From the Bookshelf of Mock Newbery 2026…

Wonder (Wonder, #1)

R.J. Palacio

Start date: January 18, 2013

Finish date: April 4, 2013

Discussion: Newbery 2013

Why we're reading this: Winner of our Mock Newbery.
Honors:
The One and Only Ivan
Splendors and Glooms
Bomb: The Race to Build--and S…more
[close] Winner of our Mock Newbery.
Honors:
The One and Only Ivan
Splendors and Glooms
Bomb: The Race to Build--and Steal--the World's Most Dangerous Weapon

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Newbery 2013

* The Hunt Begins...
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last updated Jan 30, 2013 09:32AM

2013 Newbery Awards
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last updated May 19, 2013 12:00PM

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What Members Thought

Jul 14, 2012 Samantha rated it really liked it

August (Auggie) is a pretty normal kid except that he was born with a facial deformity. The book follows Auggie's first experience attending school, he will be in the 5th grade; in the past he was homeschooled. The highs and lows of Auggie's school year are told through multiple viewpoints and with honesty. I really appreciated the artistic choice to have Auggie refuse to describe his physical appearance to the reader and I felt that the way in which his sister, Via, described him was honest and ...more

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Dec 01, 2012 Barbara rated it really liked it

Shelves: animals, teachers, community, friendship, bullies, drama, death, school, families, heroes

Fifth grader Auggie Pullman has been homeschooled all his life, but his mother has decided that attending school will allow him to socialize with others and challenge him academically. Middle grades are tough enough for so-called "normal" kids, but Auggie was born with severe facial deformities. Despite several surgeries, his facial appearance is so startling that children and adults stare at him on the street the first time they see him. Those who are familiar with Auggie don't really pay atten Fifth grader Auggie Pullman has been homeschooled all his life, but his mother has decided that attending school will allow him to socialize with others and challenge him academically. Middle grades are tough enough for so-called "normal" kids, but Auggie was born with severe facial deformities. Despite several surgeries, his facial appearance is so startling that children and adults stare at him on the street the first time they see him. Those who are familiar with Auggie don't really pay attention to his appearance, but he knows that middle school will be different. Still, you never know how others may react. It turns out that attending school and dealing with all the stares and averted eyes is one of the toughest challenges Auggie will ever face. Two classmates, Summer and Jack, befriend him, but most of the others avoid him and even play a game of Plague in which anyone who touches Auggie has thirty seconds in which to wash their hands. This is one of those novels that allows its characters to rise to the occasion, to be better than they were before or better than they might have expected. While Auggie's bravery is unquestionable, so are the courageous acts of his friends, classmates, and family members. Then, too, Mr. Browne's precepts serve as excellent life lessons, encouraging acts of kindess and reminding his students to take care of others. While he might not have had Auggie in mind when he introduces these monthly precepts, it's possible that they worked their messages subliminally in the minds and hearts of his students and became more than merely words. While the book contains its share of bullies and mean folks, there are many characters with kind hearts to offset them. Although I enjoyed this book thoroughly, I'm not sure that the inclusion of so many points of view helps the story. Some sections are stronger than others, offering a different take on earlier events, but others seem to introduce characters who are only tangentially connected to Auggie. By painting Auggie's sister realistically, she, too, is allowed to show a human side through which she resents the attention given to her brother and longs for a fresh start. Additionally, while many will applaud the feel good ending with Auggie winning a special prize and gaining acceptance, I felt that section went on for a little bit too long. Still, the book moved me while reminding me of how quickly we judge others based on appearance or what we think we know about them. Once again, assumptions lead to misunderstandings and distances. ...more

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May 31, 2012 Becky rated it really liked it

Shelves: fourth-and-fifth-grade, books-for-tweens-older-elementary

Just reread this - it had been 6 years. I liked Auggie's story told from different points of view, and I loved watching the characters struggle and grow. It also got me me thinking about what it means to be kind. I think I can usually discern what is NOT kind, but sometimes what is kind can be a struggle. This thought came because I was in a book group discussing this, and one of the people took issue with Mr. Browne's first precept - When faced with a choice to be right or kind, choose kind. Th Just reread this - it had been 6 years. I liked Auggie's story told from different points of view, and I loved watching the characters struggle and grow. It also got me me thinking about what it means to be kind. I think I can usually discern what is NOT kind, but sometimes what is kind can be a struggle. This thought came because I was in a book group discussing this, and one of the people took issue with Mr. Browne's first precept - When faced with a choice to be right or kind, choose kind. The person in the book group said well - sometimes you have to be right - as a parent you cannot let your child run out into the street. It got me thinking that sometimes being right is being kind - like in the parent and child street incident. Anyway, it is a life long struggle for me - sometimes I know I am superficially kind - smiling and others, saying hello -I don't mean that I am always superficial, but that I sometimes am faking it in a way because I know that is how I want to be even if I am not really feeling it. Anyway - silly for me to go on and on about this, but I appreciated the things that get me examining myself and figuring out how to be truly kind. I want to end with one of my favorite quotes from the book from Mr. Tushman - he is quoting Christopher Nolan's Under the Eye of the Clock - "It was at moments such as these that Joseph recognized the face of God in human form. It glimmered in their kindness to him, it glowed in their keenness, it hinted in their caring, indeed it caressed in their gaze." ...."Such a simple thing, kindness. Such a simple thing. A nice word of encouragement given when needed. An act of friendship. A passing smile." ...."If if every single person in this room made it a rule that wherever you are, whenever you can, you will try to act a little kind than necessary - the world really would be a better place. And if you do this, if you act just a littler kinder than is necessary, someone else, somewhere, someday, may recognize in you, in every single one of you, the face of God." (p. 300-301) ...more

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Aug 06, 2012 Sheather rated it it was amazing

Shelves: childrens-books, 2012

August is a funny and smart fifth grade boy who loves Star Wars and his dog. He has has been homeschooled his whole life and his parents have decided that it is time for him to attend school. August also has craniofacial abnormalities that makes this transition more complicated for both August and his classmates who are not quite sure what to think about him.

The story is told from different viewpoints including August, his sister and friends from school. The author does an outstanding job of mak ...more

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Jan 23, 2013 Beth rated it it was amazing

Shelves: fiction, young-adult

Remember how when you were in middle school/junior high you thought something terrible was wrong with you and so no one would like you? That's the way August Pullman feels, but in his case the problem is very visible and very real. Born with a severe facial deformity, even after 22 surgeries, August enters 5th grade with a face that looks like it melted. Small kids run from him and sometimes he causes nightmares. But he is just a normal, smart kid.

Palacio makes brilliant use of first person poi ...more

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Oct 22, 2012 Pamela rated it liked it

I liked this story ok, but not as much as the recent Out of My Mind, another story about a student with physical challenge.

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Apr 11, 2012 Susan rated it it was amazing

Shelves: young-adult

Amazing book! A must read for any YA fans.

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Sep 15, 2013 Sandy rated it liked it

Child's voice seemed inconsistent to me. ...more

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Jul 13, 2012 Courtney rated it it was amazing

Shelves: juvenile, fiction, 2012

This is a heart-warming story about standing up for friends and learning to love yourself. I really liked the multiple perspectives in this story, especially considering how self-absorbed August is. I mean, that is very realistic for a middle school age boy and getting some outside perspective helped move the story along. I think this would be a great story for a middle school teacher to read aloud to a class. It definitely has its sad and difficult moments but the moments of sweetness and hope ...more

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