je spisateljica rekla, Čudo neće nikada dobiti nastavak. Ovdje je Auggie sporedan lik, ali ujedno i poveznica između tri kratke priče ispričane iz perspektive Juliana, Christophera i Charlotte. Tri različita narativa dat će nam osobni uvid svakog od pojedinca i na taj način pokušati omogućiti razumijevanje i prema ne toliko dragim nam likovima.

Cijeli osvrt pronađite ovdje: https://knjige-u-svom-filmu.webador.c...

[James · Rating 4 out of 5]

After having just finished reading and having been suitably impressed with 'Wonder' - I approached this companion piece (it's not a sequel) with some trepidation. The question was whether the three stories contained here (each told from the perspective of a character from 'Wonder' a who weren't really given their 'say' in 'Wonder') really added or even detracted from the original novel?

To take each story individually:

The Julian Chapter:

Clearly the key to this story (and the other two to a lesser extent) is that there are always at least two sides to every story. Despite a fairly uninspiring start, this turned out to be a great story. Very strong, moving and thought provoking. Grandmere is a great character.
5 stars for this one.

Pluto:

Whilst being enjoyable, this didn't have the same drive as the first story and by comparison felt somewhat pedestrian.
3 stars for this one

Shiny-A-Ling:

Stronger than 'Pluto' but still lacking the drive and emotional impact of 'The Julian Chapter'
4 stars

Overall then a 4 star rating for this collection of three stories. All three stories were good, but I do feel that the first one outshone and to an extent overshadowed the other two
4 stars

[Mariah Roze · Rating 4 out of 5]

My goal was to read all the Wonder books before going and seeing the movie!

The Julian Chapter:
I read Wonder about two years ago, so when I found out that there were short stories that went with the book I had to read them. I was very impressed by the Julian chapter. I didn't think it would be as good as it was. I loved the story his grandmother shared and how it connected to him so well.

Pluto:
This "short book" is about Christopher, who was Auggie's best friend from the time they were babies until his family moved away. Christopher was there through all of Auggie's surgeries and heartbreaks, through bad times and good. This book alternates between Christopher's childhood flashbacks and the present day. This was a really cute, fast read.

The third Wonder "short" Story was Shingaling. The book was about Auggie's first year of school and what follows in the beginning of the next year through the perspective of reader-favorite Charlotte. This book barely circled and talked about Auggie (the book Wonder's main character). This book was truly about Charlotte and what was going on in her life.

[Bee · Rating 3 out of 5]

I can see why these stories weren't included in Wonder, but I'm SO glad I read them. It took me a while to get into each story, but the author has an amazing talent of making you fall in love with every character she writes. I was so invested in all of them, it's hard to pick a favourite, but if I had to choose I would probably say Charlotte's, because I think ten year-old Bee could've learned a lot from the lessons in her story.

[crίѕтίŋα•●Ƹ̵̡Ӝ̵̨̄Ʒ●• · Rating 4 out of 5]

Book #1.5 'The Julian Chapter' - 4.5 stars

“Sometimes it’s good to start over.”
- Julian

---------

Book #1.6 'Pluto' - 4 stars

“Being friends with Auggie could be hard sometimes.
I didn’t know how to tell him that being friends with him could be hard for me sometimes, too.”
- Christopher

---------

Book #1.7 'Shingaling' - 4 stars

“Every person’s story weaves in and out of someone else’s story.”
- Charlotte

[Učitaj se! · Rating 5 out of 5]

Ako još niste čuli za 'Čudo, niti znate tko je Auggie Pullman, ne znam kako vam je to uspjelo, ali krajnje je vrijeme da saznate. ;)

Fenomenalna priča o priznavanju različitosti, promicanju ljubaznosti i sklapanju prijateljstava osvojila je čitav svijet, a uskoro nam u kina stiže i njena filmska verzija. Auggijeva priča postala je pravo čudo, i to u najboljem smislu.

Priča iza 'Čuda', ukratko, je ova: Auggie Pullman dječak je s teškom deformacijom lica koji kreće u peti razred osnovne škole, nakon što se sve do sada školovao kod kuće. Auggijev je izgled, zbog spomenute deformacije, takav da ga ne možete ne primijetiti. Ljudi neprestano bulje u njega, na što se Auggie već naviknuo, a jednaka je situacija i u novoj školi. Auggijev dolazak kod njegovih će vršnjaka potaknuti i ono najgore i ono najbolje u njima: neki će mu se rugati, a neki će mu postati prijatelji. No i na jedne i na druge Auggie će utjecati, onako kako samo on to može, i naposlijetku - postići da se dogodi pravo malo čudo, u smislu prihvaćanja drugačijeg i poticanja ljubaznog ponašanja.

Posebnost je Auggijeve priče u tome što ju ne priča samo on sam, već uvide u nju dobivamo i preko drugih likova povezanih s Auggiejem: njegove sestre, prijatelja, vršnjaka. U tom smislu, ''Auggie i ja' nije nastavak 'Čuda, već svojevrstan dodatak tom romanu.

Radi se o 3 dodatna poglavlja ispričana od strane 3 lika koja u romanu nisu dobila prostor da bi ispričali svoje priče: Juliana, Charlotte i Christophera. Svaki od ta 3 lika daje nam još jedan, odnosno proširuje onaj postojeći, uvid u originalnu priču Auggijea Pullmana, ali nam također daje priliku i da ove likove malo bolje upoznamo. S tim da, za razliku od'Čuda', Auggie u ovoj knjizi nije glavni, već sporedan lik, ali je i kao takav uspio utjecati na živote Charlotte, Juliana i Christophera - i promijeniti ih na posve jedinstven način.

Ako ste već pročitali 'Čudo', onda se sjećate Juliana - i to ne baš u dobrom svjetlu. Julian je bio predvodnik ekipe koja se rugala Auggieju, zlostavljala ga, slala mu ružne poruke i smijala mu se iza leđa. Ovdje, u svojoj verziji priče, Julian je dobio priliku - ne da se opravda, nego da nauči lekciju, a i da nama pruži priliku da shvatimo zašto se ponašao kako se ponašao.

Christopher je Auggijev prijatelj iz djetinjstva, koji se u 'Čudu' tek nakratko pojavljuje. Christopher i Auggie odrasli su zajedno i bili jedan drugome najbolji prijatelji. No, čak i kao osoba koja iskreno voli Auggieja, Christopher nam u svojoj priči iznosi i poteškoće koje mu je to prijateljstvo znalo donijeti. Jer, kada si prijatelj s nekim poput Auggieja, dio pogleda koji on privlači past će i na tebe, a s tim se, kada si samo maleni dječak, ponekad, i uz najbolju volju, teško nositi. Kako kaže sam Christopher: 'Ponekad je teško biti Auggijev prijatelj.'

Charlotte je još jedan lik iz 'Čuda' koji je svima koji su taj roman pročitali dobro poznat. Charlotte je bila izabrana u prijateljski odbor za doček koji je Auggieju trebao pokazati školu kad je tek došao i poželjeti mu dobrodošlicu. Iako je Charlotte uistinu dobra djevojčica, i ne pada joj na pamet da se ruga Auggieju, ona svejedno ne želi da ju drugi vide u njegovom društvu ili društvu njegovih prijatelja. Charlotte svoje postupke opravdava željom da 'ostane neutralna', ali kod zlostavljanja, ne možeš ostati neutralan. Zar ne?

Izborom ova 3 lika autorica nam je odlično uspjela pokazati kako različita djeca doživljavaju drugačije od sebe i kako se prema njima postavljaju. Neki se prave da ništa ne vide, neki drugačije od sebe zadirkuju ili im se izravno rugaju, a neki ih prihvate baš onakve kakvi jesu. Ono što ova knjiga potiče i prema čemu usmjerava je upravo ovo potonje: prihvaćanje, prijateljstvo, ljubaznost. Baš kao što kaže načelo gospodina Brownea: 'Uvijek odaberi ljubaznost.'

Baš zbog pozitivnosti i promicanja ljubaznosti i prijateljskog ponašanja, mislim da bi ovu knjigu, baš kao i 'Čudo', svatko trebao pročitati, a posebno djeca. Bilo bi sjajno kada bismo ih uvrstili i na popise lektira u osnovnim školama ili ih barem pridodali književnom fondu školskih knjižnica. Možda bi onda (zapravo ne možda, nego sigurno!) bilo manje slučajeva 'Lidlića', a više sretnih odrastanja u ljubaznom i prijateljskom okruženju, u kojem su sva djeca jednaka i nitko ne ispašta samo zato jer je drugačiji.

Svakome kome se svidio roman 'Čudo', bit će drago, sigurna sam, uživati u njemu još malo čitajući ova dodatna poglavlja. A svakome tko ga još nije čitao: obavezno pročitajte - prvo 'Čudo', a zatim i 'Auggieja'! Neka pozitivnost ovih dvaju knjiga i njihove poruke o ljubaznosti dopru i do vas. Nećete požaliti.

[Jessica · Rating 4 out of 5]

3.75
I really enjoyed this book but I don't think it is necessary to read if you have read wonder. I really loved charlottes story and I liked Julian's but I didn't really enjoy Christopher's.

[Laura · Rating 3 out of 5]

I'm going to come out with this straight away...IF you didn't enjoy Wonder then you probably shouldn't bother with this novel...IF you enjoyed Wonder and would like to know more about OTHER characters within the book then this may be the novel for you to pick up.

The author blatantly states that there isn't going to be a squeal to Wonder but instead has given us a different opportunity to go into the mind of some other characters that were featured in the book and one not that much.

So, don't go into this book thinking you'll get to learn anymore about Auggie because you don't and won't. If you've read Wonder you'll see things kinda cross over or making reference to Wonder so things will make sense but that's pretty much it. I'd say the only real time we get any massive 'Auggie attention' is in the second Wonder story about Chris.

I should mention that this book contains three books within one...It was cheaper on the Kindle to buy this one than all the books separately so you can see why I picked this one. I don't believe anything was changed between this version and the other 3 separate books.

You get to learn about Julian and why he's so nasty to Auggie...Personally, I found this story to be the best..I think that's due to the fact it has more of a relation to the main story of Wonder than the other two stories. Julian in Wonder is a horrible little boy who seems to have nothing better but to be horrible towards Auggie. While I don't agree with his actions and how he treated Auggie I can now see why he was. I felt explaining his side of the story was a very smart move.

The second story you learn about Auggie's oldest friend Christopher...He moved away from August ages ago and over time they lose contact. Chris faces a few hardships in his own life and honestly is a pretty bratty kid. He reminded me of some children I've seen in real life that make me wonder why their attitude is so rude. While Chris isn't an overall horrible child and he does have redeeming qualities..I don't even know if this story was really warranted because he is so far removed from Auggie in Wonder but I can see why he was included.

The third and final story is about Charlotte, who we've already met in Wonder. She was one of the 'welcomers' to August. Her story has the least to do with August out of the three. He's mentioned in little snippets but it's easy to forget about August and think you were reading a completely different story all together. Charlotte's story is all about friendship dynamics in Middle School..Her story was the least interesting to me.

Again, I think if they had of included something from one of the parents that may of been more interesting for me to read. So, overall this is an enjoyable read but it's nothing amazing like the original story.

[Patricia Bejarano · Rating 3 out of 5]

Las tres historias me han gustado, y me han aportado algo al igual que hizo La lección de August en su momento, añadiendo datos a la historia que ya conocíamos y la autora lo hace con una gran frescura. Pero no puedo darle la nota que le dí a WONDER, porque este libro no ha llegado a encantarme y apasionarme de la misma manera que ese lo hizo. Aún así, lo he disfrutado mucho, y si os gusté La lección de August, tenéis que leer estas historias. Os recomiendo esta edición que contiene las tres, mucho más cómodo a la hora de leer y con un precio increíble.

[Maddie · Rating 4 out of 5]

All of these stories did so much to give you so much background to Wonder, they're so worth a read. Charlotte was such a lovely character and getting to read about what was going on with her was a really eye-opening and relatable look at middle school friendships. Julian's story was interesting too because he isn't a bully in everyone's eyes. I liked his development, but it really made me think about how hard it must be to be a parent sometimes! Loved it!

[Rachel :) · Rating 4 out of 5]

Swoosh.
"God bless America"

[Kate Willis · Rating 4 out of 5]

I was exploring the Walmart book section for the very first time when this book caught my eye and I knew I had to buy it. I loved Wonder so much that I couldn’t pass up the opportunity to spend a little more time with Auggie Pullman and the people that fill his world.

Since this is a collection of three short stories or supplemental chapters to Wonder, the plot isn’t as tight or compelling, but it is still definitely worth the read.

The Julian Chapter (three stars)
Julian is the main instigator of the bullying in Wonder, so this was honestly kinda hard to read. But it was really good to recognize where he was coming from and what he was thinking, even if it didn’t excuse his actions. I did feel a little bit sorry for him with his nightmares, but it made my blood boil to see his parents “helping” him in harmful ways by reframing the situation to excuse his acting out. It was really cool to see how Mr. Tushman and Mr. Browne worked with him, though. I ended up respecting them even more after seeing how they had tried to handle the bullying situation. And, yes, I totally cried at the story his Grandmere told him. How could I not? <3

Just a note, the bullying aspects from book one were heightened in this since it was from the bully’s point of view. There was one blasphemy and a use of the word “heck”. Julian’s Grandmere was also a bit loose in her morals.

Best quote: “People were starving in those days, Julian. And yet they fed me. It was a kindness that I will never forget. It is always brave to be kind, but in those days, such kindnesses could cost you your life.”

I have hope for Julian’s future, and, though the transformation may be a slow one, I think it’s gonna happen.


Pluto (four stars)
This was a neat one! I liked reading the flashbacks of little Auggie since Christopher is his oldest friend, and the hourly format of the story going throughout Christopher’s verrry long and kinda hard day was really cool. I actually found his story a bit like Via’s since his relationship with Auggie was sort of a given that was eventually tested by peer pressure and growing up. Christopher’s outlook at the beginning of the story was really negative (and a bit of a chore to read XD) but as things were put in perspective, I loved seeing him value those he loved and reach out to them. His interactions with Auggie in it were so cute. There was also a hint of his family relationships possibly healing and that was just the best.

Just a note, there was one blasphemy and a bit of scatological humor. Also, some flagrant disrespect toward parents.

Best quote: No matter how hard I stared at the problem, I just couldn’t think of what to do.

(And can we talk about Pluto, please?)


Shingaling (four stars)
So, this one… Charlotte just kinda goes with the flow and tries to be kind without jeopardizing her social standing. For this reason, she really struggles to speak up, and that’s something I related to a lot. The message of this one--the beautiful, complicatedness of every person and the worth of each of them, was really great. I also loved the accurate portrayal of how friendships form, and the hint of a mystery was super cool. (And yay for the French spelling of Aimee! XD )

Just a note, there was some unpleasant school politics, bullying, and casual mentions of girl’s underwear.

Best quote: But knowing that little piece of her story somehow made the dance and everything leading up to it that much more special. Funny how all our stories kind of intertwine. Every person’s story weaves in and out of someone else’s story.

And I loved the mystery sideplot. A lot.


Altogether, this was a great companion book to Wonder! Definitely worth the read. <3

[Sarah · Rating 5 out of 5]

Julian: ⭐⭐⭐⭐
Christopher: ⭐⭐⭐⭐
Charlotte: ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

[Jabiz Raisdana · Rating 5 out of 5]

I was nearly crying the whole time I read this out loud to my kids. This books picks up right where Wonder leaves off, but this time the plot revolves around the complex and tender lives of the other characters in this beautifully crafted universe of characters.

We see how challenging growing up can be. Through the eyes of Julian, Christopher and Charlotte we are reminded to be kind and that friendships and families and school can be hard, but we all make it through somehow.

If you read and loved Wonder then get your hands on this next series of stories. (I have asked Ms. Dy to order copies for our classroom libraries, but don't wait- get to the store and build your own libraries too.)

And if you haven't read Wonder yet....what are you waiting for?

[Aliza · Rating 4 out of 5]

Don’t just be nice. Choose kind.

[Astrid Lim · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is a companion book (consisted of 3 stories) from Wonder - and it's still totally inspiring, beautiful and mesmerizing. We have a chance to see the different point of views from 3 people whose lives intersected with Auggie. There's Julian, the bully, Christopher, the old friend, and Charlotte, the goody two shoes.

While Auggie struggled with his problems and issues in Wonder, these three people also had many things to deal with. Including Julian! Like Palacio said, she didn't try to justify what Julian did to Auggie, because it was still wrong. But at least she provided us with another point of view, and opened our eyes to the different side of the story.

Recommended.

[Milena · Rating 2 out of 5]

Nakon Čuda, po mom mišljenju, nastavak totalno nepotreban.

[Noor Tareq · Rating 4 out of 5]

جميل ان نعرف الجانب الآخر من حياة أشخاص تقاطعت حياتهم مع أوغي.
فجوليان الذي ما فتأ يجعل من حياة أوغست اصعب و اصعب، كان جميلا ان نعرف جزءا من حياته، رغم أنني امقت هذا الولد و عائلته، لكنني فرحت انه نهاية تغلب الخير في داخله على كل ذلك الشر.
اما كريستوفر، صديق اوغست، الذي اصبح يرى صداقته معه ثقلا على كاهله، رغم ادراكه ان اوغست لا يملك حيلة حيال شكله، كان من الجميل ان اعرف، انه ادرك ان اوغست طفل مميز، بلطافته و ذكائه يجذب الجميع له.
و نهاية كانت شارلوت، الفتاة التي تتظاهر باللطف فقط امام معلميها لتنال الثناء، كان جميلا ان نعرف انها فهمت ان اللطف و الطيبة هي خصال يجب ان تكون دائمه و ليست لتلقي الثناء فقط.

[Evan Quade · Rating 5 out of 5]

You may think this is a sequel, or just some extras to add in the Wonder universe. But R.J. Palacio was very clear she will not write a sequel whatsoever. In Auggie & Me, we get three new POV's from three characters from Wonder surrounding the story of August Pullman and what their inside thoughts have said.

It is, once again, very emotional, so powerful, it gives us the reminder to choose kindness, and that's what it was all about, the influence of Choose Kind movement. The three novellas were all in with compassion, understanding, and redemption.

[Lauren · Rating 4 out of 5]

A good book from different perspectives of main characters throughout Auggie's story. It gives others points of view as to how others were feeling as new friends, and fellow students of Auggie.

[Darla · Rating 5 out of 5]

"Funny how our stories intertwine. Every person's story weaves in and out of someone else's story." This is a quote from Shingaling -- the story told by Charlotte. I would contend that this quote sums up this collection of stories. They all three revolved around the story told in Wonder -- adding some new dimensions to our understanding of three of the characters we met there and either did not understand or did not get to know very well. Highly recommended!

[Lisa · Rating 3 out of 5]

It wasn't a great as Wonder but it's pretty close. I loved reading these stories. Even though Auggie doesn't appear often (or at all) it's great to get to know some of the Wonder characters more. It shows that everybody lives completely different lives.