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New York Times Bestseller

by R.J. Palacio ‧ RELEASE DATE: Feb. 14, 2012

A memorable story of kindness, courage and wonder.

After being home-schooled for years, Auggie Pullman is about to start fifth grade, but he’s worried: How will he fit into middle school life when he looks so different from everyone else?

Auggie has had 27 surgeries to correct facial anomalies he was born with, but he still has a face that has earned him such cruel nicknames as Freak, Freddy Krueger, Gross-out and Lizard face. Though “his features look like they’ve been melted, like the drippings on a candle” and he’s used to people averting their eyes when they see him, he’s an engaging boy who feels pretty ordinary inside. He’s smart, funny, kind and brave, but his father says that having Auggie attend Beecher Prep would be like sending “a lamb to the slaughter.” Palacio divides the novel into eight parts, interspersing Auggie’s first-person narrative with the voices of family members and classmates, wisely expanding the story beyond Auggie’s viewpoint and demonstrating that Auggie’s arrival at school doesn’t test only him, it affects everyone in the community. Auggie may be finding his place in the world, but that world must find a way to make room for him, too.

Pub Date: Feb. 14, 2012

ISBN: 978-0-375-86902-0

Page Count: 320

Publisher: Knopf

Review Posted Online: Dec. 2, 2011

Kirkus Reviews Issue: Dec. 15, 2011

CHILDREN'S SOCIAL THEMES | CHILDREN'S HEALTH & DAILY LIVING

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BOOK REVIEW

by R.J. Palacio

by R.J. Palacio ; illustrated by R.J. Palacio with K Czap

by R.J. Palacio ; illustrated by R.J. Palacio

More About This Book

CHARLOTTE'S WEB

by E.B. White illustrated by Garth Williams ‧ RELEASE DATE: Oct. 15, 1952

The three way chats, in which they are joined by other animals, about web spinning, themselves, other humans—are as often...

A successful juvenile by the beloved New Yorker writer portrays a farm episode with an imaginative twist that makes a poignant, humorous story of a pig, a spider and a little girl.

Young Fern Arable pleads for the life of runt piglet Wilbur and gets her father to sell him to a neighbor, Mr. Zuckerman. Daily, Fern visits the Zuckermans to sit and muse with Wilbur and with the clever pen spider Charlotte, who befriends him when he is lonely and downcast. At the news of Wilbur's forthcoming slaughter, campaigning Charlotte, to the astonishment of people for miles around, spins words in her web. "Some Pig" comes first. Then "Terrific"—then "Radiant". The last word, when Wilbur is about to win a show prize and Charlotte is about to die from building her egg sac, is "Humble". And as the wonderful Charlotte does die, the sadness is tempered by the promise of more spiders next spring.

Pub Date: Oct. 15, 1952

ISBN: 978-0-06-026385-0

Page Count: 192

Publisher: Harper/HarperCollins

Review Posted Online: Sept. 14, 2011

Kirkus Reviews Issue: Oct. 1, 1952

CHILDREN'S ANIMALS | CHILDREN'S SOCIAL THEMES

More by E.B. White

by E.B. White & illustrated by Maggie Kneen

by E.B. White illustrated by Fred Marcellino

by E.B. White illustrated by Garth Williams

In Memoriam: George Nicholson, 1937-2015

PERSPECTIVES

The Snowy Day Is NYC Library’s Most Popular Book

SEEN & HEARD

Audiobooks by Flea, Rachel Maddow Up for Grammys

by Gordon Korman ‧ RELEASE DATE: May 30, 2017

Korman’s trademark humor makes this an appealing read.

Will a bully always be a bully?

That’s the question eighth-grade football captain Chase Ambrose has to answer for himself after a fall from his roof leaves him with no memory of who and what he was. When he returns to Hiawassee Middle School, everything and everyone is new. The football players can hardly wait for him to come back to lead the team. Two, Bear Bratsky and Aaron Hakimian, seem to be special friends, but he’s not sure what they share. Other classmates seem fearful; he doesn’t know why. Temporarily barred from football because of his concussion, he finds a new home in the video club and, over time, develops a new reputation. He shoots videos with former bullying target Brendan Espinoza and even with Shoshanna Weber, who’d hated him passionately for persecuting her twin brother, Joel. Chase voluntarily continues visiting the nursing home where he’d been ordered to do community service before his fall, making a special friend of a decorated Korean War veteran. As his memories slowly return and he begins to piece together his former life, he’s appalled. His crimes were worse than bullying. Will he become that kind of person again? Set in the present day and told in the alternating voices of Chase and several classmates, this finding-your-middle-school-identity story explores provocative territory. Aside from naming conventions, the book subscribes to the white default.

Pub Date: May 30, 2017

ISBN: 978-1-338-05377-7

Page Count: 256

Publisher: Scholastic

Review Posted Online: March 19, 2017

Kirkus Reviews Issue: April 1, 2017

CHILDREN'S SOCIAL THEMES

More by Gordon Korman

by Gordon Korman

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Reading Ladies

Wonder [book review].

October 27, 2017

***This post contains Amazon affiliate links.

Heart, Heroes, and Humor…

You were probably an ordinary kid.

Did you ever experience a terrifying first day in a new school?

Consider Auggie. He feels ordinary inside but no one else sees him as ordinary. As he expresses:

“Kids don’t scream and run away if you’re ordinary….they don’t stare.”

This is the advice 10-year-old August Pullman receives from his parents on the first day of school:

“There are always going to be jerks in the world, Auggie,” she said, looking at me. “But I really believe, and Daddy really believes, that there are more good people on this earth than bad people, and the good people watch out for each other and take care of each other.”

Because the movie Wonde r releases in theaters on November 17, 2017, it seems timely to read or reread and review.

Movie Trailer here.

Wonder by R. J. Palacio

Genre/categories: Middle grade through adult contemporary fiction, growing up, difficult discussions, family life, friendship, compassion, character traits

On the inside, ten-year-old August Pullman feels very ordinary. But as he says, ordinary kids don’t make other kids run away screaming and they don’t get stared at wherever they go. Auggie was born with a rare genetic abnormality that affected the formation of his face. Because of extensive surgeries and an attempt to protect him from cruelties of the outside world, Auggie’s parents have homeschooled him. The reader meets 5th grade Auggie as he’s being enrolled in a traditional school for the first time. Will he be accepted? Will he find friends? Will he find a hostile or friendly environment? How will adults in his life support him? The story is told from six perspectives (August, Via–his older sister, Summer–a friendly caring peer, Jack–a student leader who struggles in his role as a friend, Miranda–his sister’s best friend and a close family friend, and Justin–Miranda’s boyfriend) plus a bonus chapter from Julian’s point of view (Auggie’s nemesis).

Amazon (October) Rating: (an amazing) 4.9 Stars

My Thoughts:

If you plan to see the movie, don’t miss out on reading the book first! It’s an easy, engaging, thoughtful, inspirational, and meaningful read with valuable discussion possibilities for the entire family. Wonder on DVD .

As we venture to school with Auggie, we feel his daily apprehension and celebrate his courage and determination. Even though he thinks of himself on the inside as an ordinary kid, we know he doesn’t look ordinary and his severe facial abnormality could cause him to be the object of unkind actions by his peers and to experience bullying.

Throughout Wonder , the narrative changes perspectives with each chapter. This helps us get a 360 degree understanding of Auggie’s world and also allows us to see the nice circle of people who care for him and support him. In addition, it allows the reader to understand that everyone battles something. Because this is written for a children’s audience, it does have a happy ending where ‘good” people are rewarded and the “bad” get their punishment. I like that there is an epilogue (extra chapter) in the current version of the book that follows Auggie’s nemesis Julian and we see how Julian changes and grows in empathy and compassion

Wonder takes a dramatic turn when Auggie overhears his friend Jack’s derogatory remarks about him; he is discouraged and devastated, and everything changes as he has to fight to rebuild what he’s lost. Through these authentic middle-grade voices, we learn about true friendship, risk, and the importance of kindness.

I especially admire Auggies’s English teacher who each month presents the idea of precepts to live by and encourages students to write their own…an example of a precept he presents is “When given the choice between being right or kind, choose kind.” In an attempt to establish the habit of writing precepts as a lifelong practice, he encourages students to email their precepts to him in the years after graduation. Auggie’s 5th-grade precept is “Everyone in the world should get a standing ovation once in their lives because we all overcometh the world.”

The following is a sampling of the types of quotes you will find from the adults in the story:

“Kinder than necessary,” he repeated. “What a marvelous line, isn’t it? Kinder than is necessary. Because it’s not enough to be kind. One should be kinder than needed. Why I love that line, that concept is that it reminds me that we carry with us, as human beings, not just the capacity to be kind, but the very choice of kindness. And what does that mean? How is that measured? You can’t use a yardstick. It’s like I was saying just before: it’s not like measuring how much you’ve grown in a year. It’s not exactly quantifiable, is it? How do we know we’ve been kind? What is being kind, anyway?” “….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 kinder than is necessary–the world really would be a better place. And if you do this, if you act just a little kinder than is necessary, someone else, somewhere, someday, may recognize in you, in every single one of you, the face of God.” “It’s not just the nature of kindness, but the nature of one’s kindness. The power of one’s friendship. The test of one’s character. The strength of one’s courage–”

Don’t miss out on this inspirational story filled with heart, heroes, and humor and which inspired the Kindness Movement . I expect that Wonder will become a beloved classic in upper-grade classrooms and in family libraries. Highly recommended for every reader who believes in the power of teaching through a story and for every family who is in the process of building empathy, compassion, and kindness. Wonder would make a great parent/child buddy read. I believe good literature and timeless themes can be enjoyed by all ages!

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

My rating: 4.5 stars (rounded to 5)

Wonder Information Here.

There is an additional book, Auggie & Me . It’s not a sequel, rather a companion read and an extension of Auggie’s world with three additional points of view.

More Information about Auggie & Me Here.

The Kindness Movement and Sign the Pledge Here.

The author interviews kids about kindness here.

Wonder Movie Trailer here.

Wonder on DVD .

Meet the Author, R. J. Palacio

R. J. Palacio was born and raised in New York City. She attended the High School of Art and Design and the Parsons School of Design, where she majored in illustration with the hopes of someday following in the footsteps of her favorite childhood author-illustrators, Antoine de Saint-Exupéry, Maurice Sendak, and the D’Aulaires. She was a graphic designer and art director for many years before writing Wonder. We’re All Wonders, which is based conceptually on the themes of her novel, represents the fulfillment of her dream to write and illustrate her own picture book. R.J. is also the author of Auggie & Me: Three Wonder Stories and 365 Days of Wonder: Mr. Browne’s Book of Precepts. She lives in Brooklyn, where she is surrounded by magical water towers, with her husband, their two sons, and their two dogs, Bear and Beau. Learn more about her at rjpalacio.com or on Twitter at @RJPalacio.

I’m curious if you’ve read Wonder !

Do you have children that have read it? I’d love to hear your (or their) reflection.

Do you plan to see the movie ?

How do you feel about teaching character traits such as empathy and kindness through literature?

What are you reading this week?

Happy Reading Bookworms!

“Ah, how good it is to be among people who are reading.” ~Rainer Maria Rilke

“I love the world of words, where life and literature connect.” ~Denise J Hughes

“Reading good books ruins you for enjoying bad ones.” ~Guernsey Literary and Potato Peel Pie Society

“I read because books are a form of transportation, of teaching, and of connection! Books take us to places we’ve never been, they teach us about our world, and they help us to understand human experience.” ~Madeleine Riley, Top Shelf Text

In my last post, I indicated that I would read and review If the Creek Don’t Rise . I did read it; however, I decided that Wonder would be the primary focus of my review this week so that I can encourage you to read it before the movie releases. Here’s my brief review of If the Creek Don’t Rise .

If The Creek Don’t Rise by Leah Weiss

Genre/categories: Historical Fiction, Small Town, Rural, Appalachia, Hillbilly Culture

Young Sadie Blue lives in the North Carolina mountain town of Baines Creek and suffers abuse at the hands of her drunken husband, Roy Tupkin. When a new teacher comes to town, Sadie begins to think of finding her voice and of a life that doesn’t include Roy.

Amazon Rating: 4.5 Stars

Harsh and hard realities of life in this remote Appalachian community make If the Creek Don’t Rise a gritty and sobering read. Young Sadie Blue is pregnant, abused, mistreated, and struggling to find her voice. Only a few chapters are from Sadie’s POV. The story is told from multiple viewpoints giving readers a good perspective of her life and the hillbilly community. Some characters offer hope and healing while others are despicable. Sadie does find her voice in a way that surprised me (but maybe it shouldn’t have given her situation and the hillbilly culture). As a teacher, I hoped to learn more about the new teacher’s contribution to the youth of the community….I’m always looking for hope and redemption in a story….but after the teacher’s strong introduction, she fades into the background of the story. This is also disappointing because she is important to Sadie. Overall, I enjoyed the read and the excellent writing; however, it’s not a read that everyone would enjoy. It’s gritty and a bit dark but certainly an impressive debut novel. I would encourage you to read additional reviews.

My Rating: 4 Stars

If the Creek Don’t Rise Information Here.

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17 comments.

[…] Review Here. […]

[…] My Full Review Here […]

[…] I’ve heard enthusiastic reviews! It’s on my weekend “must do” list. See my book summary and review here. Movie trailer […]

[…] […]

[…] Full Review and Amazon Information Here. […]

[…] Full Review Here Amazon Information Here Movie Trailer Here […]

[…] Wonder by R.J. Palacio Genre: Fiction (Categories: physical differences, kindness, compassion, acceptance) My Rating: 5 Stars Wonder has been positively reviewed by parents, teachers, and children, it inspired the national “Choose Kind” campaign, and many of you have seen the movie. However, if you haven’t read the book, I think it’s a must read experience for everyone! This easy to read, engaging, and thought-provoking read paves the way for grand discussions and builds compassion and empathy…..I believe that the best teaching occurs within the context of a story. My full review here. […]

[…] Wonder falls into the category of “A Must Read For Everyone.” The themes of kindness, compassion, and acceptance are universal. (review) […]

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[…] Wonder falls into the category of “A Must Read For Everyone.” The themes of kindness, compassion, and acceptance are universal. (my review) […]

[…] Wonder by R.J. Palacio […]

[…] Continue reading my review of Wonder to see what I loved…. […]

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[…] Wonder, R.J. […]

‘Wonder’, the #1 ‘New York Times’ Bestselling Middle-Grade Novel, Reaches 1 Million Copies Sold in North America

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

WONDER , THE #1 NEW YORK TIMES BESTSELLING MIDDLE-GRADE NOVEL, REACHES 1 MILLION COPIES SOLD IN NORTH AMERICA

The Book that Sparked a National Movement Reaches 1 Million Mark in 18 Months

October 10, 2013 (New York, NY)—Eighteen months after its release, WONDER , the #1 New York Times bestselling middle-grade novel by R.J. Palacio—a book called “rich and memorable” ( The New York Times Book Review ), “the best kids’ book of the year” (Emily Bazelon for Slate.com ), and a “debut novel so remarkable, and so lovely” ( The Wall Street Journal )—has sold 1 million copies in hardcover and digital formats, it was announced today by Barbara Marcus, President and Publisher of Random House Children’s Books ( RandomHouseKids.com ). WONDER is published by Random House’s Alfred A. Knopf Books for Young Readers imprint in the U.S. and Canada. It released in the U.S. on February 14, 2012, and was edited by Executive Editor Erin Clarke.

“We are so pleased to celebrate this incredible million-copy milestone,” said Marcus. “We credit the sensation that is WONDER to a remarkable, unforgettable, inspiring story written by debut author R. J. Palacio, and the extraordinary enthusiasm of booksellers, educators, families, and readers everywhere.”

The story of a fifth grader born with a facial deformity who attends mainstream school for the first time, WONDER resonated instantly with readers of all ages and has remained at the top of bestseller lists, including 80 weeks on the New York Times bestseller list, with 36 weeks in the #1 spot. The book has garnered national review praise from such outlets as NPR and Entertainment Weekly , and sparked a national movement called Choose Kind on Tumblr that schools have embraced as part of their anti-bullying curriculums. Students, parents, teachers, and librarians are excitedly sharing copies and endorsing #thewonderofwonder on Twitter.

“Sales continue to be strong in every region of North America and in all channels of distribution,” said Joan DeMayo, Senior Vice President, Director of Sales. “It’s especially gratifying that new readers are discovering WONDER every day and sales show no sign of slowing down. This book was an instant classic in the children’s marketplace, but also has a broader appeal to adult readers, which helps account for its enormous success.”

“It’s so heartening to me to know that this little book about a boy who is ‘different’ has found such a wide audience,” said Palacio. “The main character, Auggie Pullman, has become a hero to so many readers—children and adults alike. Maybe it points to the fact that feeling ‘different’ really is a universal experience, and it’s that very feeling that ultimately unites all of us.”

Palacio receives numerous daily event requests from schools, stores, and organizations and has traveled across the country as guest of honor at a multitude of All-City Reads events, including Santa Monica, California; Fairfield, Connecticut; Tacoma, Washington; and Naperville, Illinois. She is involved with organizations such as the Children’s Craniofacial Association, and will give the keynote address at the American Cleft Palate Craniofacial Association’s Annual Conference in March.

“I’m so thankful to the teachers and librarians who put this book on the map, the wonderful folks in the craniofacial community who have supported the book, and most especially the kids who, inspired by the message of the book, have pledged to ‘Choose Kind’ all across the country,” said Palacio.

R. J. Palacio was a graphic designer by day, creating book jackets for others, while writing WONDER , her first novel, by night. She was previously Director of Children’s Books at Workman Publishing and will soon assume the position of Editor-at-Large, devoting more time to speaking engagements for WONDER and to writing her next novel. She is also now a headlining member of the illustrious roster of authors represented by the Random House Speakers Bureau ( RHSpeakers.com ). She lives in New York City with her husband, two sons, and two dogs.

Random House Children’s Books is the world’s largest English-language children’s trade book publisher. Creating books for toddlers through young adult readers, in all formats from board books to activity books to picture books, novels, ebooks, and apps, the imprints of Random House Children’s Books bring together award-winning authors and illustrators, world-famous franchise characters, and multimillion-copy series. Random House is the longtime home of the beloved and bestselling Dr. Seuss books, which continue to make learning to read fun for millions of children everywhere. The company’s website ( RandomHouseKids.com ) offers an array of activities, games, and educational resources for children, teens, parents, and educators. Random House Children’s Books is a division of Random House LLC, a Penguin Random House Company.

LAUREN DONOVAN Senior Publicist, Social Media Specialist Random House Children’s Books | (212) 572-6015 1745 Broadway, maildrop 9-1, New York, NY 10019 Connect: @randomhousekids | @laurencdonovan

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Reviews of Wonder by R.J. Palacio

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Feb 14, 2012, 320 pages

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About This Book

Book summary.

Wonder is a spare, warm, uplifting story that will have readers laughing one minute and wiping away tears the next.

Winner of the BookBrowse 2012 Best Book for Younger Readers Award

I won't describe what I look like. Whatever you're thinking, it's probably worse. August (Auggie) Pullman was born with a facial deformity that prevented him from going to a mainstream school - until now. He's about to start 5th grade at Beecher Prep, and if you've ever been the new kid then you know how hard that can be. The thing is Auggie's just an ordinary kid, with an extraordinary face. But can he convince his new classmates that he's just like them, despite appearances? R. J. Palacio has written a spare, warm, uplifting story that will have readers laughing one minute and wiping away tears the next. With wonderfully realistic family interactions (flawed, but loving), lively school scenes, and short chapters, Wonder is accessible to readers of all levels. Ages 8+

Ordinary I know I'm not an ordinary ten-year-old kid. I mean, sure, I do ordinary things. I eat ice cream. I ride my bike. I play ball. I have an XBox. Stuff like that makes me ordinary. I guess. And I feel ordinary. Inside. But I know ordinary kids don't make other ordinary kids run away screaming in playgrounds. I know ordinary kids don't get stared at wherever they go. If I found a magic lamp and I could have one wish, I would wish that I had a normal face that no one ever noticed at all. I would wish that I could walk down the street without people seeing me and then doing that look-away thing. Here's what I think: the only reason I'm not ordinary is that no one else sees me that way. But I'm kind of used to how I look by now. I know how to pretend I don't see the faces people make. We've all gotten pretty good at that sort of thing: me, Mom and Dad, Via. Actually, I take that back: Via's not so good at it. She can get really annoyed when people do something rude. Like, ...

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Reader reviews, bookbrowse review.

Wonder rings its bell, and the note that reverberates in the air slips effortlessly into the reader's body. It hangs there, and the reader can't help but be changed. It is a meditation of a novel. A story that asks the reader to feel her way into kindness, empathy, and openness. And without a doubt, the reader, upon experiencing it, responds with a deep, resounding yes . Wonder is recommended for middle grade and young adult readers. It is a perfect book to open up discussions between students or book club members... continued

Full Review (602 words) This review is available to non-members for a limited time. For full access, become a member today .

(Reviewed by Tamara Ellis Smith ).

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R.j. palacio's inspiration for wonder.

Whatever you're thinking, it's probably worse. This is Auggie's statement on page one of Wonder about the appearance of his face. R.J. Palacio (whose real name is Raquel Jaramillo... Palacio is her mother's last name) makes a very conscious choice not to explore Auggie's disfigurement head-on, and I think it's a good one. Instead, she allows the reader to create her own images and then, very slowly and from a slanted sort of angle, Palacio gives details. Because at the heart of issue is, well, Auggie's heart, and that is all that matters. I don't want to dishonor Palacio's choice, but I will give you a bit of information about Auggie's condition. He has something called Mandibulofacial Dysostosis , which is more typically known as ...

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By R. J. Palacio

This novel is a heartwarming tale of kindess and empathy and a boy with a facial deformity making friends and growing to self-acceptance.

August's journey from insecurity to self-acceptance is deeply moving and relatable.
Multi-narrative structure with diverse perspectives enrich the story
The novel effectively develops the themes of kindness, empathy, and acceptance.
The development of the plot is predictable
The tone is overly didactic
The antagonist is underdeveloped; there is no visible motive for his actions

Bottom Line

"Wonder" is a heartwarming and impactful novel that emphasizes the importance of kindness and acceptance. While it can be predictable and didactic, its strong character development and powerful themes make it a memorable read, particularly for young audiences. The book’s message of empathy and inclusivity resonates long after the final page, making it a valuable addition to contemporary young adult literature.

Rating [book_review_rating]

Continue down for the complete review to Wonder

Article written by Ebuka Igbokwe

Bachelor's degree from Nnamdi Azikiwe University.

It is bad enough that August Pullman is born with a disfiguring disease that deforms his face, makes hearing difficult, and has him needing twenty-seven surgeries before the age of ten to give him a chance at life. It is undoubtedly worse to have him begin school and face discrimination at the hands of his classmates, Julian in particular. Thankfully, he has his family and a couple of friends like Summer and Jack Will, who care for and support him.

R. J. Palacio , the author of ‘ Wonder ,’ was inspired to write this novel from experience in her life. She stopped at an ice cream stand on a trip to see an out-of-town friend with her two sons. Sitting with her mother, there was a girl with a facial deformity. Her younger son began to cry. Palacio hurried her children away. Reflecting on the incident, she believed she could have handled it better. It also made her wonder what sort of life the little girl faced if this reaction was typical.

In “ Wonder “, August Pullman has Treacher-Collins Syndrome , a congenital craniofacial disease that leaves him deformed, and frequent hospitalization keeps him out of school. But he is finally ready to begin school in the fifth grade. He has received shocked stares and discrimination based on his looks, but this happens differently in school. However, he makes a few friends, like Summer Dawson and Jack Wills, and he has the understanding, empathy, and support of family and perseveres. School bully Julian Albans is particularly malicious, calling him names and instigating classmates to avoid him and treat him as a pariah. Soon enough, however, more of his classmates recognized him for the bright, funny, and brave boy he was.

The central premise of “ Wonder” is emotionally charged and unique. The story follows August Pullman, a young boy with facial deformities, as he navigates the challenges of attending public school for the first time. This premise immediately captures readers’ attention and sets the stage for a narrative exploring themes of acceptance and empathy.

The plot is emotionally engaging and uniquely portrays individuals’ difficulties with visible differences. For example, when August first arrives at school, he encounters a range of reactions from his classmates, from curiosity and fear to outright bullying, particularly by Julian, who leads a campaign to ostracize him. The novel’s trajectory is somewhat predictable, as readers anticipate that his peers will eventually accept August. This predictability is exemplified in the novel’s climax when August wins the Henry Ward Beecher medal, a symbolic moment that marks his acceptance and recognition by his school community.

While the plot is heart-warming, it can also feel idealized. Conflicts are often resolved in a manner that might not reflect the complexities of real life. For instance, the reconciliation between August’s sister, Via, and her friend, Miranda, is handled quickly, with little exploration of the underlying issues that caused their estrangement. Similarly, August’s transformation from an outcast to a beloved figure at school happens rapidly, which might strike some readers as overly optimistic.

Wonder explores several significant themes, including kindness, acceptance, bullying, and the challenges of living with a disability. The novel strongly emphasizes the power of kindness, as seen in the way characters like Summer Dawson and Jack Will choose to befriend August despite the social risks involved. Summer’s decision to sit with August at lunch on his first day is a pivotal moment that sets the tone for the novel’s message about the importance of empathy.

The theme of acceptance is central to the novel, as August struggles with his desire to be seen as “ordinary” despite his extraordinary appearance. This theme is reflected in August’s words when he says, “I know I’m not an ordinary ten-year-old kid… I do ordinary things. I feel ordinary inside. But I know ordinary kids don’t make other ordinary kids run away screaming in playgrounds.”

Palacio’s treatment of themes like kindness, social acceptance of those living with disabilities, and bullying in schools in “ Wonder ” shows a keen feeling for contemporary social issues. Interestingly, she handles the issues with faith in our humanity as the best address for them, rather than advocating for policy intervention by the government or school disciplinary bodies. Being kind is Palacio’s simple solution; she trusts it will make a significant impact.

However, the treatment of the themes of “ Wonder ” can be a bit on the nose and lack subtlety. For example, the precepts introduced by Mr. Browne, such as “When given the choice between being right or being kind, choose kind,” are moralizing. The message is driven with the force of a crusader, and the characters are only vehicles for delivering a piece of moral instruction. The book can also be criticized for romanticizing the fact of living with disabilities to tell an inspirational tale.

“ Wonder ” excels in presenting characters from diverse backgrounds. The range of characters , each with their personalities and perspectives, enriches the storytelling and allows readers to gain insights into different lives and experiences.

August is a compelling protagonist whose internal struggles and outward challenges make him relatable to readers of all ages. His growth from a shy, insecure boy to a more confident individual is one of the novel’s most rewarding aspects. This transformation is highlighted in moments such as when August bravely decides to attend the school’s nature retreat, despite his fears of being ostracized.

Supporting characters like Via, Summer, Jack, and Julian add depth to the story. Via’s perspective provides insight into the challenges of siblings of children with disabilities. Her internal conflict is poignantly expressed when she reflects on the need to step out of August’s shadow and be seen as more than “the sister of the boy with the deformed face.”

Jack Will’s character undergoes significant development as well. Initially, he befriends August out of a sense of duty. Still, he eventually comes to genuinely care for him, as seen in his defense of August during the altercation with older students at the retreat. Jack’s journey from being influenced by peer pressure to standing up for what is right adds another layer of complexity to the novel.

Julian, the primary antagonist, is somewhat less developed. Although his role as the school bully is essential to the plot, his motivations are not explored in depth, making him appear more as a symbol of cruelty than a fully realized character. His actions, such as starting the “Plague” game to avoid touching August, are extreme, but his character lacks the nuance to explain why he behaves this way.

Palacio’s writing style in “ Wonder ” is accessible and engaging, making it an enjoyable read for a wide audience. The use of multiple narrators, including August, Via, Summer, Jack, and Miranda, provides a well-rounded perspective on the novel’s events. This multi-narrative structure allows readers to understand the impact of August’s presence on those around him, and it adds depth to the story by offering insights into each character’s inner world.

The first-person narrative is conversational, which creates a sense of intimacy between the characters and the reader. August’s voice, in particular, is authentic and relatable, filled with humor and resilience despite his hardships. For example, his self-deprecating humor is evident when he quips, “I’m used to not fitting in. The way I see it, I’m not ordinary and neither are you.”

However, the dialogue can sometimes become overly didactic, especially in scenes where characters deliver moral lessons. Mr. Tushman’s speech at the end of the novel, for instance, while uplifting, reads more like a sermon than a natural conversation. This can detract from the realism of the interactions.

The novel’s structure, divided into sections narrated by different characters, effectively maintains the reader’s interest and provides a comprehensive view of the story. The pacing is generally well-balanced, with moments of tension, such as August’s first day at school or the confrontation at the nature retreat, interspersed with quieter, more introspective scenes.

However, the narrative occasionally slows down, particularly during lengthy dialogues or when certain moral themes are reiterated. For instance, while meaningful, the scenes involving Mr. Browne’s precepts can feel repetitive, slowing the story’s momentum.

The setting of “ Wonder ” primarily focuses on Beecher Prep, a typical middle school that serves as the backdrop for August’s challenges and triumphs. The school environment is portrayed with authenticity, capturing the dynamics of preteen social interactions, cliques, and the struggles of fitting in. This setting is relatable for the novel’s target audience and evokes memories of school life for older readers.

Palacio’s attention to detail in depicting the school’s atmosphere, from the cafeteria to the hallways, adds to the novel’s realism. The nature retreat setting also provides a significant turning point in the story, where August’s classmates begin to see him in a new light, further solidifying the novel’s themes of acceptance and friendship.

One of the strengths of “ Wonder ” is its character development, particularly with August, whose growth from insecurity to self-acceptance is compelling. Also, the multi-narrative structure enriches the story by providing diverse perspectives, deepening the reader’s connection with the characters. The novel’s themes of kindness, acceptance, and empathy are positive and powerful, offering hope and guidance to kids.

On the minus side, the plot can be predictable, following a familiar arc of an ugly duckling turning into a beautiful goose, and it is very formulaic. While impactful, Palacio’s treatment of themes can be overly didactic, with moral lessons presented in a way that leaves little room for interpretation. Finally, some characters, especially the antagonist Julian, feel underdeveloped, serving more as symbols than fully realized individuals with believable motives.

“ Wonder ” profoundly impacts its readers by highlighting the importance of kindness, acceptance, and empathy in the face of adversity. The novel encourages readers to look beyond outward appearances and embrace the humanity in everyone, making it a poignant and relevant read for all ages. Its success in fostering discussions about inclusivity and kindness, particularly through the Choose Kind movement, underscores its significant cultural and social impact. Despite its predictability and didactic approach, “ Wonder ” is a memorable and powerful novel that resonates with worldwide readers.

Wonder: A Message to Choose Kindness

Book Title: Wonder

Book Description: 'Wonder' by R. J. Palacio follows the story of August Pullman, a ten-year-old boy with facial disfigurement, as he faces the challenges of attending a regular school for the first time. Through August's and other characters' experiences, the novel explores themes of empathy, acceptance, and how kindness has the power to transform people and society, and leaves readers with the profound message of the importance of seeing people beyond their pyhysical appearances.

Book Author: R. J. Palacio

Book Edition: First Export Edition

Book Format: Paperback

Publisher - Organization: Alfred A Knopf

Date published: July 1, 2014

Illustrator: Tad Carpenter

ISBN: 9780553509977

Number Of Pages: 315

Writing Style
Lasting Effect on Reader

Wonder Review

‘ Wonder ‘ by R. J. Palacio is didactic but relatable, and tells about disability in a warm and inviting tone, easy prose and with personable characters. This makes for a very pleasant read for children.

Light and easy read
Emotionally stimulating
Multi-perspective storytelling
Romanticizes disability
Too neatly resolved conflicts

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About Ebuka Igbokwe

Ebuka Igbokwe is the founder and former leader of a book club, the Liber Book Club, in 2016 and managed it for four years. Ebuka has also authored several children's books. He shares philosophical insights on his newsletter, Carefree Sketches and has published several short stories on a few literary blogs online.

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By R. J. Palacio

Interest Level	Reading Level	Reading A-Z	ATOS	Word Count
Grades 4 - 7	Grades K - 1	Guided Reading: V	n/a	73053

Over 6 million people have read the #1 New York Times bestseller WONDER and have fallen in love with Auggie Pullman, an ordinary boy with an extraordinary face. The book that inspired the Choose Kind movement. I won't describe what I look like. Whatever you're thinking, it's probably worse. August Pullman was born with a facial difference that, up until now, has prevented him from going to a mainstream school. Starting 5th grade at Beecher Prep, he wants nothing more than to be treated as an ordinary kid—but his new classmates can’t get past Auggie’s extraordinary face. WONDER , now a #1 New York Times bestseller and included on the Texas Bluebonnet Award master list, begins from Auggie’s point of view, but soon switches to include his classmates, his sister, her boyfriend, and others. These perspectives converge in a portrait of one community’s struggle with empathy, compassion, and acceptance. "Wonder is the best kids' book of the year," said Emily Bazelon, senior editor at Slate.com and author of Sticks and Stones: Defeating the Culture of Bullying and Rediscovering the Power of Character and Empathy . In a world where bullying among young people is an epidemic, this is a refreshing new narrative full of heart and hope. R.J. Palacio has called her debut novel “a meditation on kindness” —indeed, every reader will come away with a greater appreciation for the simple courage of friendship. Auggie is a hero to root for, a diamond in the rough who proves that you can’t blend in when you were born to stand out.

Book Reviews (3827)

A story about a boy that has a weird look on his face, a girl name Summer is his best friend. He has been through a lot of surgery and still look different from the other kids so he didn’t go to school till 5th grade. It is very good!

This book was truly amazing! (Though it had some unrealistic parts) A young boy named August was staring in person school for the first time his entire life. What makes him more nervous is that he was born with a birth defect on his face that he feels uncomfortable about. This challenges Auggie to be confident about his appearance. With a mix of good and bad kids in a public school, would Auggie be able to confront this? Happy reading! ~ Victoria

This book is about a boy named August (Auggie) Pullman. Auggie is boy who has grown up with a major birth defect, and this has deeply embarrassed him... But now, he has to face one of his fears, to go to a public school. When he meets Mr. Tushman, the principle of the school, he soon finds out that he has to meet 3 kids. Julian, Charlotte, and Jack. Those kids will give him a tour of the school, in the midst of the tour Julian asks an extremely rude question: "Were you in a fire?" Auggie remembered that Mr. Tushman said that these were nice kids, but from that rude question, Auggie knows that he is just a kid who acts one way in front of grownups, and another around kids.....

August "Auggie" Pullman, a 10 years old boy in 5th grade who would be starting middle school at Beecher Prep Middle School with genetics disorder. His older sister, Olivia "Via" who starting high school who always been on Auggie's side as long as he could remember, same with his parents; Isabel and Nate. The Pullmans also have dog, Daisy but died later in the book then gotten new puppy, Bear. While at school, he met few kids; Jack Will, Julian Albans, Charlotte Cody, Ximena Chin, and Summer. And his another sister-like, Via's friend, Miranda Nazas who often calls him "Major Tom". This book have 8 parts; 1st part about August, 2nd part about Via, 3rd part about Summer, 4th part about Jack, 5th part about Justin, Via's boyfriend, 6th part again about August, 7th part about Via's friend, Miranda Nazas, and lastly but not at least 8th part is again about August. This bookis so realistic that I finished in just one day and I DEFINITELY going to recommend this! - Happy Reading!

I've listened to his book a billion times on my Alexa. This book is pure masterpiece! I'm new by the way. Please follow me!

The book and movie is good

If you like this book, I recommend the other book by this author.

I love this book. There is a movie, but I think the book is better.

I watched the movie before

my teacher read that book before

Wonder, by R.J. Palacio | Book Review

Book Review of Wonder The Children’s Book Review

Written by R.J. Palacio

Ages 10+ | 320 Pages

Publisher: Knopf Books for Young Readers | ISBN-13: 978037586902

What to Expect: Disabilities, Self-Esteem, and Kindness

Kindness is an outstanding trait we all possess, so long as we choose to access it. It is an essential aspect of being human.

In the captivating, award-winning New York Times bestselling novel Wonder by R.J. Palacio, the theme of exhibiting kindness is explored in an inspiring way. The story revolves around a 10-year-old boy named August Pullman living with rare facial deformities. Auggie, as he is affectionately called, yearns to be accepted for who he is and not judged based on his looks. Due to having had 27 surgeries, both big and small, and lots of illness, August (Auggie), up until now, has been home-schooled.

Through Palacio’s vivid writing, readers journey through Auggie’s first year in school and see through the eyes of fifth-grade classmates and his sister, guiding us through valuable insights into the process of accepting someone different from us. Wonder is a heartwarming tale of bravery, love, and kindness. It is a call to action for us to strive towards our best selves and to choose kindness in every situation. This powerful and inspiring book has been a global phenomenon, with Auggie’s story inspiring a growing movement of compassion and empathy toward others.

Reading Wonder will undoubtedly help you embrace its message and become a part of this growing movement.

Buy the Book

About the author.

We’re All Wonders , which is based conceptually on the themes of her novel, represents the fulfillment of her dream to write and illustrate her own picture book. R.J. is also the author of Auggie & Me: Three Wonder Stories and 365 Days of Wonder: Mr. Browne’s Book of Precepts . She lives in Brooklyn, where she is surrounded by magical water towers, with her husband, their two sons, and their two dogs, Bear and Beau.

Learn more about her at https://wonderthebook.com/about or on Twitter at @RJPalacio .

What to Read Next:

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Bianca Schulze is the founder of The Children’s Book Review. She is a reader, reviewer, mother and children’s book lover. She also has a decade’s worth of experience working with children in the great outdoors. Combined with her love of books and experience as a children’s specialist bookseller, the goal is to share her passion for children’s literature to grow readers. Born and raised in Sydney, Australia, she now lives with her husband and three children near Boulder, Colorado.

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Short Story Collections
For Children
Literary History

The Wonder (New York: Little Brown; Toronto: HarperCollins Canada; London: Picador, 2016). The Irish Midlands, 1859. An English nurse, Lib Wright, is summoned to a tiny village to observe what some are claiming as a medical anomaly or a miracle - a girl said to have survived without food for months. Tourists have flocked to the cabin of eleven-year-old Anna O'Donnell, and a journalist has come down to cover the sensation. The Wonder is a tale of two strangers who transform each other's lives, a psychological thriller, and a story of love pitted against evil.

Donoghue’s ninth novel – her first historical one set in her homeland of Ireland - was a bestseller in Canada even before publication, and was shortlisted for the Giller Prize there, as well as for Ireland's Bord Gáis Energy Eason Novel of the Year and Kerry Group Novel of the Year. It was a nominee for a Shirley Jackson Award (for the literature of psychological suspense, horror, and the dark fantastic) as well as a Medici Award for book-club favourites .

Donoghue has adapted (with director Sebastián Lelio and Alice Birch) The Wonder into a feature film with Element Pictures (with whom she made Room ) and House Productions, coming from Netflix in 2022.

A personal note : I came across the Fasting Girl phenomenon back in the mid-1990s - so long ago that I can’t even remember where I first read about these girls and young women (and very occasionally older women or men). I was instantly intrigued by these cases, which seemed to echo medieval saints starving as an act of penance, and also modern anorexics, but weren't exactly the same as either. It seemed to say a lot about what it’s meant to be a girl - in many Western countries, from the sixteenth century right through to the twentieth - that these girls became celebrities by not eating. But I never found one real case that rang that little bell in me, telling me this was the story I had to tell in a novel. Some were too tragic, even for a writer with my dark tastes; Sarah Jacob, for instance, a little girl who died while being ‘watched' by nurses in 1869. Some were low comedy, such as the case of Ann Moore, exposed as a cheat in 1813. Finally it occurred to me that if I was still so fascinated by the Fasting Girls, two decades on, I should drop my usual method of writing a historical novel based on a real case, and let myself invent a story. I’d set it in Ireland, of course - not just because that’s my homeland, but because ever since the Great Famine of the 1840s, we’ve defined ourselves as a people intimate with hunger.

Extras Carey Mulligan reads The Wonder for BBC Radio 4’s Book at Bedtime: http://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/p047cd0w

Emma Donoghue interviewed by Alan Neal for CBC’s All in a Day, 28 Sept 2016, http://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/ottawa/programs/allinaday/emma-donoghue-s-book-the-wonder-nominated-for-a-giller-1.3782831

Emma Donoghue interviewed by Scott Simon on NPR, http://www.npr.org/2016/09/17/494360267/emma-donoghues-new-novel-the-wonder

Eliza Haughton-Shaw, 'Interview: Emma Donoghue on writing hunger', https://www.thelondonmagazine.org/interview-emma-donoghue-on-writing-hunger/

To buy The Wonder: In the US: http://www.hachettebookgroup.com/search/?q=donoghue+wonder In Canada: http://www.harpercollins.ca/9781443450027/the-wonder In the UK/Ireland/Australia/’Commonwealth’: https://www.panmacmillan.com/authors/emma-donoghue/the-wonder

on audio: https://thereadinghouse.co.uk/products/thewonder-by-emmadonoghue?_pos=8&_sid=7edcf9ef4&_ss=r

Wherever you live, PLEASE support your local indie bookstore by buying from them either directly or through an indie-friendly hub such as bookshop.org or hive.co.uk.

Translations

The Wonder is out or forthcoming in Italian, Slovak, Polish, Danish, Greek, Czech, Swedish, Lithuanian, Croatian, Bulgarian, Serbian, Macedonian, Turkish, Hebrew, Vietnamese, Chinese (simplified characters), Korean, German, Hungarian, Portuguese (Portugal), Portuguese (Brazil), Romanian, Russian, Arabic, Thai, and Spanish.

‘In Donoghue’s case the point of combining fact and invention is profoundly subversive. The Wonder is a narrative vortex in which the old authority of religion and the new authority of science are simultaneously shattered. … Donoghue excels at dialogue. In The Wonder passages of direct speech are connected by an economical and sly third-person narrator…. Instead of moralizing, Donoghue dramatizes the anorexic’s ability to impose an obsession with food on others. … Both novels [ Room and The Wonder ] are extreme thought experiments, probing the pared-down resources of human character.’ - New York Review of Books

‘These rooms of Donoghue’s may be tiny and sealed off, yet they teem with life-and-death drama and great moral questions. Hesitant readers may think that they’d rather lose themselves in stories with a larger sweep, a little more air; but Donoghue does so many intricate things within these small spaces of hers that, for a time, they become the most compelling places to linger. What was it that the poet William Blake said about seeing “a World in a Grain of Sand . . . ?” Something of that kind of mystic expansion happens in Donoghue’s rooms. … Donoghue manages to engage these larger mysteries of faith, doubt and evil without sacrificing the lyricism of her language or the suspense of her story line. Anna may or may not be a genuine “living marvel,” but “The Wonder” certainly is.’ – Washington Post ‘We can count on her to plumb the heart of human darkness… [a] blaze of romance and drama.’ - Newsday ‘Donoghue is a master of plot, and her prose is especially exquisite in depicting ambiguity. …In The Wonder, Gospel-like in its concern with adversity and hope, miracles are possible–perhaps through God, perhaps through woman.’ – Time ‘Donoghue’s main purpose here is story, story, story, and God bless her for it… The Wonder is a fine, fact-based historical novel, an old-school page turner (I use the phrase without shame.) Donoghue’s grave consideration of the damage religion can do when it crosses the line into superstition lifts that narrative rather than weighing it down.’ – Stephen King, New York Times Book Review ‘ “The Wonder” is a marvel, a rarity in contemporary fiction, an alchemist’s miracle in which page-turner, love story, historical romance, mystery and serious social criticism all blend together to form something more fascinating and beautiful than the sum of what could have been the bland various parts.… “The Wonder,” her ninth novel, makes the reader’s heart pound without a gunshot or a gang war. The novel has the kind of haunting quality that keeps drawing you back from the call of the world.’ - New York Times ‘Heartbreaking and heartwarming.’- The Virginian-Pilot ‘Donoghue excels at the microcosm, and her obsessive interest in rooting out the truth makes for a compulsive read. A war is being waged in Anna’s tiny bedroom, and its combatants stand for sides not narrowly confined to the Victorian era: science versus faith, progress versus tradition, rich versus poor.’ – San Francisco Chronicle ‘A fable as lean and discomfiting as Anna's dwindling body. … its near-claustrophobic economy makes it hard to put down.’ – Chicago Tribune ‘A rich Irish bog of religion and duty and morality and truth. … deliciously gothic — … full of claustrophobic intensity and suspense. …its dramas and details are sharply unique. Dark and vivid, with complicated characters, this is a novel that lodges itself deep.’ – USA Today ‘A fine work, adept and compelling in voice, plot, and moral complexity.’ – Boston Globe ‘The Wonder unfolds a cagey, suspenseful stand-off… Anna receives the author’s full sympathies and is a lively, endearing foil to her incredulous nurse.’ - Wall Street Journal ‘In her deceptively straight-forward prose, Donoghue masterfully unravels a tense gothic page-turner in which nobody, including the unreliable nurse narrator, are entirely what they seem. A powerful exploration of religion and the sway it holds, The Wonder is equal parts psychological drama and unorthodox love story. A thoroughly enjoyable read from one of the country’s premier storytellers.’ – Toronto Star ‘As gripping and intense as the popular Room … The prose is so intensely alive, so cinematic that you can truly see the action unfolding before your eyes … an engrossing psychological thriller [and] near-perfect novel.’ – Ottawa Citizen ‘Donoghue draws out the narrative suspense with her customary combination of historical verve and emotional delicacy… Like Room, this is a thrilling domestic psychodrama that draws its power from quotidian detail as well as gothic horror’ - The Guardian ‘The Wonder explores 19th-century rural Ireland with great passion: the profound faith, prayer, superstition, ritual, corruption and collective madness of it all. … Donoghue is a superb stylist — her prose is stirring and tender, her period setting alive.’ – Sunday Times ‘Both an excoriating meditation on the malignant nature of fundamentalism … and a whodunit…. As with the best historical fiction – it is not about the past, but about the present.’ – Financial Times ‘Eerie… The reader is seduced by the suspense; compelled to pay as close consideration as the nurse in order to understand precisely what’s going on … sets a superb pace’ – Irish Times ‘If the O’Donnells could serve as a metaphor for the whole, broken country, then Anna, too, serves as a metaphor for Ireland – starving yet surviving; clinging to her religion; hiding secrets from sight. … With Donoghue’s readable prose and lightness of touch, we find ourselves both pausing for thought and racing forward to see what will become of Anna.’ - Irish Independent

Bibliography

Maite Escudero-Alías, 'Estrangement and the Ethics of Attention in Emma Donoghue's The Wonder ,' Estudios Irlandeses , March 2023, pp.54-66, https://www.estudiosirlandeses.org/2023/03/estrangement-and-the-ethics-of-attention-in-emma-donoghues-the-wonder/

Marisol Morales-Ladrón, 'Conspicuously Silent: The Excesses of Religion and Medicine in Emma Donoghue’s Historical Novels The Wonder and The Pull of the Stars,' in Narratives of the Unspoken in Contemporary Irish Fiction (2023), pp.21-42, https://link.springer.com/chapter/10.1007/978-3-031-30455-2_2

Renée Fox (UC Santa Cruz), 'The Abuses of Genre, or Emma Donoghue’s The Wonder , Undisciplined,' paper at Race, Violence, and Form in Nineteenth-Century Ireland Conference (Santa Cruz, 2023)

Jockim Devaraj, 'The Blurry Lines Between Cult and Religion through the Mystery of Fasting Girls in Emma Donoghue's novel The Wonder ,' December 2022, https://www.researchgate.net/publication/368788557_The_Blurry_Lines_between_Cult_and_Religion_through_the_Mystery_of_Fasting_Girls_in_Emma_Donoghue's_Novel_The_Wonder

Sandra McKenna, 'Women's Bodies in Contemporary Literature: An Exploration of Two Novels by Emma Donoghue', M Phil (Trinity College Dublin, 2021). Discusses The Pull of the Stars and The Wonder .

Poulomi Modak, 'The Beast in the Closet: Interrogating the Trauma of Sibling Incest in Emma Donoghue's Neo-Victorian novel The Wonder ', Rupkatha Journal on Interdisciplinary Studies in Humanities 13:4 (2021), 1-11

Libe García Zarranz, 'Thresholds of Sustainability: Cassils' and Emma Donoghue’s Counter Narratives,' in On The Other Side(s) of 150: Untold Stories and Critical Approaches to History, Literature and Identity in Canada, eds Linda M Morra and Sarah Henzi (Wilfred Laurier University Press, 2021), Ch. 7, pp.108-123.

Rüta Slapkauskaitè, 'Ghost, host, hostage: a poet(h)ics of vulnerability in Emma Donoghue’s The Wonder,' in European Journal of English Studies ( Volume 24, 2020), Issue 3 : Neo-Victorian Negotiations of Hostility, Empathy, and Hospitality , https://www.tandfonline.com/doi/abs/10.1080/13825577.2020.1876611?journalCode=neje20

Andrea O'Reilly, 'Redemptive Mothering: Reclamation, Absolution and Deliverance in Emma Donoghue's Room and The Wonder ,' in Writing Mothers: Narrative Acts of Care, Redemption, and Transformation , ed. BettyAnn Martin and Michelann Parr (Bradford, ON: Demeter, 2020), pp.141-66

Carneiro, Oliveira, and Raphael Marco. 2019, 'The Wonder ,' Interfaces Brasil/Canadá 19 (1): 143–148.

Molly Ferguson, “To Say No and No and No Again”: Fasting Girls, Shame, and Storytelling in Emma Donoghue’s The Wonder ,’ New Hibernia Review 22:2 (Summer 2018), 93-108

Yi-Peng Lai, ‘History, Hunger, and the Construction of an Irish Homeland: Emma Donoghue’s The Wonder and Mary Gordon’s Pearl,’ in Critique: Studies in Contemporary Fiction (2018)

Lin Elinor Pettersson, "Neo-Victorian Incest Trauma and the Fasting Body in Emma Donoghue’s The Wonder,” in Nordic Irish Studies Journal 16 (2017), 1-20.

Ruth Scurr, 'The Dreams and the Demons of Fasting,' The New York Review of Books , March 23 2017

Stephen King, ‘Stephen King Reviews Emma Donoghue’s Latest Novel,’ New York Times Book Review , Sept 27, 2016, http://www.nytimes.com/2016/10/02/books/review/stephen-king-emma-donoghue-the-wonder.html?_r=0 Sarah Lyall, ‘In ‘The Wonder,’ the Morality of Letting a Child Fast,’ New York Times , Sept 18, 2016, http://www.nytimes.com/2016/09/19/books/emma-donoghue-the-wonder.html Alexandra Schwartz, ’Emma Donoghue’s Art of Starvation,’ The New Yorker , Sept 19 2016, http://www.newyorker.com/magazine/2016/09/19/emma-donoghues-art-of-starvation Maureen Corrigan, ‘The Wonder’: From the author of ‘Room,’ another tight, intense drama,’ Washington Post , 23 September 2016, https://www.washingtonpost.com/entertainment/books/the-wonder-from-the-author-of-room-another-a-tight-intense-drama/2016/09/22/cc9980e0-80d4-11e6-b002-307601806392_story.html

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Wonder by R. J. Palacio: Book Review By Jess Lahey and Her Son, Ben

Wonder is a transformative book. Our reviewers, Jess Lahey, author of the forthcoming The Gift of Failure and a frequent contributor to the New York Times and The Atlantic , and her son, Ben, a sophomore at St. Johnsbury Academy in Vermont, tell us why it is a must read.

Previous review: Book Review For Teens: John Green Looking for Alaska

TEEN REVIEW | Ben Lahey

August Pullman, the main character of Wonder by R. J. Palacio, is only 10 years old, but his story engages readers of any age. August was born with a severe facial deformity that leaves him unable to attend school, until the fifth grade, when his family decides it’s time for him to try to give up homeschooling .

Wonder tells the story of August’s first year of school through his own eyes, as well as the eyes of four other characters. The narrators range from fifth graders to high schoolers, with different points of view that flesh out not only their individual personalities, but also how August touches the lives of those around him. Even though the story is told from different perspectives, it’s never confusing; August always remains the book’s focus and is never overshadowed by their insights and observations.

Palacio uses few details to describe August’s deformity, but those that he does use are shocking. With only our imagination to complete the picture, we are left with a shocking image in our minds. August himself says, “I won’t describe what I look like. Whatever you’re thinking, it’s probably worse.”

The characters don’t deal with August’s deformity easily. Even months after first meeting him, August’s classmates are still not used to his face. The class becomes split between August’s friends and the kids who still bully him. Every character is written convincingly, and the sides they take earn either our empathy or judgment.

And Palacio doesn’t shy away from showing how parent-teacher politics play into this “war,” as August calls it. It’s easy to hate the parents and their kids who are so uncomfortable with August that they want him removed from the school. It’s equally as easy to love those kids who befriend August.

Wonder’s emotional moments work because the reader is so fully attached to the characters. Palacio makes every moment of August’s life seem real. Even the hardships that most of us will never have to face. Wonder comes close to making us understand what the life of someone with a deformity such as August’s would be like, and that is no small feat.

ADULT REVIEW | Jess Lahey

Despite his first-sentence assertion, “I know I’m not an ordinary 10-year-old kid,” August Pullman is just that. He’s a gloriously, spectacularly, and reassuringly ordinary 10-year-old kid. Sure, this central character in the coming-of-age novel, Wonder by R. J. Palacio, may not look like most kids his age, but he sure sounds a lot like them. And this is the genius of Palacio’s storytelling.

I’ve never been a fan of shifting perspectives, mainly because the narrative style feels like a cop-out, as if the author does not possess the storytelling chops to deliver the story’s nuances through a single narrator. This is August’s story, after all, and August is the only person who understands what it’s like to face the big, bad world when all the world sees is his disfigured face. The story is rightly his to tell, from his unique perspective, in his distinctive voice.

How wrong I was.

Tweens and adolescents tend to believe that they are the sole arbiters of the truth. Palacio demonstrates this by using five characters—August, Jack, Summer, Via, and Justin—to narrate their own version of August Pullman’s fifth grade year.

While Wonder is August’s story, Via, August’s sister points out that his gravitational pull influences everyone. “August is the Sun. Me and Mom and Dad are planets orbiting the Sun. The rest of our family and friends are asteroids and comets floating around the planets orbiting the Sun.” August may be at the center of this book’s universe, but he’s certainly not alone. As I progressed through the orbiting accounts of August’s year, I began to understand that Palacio’s use of multiple perspectives does not separate the experiences of these children. It unites them.

To paraphrase Beecher Prep Middle School Director, Mr. Tushman, the attraction of August’s heart, and the people he carries up and holds in orbit around it, are the stars of this story. When the story came to an end, and I fully appreciated what had, at first glance, been invisible to me. I was happy to have been drawn in to Palacio’s expansive vision.

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Book Review—He’s Not Lazy: Empowering Boys to Believe in Themselves

The Queen's Company

New york city's all-female classical theatre company, the wonder – new york times review.

By KEN JAWOROWSKI The New York Times

The Wonder , written by Susanna Centlivre and first produced in 1714, is staged here by The Queen’s Company, an all-female classical troupe. All roles, men’s included, are played by women, and it’s a testament to the ensemble’s talents that the approach feels more like a smart move than an insincere stunt. Such casting adds zest to this already funny farce.

In the play Violante (Abbi Hawk) promises to hide her friend Isabella (Valerie Redd), who has fled from an arranged wedding and fallen instead for Colonel Britton (Maryam Benganga). In the course of their scheme Violante’s beau, Felix (Virginia Baeta), mistakenly suspects Violante of infidelity with Britton, and she is soon torn between keeping her man and betraying her friend. Bumbling lovers, sassy servants and frantic misunderstandings pop up everywhere, as the characters duck behind doors, overhear conversations and fall in and out of love.

On their own Ms. Hawk and Annie Paul, playing the servant Flora, are delightful actresses. Together, their skills are even more evident, as the two play off each other with ease. Ms. Benganga and Natalie Lebert (Britton’s footman, among other roles), are just as able. Ms. Lebert in particular tackles her numerous parts with bravado and supplies some of the most memorable moments in the madcap plot.

Other elements, however, can be inconsistent. While over all the cast has the crucial timing needed for a fast-paced comedy, the rhythm and tone is sometimes tripped up by a jumbled phrasing or a fumbled line. Rebecca Patterson’s direction too can be uneven, taking smart chances though missing opportunities for better use of the open, spare stage at the Kirk Theater.

Still, with so many belly laughs, those quibbles are easy to set aside. By employing a playful attitude and an occasional rock ’n’ roll beat The Wonder is a lively two and a half hours. Leave it to the killjoys (and the well-meaning critic) to nitpick. For everyone else, there’s a lot of fun to be had.

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Wonder Audio CD – CD, February 9, 2016

Kindness brings us together no matter how far apart we are. Millions of people have read the #1 New York Times bestseller WONDER and fallen in love with Auggie Pullman, an ordinary boy with an extraordinary face.

The book that inspired the Choose Kind movement, a major motion picture, and the critically acclaimed graphic novel White Bird .

I won't describe what I look like. Whatever you're thinking, it's probably worse.

August Pullman was born with a facial difference that, up until now, has prevented him from going to a mainstream school. Starting 5th grade at Beecher Prep, he wants nothing more than to be treated as an ordinary kid―but his new classmates can’t get past Auggie’s extraordinary face. WONDER , now a #1 New York Times bestseller and included on the Texas Bluebonnet Award master list, begins from Auggie’s point of view, but soon switches to include his classmates, his sister, her boyfriend, and others. These perspectives converge in a portrait of one community’s struggle with empathy, compassion, and acceptance.

"Wonder is the best kids' book of the year," said Emily Bazelon, senior editor at Slate.com and author of Sticks and Stones: Defeating the Culture of Bullying and Rediscovering the Power of Character and Empathy . In a world where bullying among young people is an epidemic, this is a refreshing new narrative full of heart and hope. R.J. Palacio has called her debut novel “a meditation on kindness” ―indeed, every reader will come away with a greater appreciation for the simple courage of friendship. Auggie is a hero to root for, a diamond in the rough who proves that you can’t blend in when you were born to stand out.

Join the conversation: #thewonderofwonder , #choosekind

Language English
Grade level 4 - 6
Dimensions 5.5 x 5.5 x 0.25 inches
Publisher Brilliance Audio
Publication date February 9, 2016
ISBN-10 1480586358
ISBN-13 978-1480586352
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Product details

Publisher ‏ : ‎ Brilliance Audio; Unabridged edition (February 9, 2016)
Language ‏ : ‎ English
ISBN-10 ‏ : ‎ 1480586358
ISBN-13 ‏ : ‎ 978-1480586352
Reading age ‏ : ‎ 9 - 11 years, from customers
Grade level ‏ : ‎ 4 - 6
Item Weight ‏ : ‎ 9.6 ounces
Dimensions ‏ : ‎ 5.5 x 5.5 x 0.25 inches
#3,191 in Children's Daily Activities Books
#13,163 in Children's Self-Esteem Books
#16,005 in Children's School Issues

About the author

R. j. palacio.

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Customers find the plot nice, happy, and unexpected. They also find the themes inspiring, uplifting, and great to get a broader view of what's going on during the story. Readers describe the content as understanding and well-written. They find the characters relatable and realistic. They describe the humor as wonderful, funny, and engaging. Customers say the book is great for all ages and has school and family issues that they can relate to. They mention the emotional tone as heart-wrenching, lovely, and angry.

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Customers find the themes in the book heartwarming, loaded with life lessons, and impressive. They also say the book provides a great look into the minds of people affected by disabilities, and a story of acceptance, finding your own strengths, and others. Customers also say it's a brilliant book for teachers.

"...It's an inspiring and heartwarming read that I would highly recommend for young readers. Perfect for encouraging empathy and understanding in kids." Read more

"...Finally, the book is filled with moments of wonderful insight ...." Read more

"...It’s just taken me a long time to realize this. Inspiring and heartwarming. I loved every part of it." Read more

"...Would recommend to anyone looking for a light reading with a good message and good vibes." Read more

Customers find the book incredibly well written, quick, and easy to read for adults and kids in the 10-12 age group. They also say the multiple narrators and their correspondingly believable voices make the book highly readable. Readers also mention that the book is simple, filled with short sub-sections just a couple pages long each.

"...The real draw of the story is that it is masterfully written and totally engaging...." Read more

"...Wonder is a brisk, accessible read because it is presented in the form of the thoughts of the characters, with no extended, meandering narration to..." Read more

"...The movie is a little easier to follow because it carries the story straight through rather than jumping between different narrators, but, while..." Read more

"...there with the rest of the kids at Beecher Prep since the writing was so good and engaging ...." Read more

Customers find the humor in the book wonderful, funny, and touching. They also say the book is interesting, full of joy, action, and drama, and memorable. Customers also say it's a timeless book that will not disappoint.

"...It is funny at times , but I also cried at least twice while reading. I read the entire book in one sitting...." Read more

"...She finished it in no time, which shows how captivating and engaging the story is...." Read more

"...some advantages: he is a smart, capable student, and has a sharp sense of humor that delights those who bother to get to know him...." Read more

"It was heartwarming and happy and it gave me a good feeling inside. I love this book and I hope you do too😄...." Read more

Customers find the book great for all ages, emphasizing family values, personal choices, and the power of the human spirit. They also say it has lots to learn about social skills, kindness, compassion, and school and family issues. Readers say the book is very emotional and everyone can connect to it.

"...It's an inspiring and heartwarming read that I would highly recommend for young readers . Perfect for encouraging empathy and understanding in kids." Read more

"Wonder is one of those special books that can be enjoyed by all generations ...." Read more

"...It's a very high-level subject presented in a kid-friendly format ..." Read more

"Wonder, is a must read for all age levels , because it can relate to several different situations where one may feel lost, as if the world is against..." Read more

Customers find the descriptions vivid, heart-wrenching, and real. They also say the book captures the meanness which children and adults are capable of. Readers say it brings laughter, tears, anger, and joy.

"...Three words to describe Wonder would be exciting, inspiring, and very emotional ...." Read more

"...The story is engaging, descriptive, emotional at times , and truly heartwarming. I teared up at several parts, both happy and sad...." Read more

"...What follows is a beautiful, heart-breaking , terrifying, and funny tale about an extraordinary kid, bullying, and, ultimately, the wondrous power of..." Read more

"...This is one of the most depressing moments of the book ...." Read more

Customers find the characters relatable, realistic, and ordinary.

"...I read the entire book in one sitting. Palacio does a great job of building the characters in the book and making you care about them...." Read more

"...It’s an amazing story. They enjoyed the different perspectives from the characters ." Read more

"...The depth of character exploration , the intricate narratives, and the touching moments woven into the pages made the story come alive in a way the..." Read more

"...the author managed to write a very compelling story that depicted character depth in both Auggie and his social circle...." Read more

Customers find the content engaging, descriptive, emotional, and perfect to introduce to a child. They also say the story makes it easy for them to relate and connect with it. Readers also mention that the book is honest enough to engage more discerning tastes and a true lesson in acceptance, understanding, empathy, and empathy.

"...the book also demonstrates how acts of tolerance, acceptance, understanding , and empathy can lead to a healthy school environment...." Read more

"...The story is engaging, descriptive , emotional at times, and truly heartwarming. I teared up at several parts, both happy and sad...." Read more

"...The descriptions in this book were excellent ...." Read more

"...of many of the characters in Wonder was really interesting and not confusing like it is in some books...." Read more

Customers find the plot interesting, compelling, and challenging. They also say the book makes August's struggles real, accessible, and universal. Readers also describe the book as a classic story of whether love, tolerance, and acceptance can overcome. They mention that the book is filled with new courage, fresh hope, and a deep joy.

"...That's the way I felt while reading this -- it read so easily, almost inevitably , as though somehow the story arose from some universal shared..." Read more

"...mean ‘goodbye’?”(page 220)This was a very suspenseful part and it was a cliffhanger !..." Read more

"...What follows is a beautiful, heart-breaking, terrifying , and funny tale about an extraordinary kid, bullying, and, ultimately, the wondrous power of..." Read more

"...A few critics didn’t like it, saying that “it's just not a totally believable story ,” and that “none of the characters ring true.”..." Read more

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Can You Guess These Novels That Originally Got Bad Times Reviews?

By J. D. Biersdorfer Aug. 26, 2024

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An illustration of a standing book with smashed tomatoes on its cover and in front of it.

Welcome to Lit Trivia, the Book Review’s regular quiz about books, authors and literary culture. This week’s installment challenges you to identify classic novels from the descriptions in their original — and, well, not wholly positive — reviews in the pages of The New York Times. In the five multiple-choice questions below, tap or click on the answer you think is correct. After the last question, you’ll find links to the books if you’d like to do some further reading.

“One can say that it is much too long because its material — the cavortings and miseries of an American bomber squadron stationed in late World War II Italy — is repetitive and monotonous. Or one can say that it is too short because none of its many interesting characters and actions is given enough play to become a controlling interest.”

“Gravity’s Rainbow”

“Heart of Darkness”

“Slaughterhouse-Five”

“Still, even when I try, in the light of these palely lurid pages, to take the Moral Majority seriously, no shiver of recognition ensues. I just can’t see the intolerance of the far right, presently directed not only at abortion clinics and homosexuals but also at high school libraries and small-town schoolteachers, as leading to a super-biblical puritanism by which procreation will be insisted on and reading of any kind banned.”

“The Handmaid’s Tale”

“The Hunger Games”

“Parable of the Sower”

“The Dispossessed”

“This book though, it’s too long. Gets kind of monotonous. And he should’ve cut out a lot about these jerks and all at that crumby school. They depress me. They really do.”

“The Outsiders”

“The Catcher in the Rye”

“The Chocolate War”

“The Giver”

“The author undoubtedly meant her to be queer, but she is altogether too queer. She was only 11 years old when she reached the house in Prince Edward’s Island that was to be her home, but, in spite of her tender years, and in spite of the fact that, excepting for four months spent in the asylum, she had passed all her life with illiterate folks and had bad almost no schooling, she talked to the farmer and his sister as though she had borrowed Bernard Shaw’s vocabulary, Alfred Austin’s sentimentality and the reasoning powers of a Justice of the Supreme Court.”

“Emily of New Moon”

“Anne of Green Gables”

“Julie of the Wolves”

“Island of the Blue Dolphins”

“It is not so much a novel as a long affectionate lark inspired by the so-called ‘beat’ generation, and an example of the degree to which some of the most original work being done in this country has come to depend upon the bizarre and the offbeat for its creative stimulus.”

“The Cry of the Owl”

“Fear and Loathing in Las Vegas”

“On the Road”

“A Coney Island of the Mind”

IMAGES

Times Reads: Explore 10 Years of Wonder!
‘Wonder’, the #1 ‘New York Times’ Bestselling Middle-Grade Novel
Why ‘Wonder,’ the Movie, Can’t Best the Book It’s Based On
Wonder [Book Review]
Wonder by R.J. Palacio [BOOK REVIEW]
Wonder Hardcover Book Only $3.99 (Regularly $16.99)

COMMENTS

'Wonder,' by R. J. Palacio
100 Best Books of the 21st Century: As voted on by 503 novelists, nonfiction writers, poets, critics and other book lovers — with a little help from the staff of The New York Times Book Review.
Stephen King Reviews Emma Donoghue's Latest Novel
100 Best Books of the 21st Century: As voted on by 503 novelists, nonfiction writers, poets, critics and other book lovers — with a little help from the staff of The New York Times Book Review.
WONDER
Google Rating. A successful juvenile by the beloved New Yorker writer portrays a farm episode with an imaginative twist that makes a poignant, humorous story of a pig, a spider and a little girl. Young Fern Arable pleads for the life of runt piglet Wilbur and gets her father to sell him to a neighbor, Mr. Zuckerman.
Wonder [Book Review]
Wonder [Book Review] October 27, 2017 ... R. J. Palacio was born and raised in New York City. She attended the High School of Art and Design and the Parsons School of Design, where she majored in illustration with the hopes of someday following in the footsteps of her favorite childhood author-illustrators, Antoine de Saint-Exupéry, Maurice ...
'Wonder', the #1 'New York Times' Bestselling Middle-Grade Novel
October 10, 2013 (New York, NY)—Eighteen months after its release, WONDER, the #1 New York Times bestselling middle-grade novel by R.J. Palacio—a book called "rich and memorable" (The New York Times Book Review), "the best kids' book of the year" (Emily Bazelon for Slate.com), and a "debut novel so remarkable, and so lovely ...
Wonder (Wonder, #1) by R.J. Palacio
Starting 5th grade at Beecher Prep, he wants nothing more than to be treated as an ordinary kid—but his new classmates can't get past Auggie's extraordinary face. Wonder, begins from Auggie's point of view, but soon switches to include his classmates, his sister, her boyfriend, and others. 315 pages, Hardcover.
Review: In 'Wonder,' a Not-So-Ordinary Boy Makes His Way
NYT Critic's Pick. Directed by Stephen Chbosky. Drama, Family. 1h 53m. By Glenn Kenny. Nov. 16, 2017. "I know I'm not an ordinary 10-year-old kid," says Auggie ( Jacob Tremblay ), the lead ...
Wonder by R.J. Palacio: Summary and reviews
Wonder is a book with such a big wide heart - it shows how we are all fragile, imperfect, and perfectly beautiful creatures. A wonderful novel by a wonder of a writer! Tom Angleberger, author of the New York Times bestseller The Strange Case of Origami Yoda
Wonder by R. J. Palacio: 9780375869020
A Kirkus Reviews Best of Children's Books A Booklist Best of Children's Books Slate: "Wonder is the best kids' book of the year." Entertainment Weekly: "In a wonder of a debut, Palacio has written a crackling page-turner filled with characters you can't help but root for." The New York Times:
Wonder Review: A Message to Choose Kindness
Book Title: Wonder Book Description: 'Wonder' by R. J. Palacio follows the story of August Pullman, a ten-year-old boy with facial disfigurement, as he faces the challenges of attending a regular school for the first time. Through August's and other characters' experiences, the novel explores themes of empathy, acceptance, and how kindness has the power to transform people and society, and ...
Wonder Book Review and Ratings by Kids
WONDER, now a #1 New York Times bestseller and included on the Texas Bluebonnet Award master list, begins from Auggie's point of view, but soon switches to include his classmates, his sister, her boyfriend, and others. These perspectives converge in a portrait of one community's struggle with empathy, compassion, and acceptance.
Wonder, by R.J. Palacio
It is an essential aspect of being human. In the captivating, award-winning New York Times bestselling novel Wonder by R.J. Palacio, the theme of exhibiting kindness is explored in an inspiring way. The story revolves around a 10-year-old boy named August Pullman living with rare facial deformities. Auggie, as he is affectionately called ...
Wonder: The award-winning, multi-million-copy bestselling phenomenon
#1 New York Times bestseller USA Today bestseller Time Magazine's 100 Best Young Adult Books of All Time New York Times Book Review Notable Book Washington Post ... Wonder is a book about a young boy named August/Auggie. He had several problems that made him look different from other children such as a huge overbite, deformed ears, and sunken eyes.
The Wonder by Emma Donoghue
- Stephen King, New York Times Book Review ' "The Wonder" is a marvel, a rarity in contemporary fiction, an alchemist's miracle in which page-turner, love story, historical romance, mystery and serious social criticism all blend together to form something more fascinating and beautiful than the sum of what could have been the bland ...
Wonder (Palacio novel)
Wonder was on The New York Times Best Seller list [12] and was also on the Texas Bluebonnet Award master list. [13] The book was the winner of the 2014 Maine Student Book Award, Vermont 's Dorothy Canfield Fisher Children's Book Award, the 2015 Mark Twain Readers Award , [ 14 ] Hawaii 's 2015 Nene Award, [ 15 ] and the Junior Young Reader's ...
Book Review: Wonder by R. J. Palacio
Wonder is a transformative book. Our reviewers, Jess Lahey, author of the forthcoming The Gift of Failure and a frequent contributor to the New York Times and The Atlantic, and her son, Ben, a sophomore at St. Johnsbury Academy in Vermont, tell us why it is a must read.
'The Wonder' Review: The Hungry Woman
A story of faith and sacrifice, "The Wonder" is a mystery wrapped in a welter of complications. Set in Ireland in 1862 — roughly a decade after the end of the Great Famine that ravaged the ...
Amazon.com: Wonder eBook : Palacio, R. J.: Kindle Store
#1 NEW YORK TIMES BESTSELLER • Millions of people have fallen in love with Auggie Pullman, an ordinary boy with an extraordinary face — who shows us that kindness brings us together no matter how far apart we are. Read the book that inspired the Choose Kind movement, a major motion picture, and the critically acclaimed graphic novel White Bird. And don't miss R.J. Palacio's highly ...
The New York Times
The Book Review Podcast. Read Like the Wind. Up Close. By the Book. Newly Published / Graphic Books. Letters. WHAT OUR READERS ARE READING. 150 10. 2. Amanda Jones. Higher Learning. Day-Glo Days. DO SOMETHING. Here, There and Everywhere. Friends of the Führer. HITLER'S PEOPLE. Bright Voice, Dark Turns. BEAUTIFUL DAYS. Literary Destinations
Amazon.com: Wonder: 0884605417889: Palacio, R. J
#1 NEW YORK TIMES BESTSELLER • Millions of people have fallen in love with Auggie Pullman, an ordinary boy with an extraordinary face — who shows us that kindness brings us together no matter how far apart we are. Read the book that inspired the Choose Kind movement, a major motion picture, and the critically acclaimed graphic novel White Bird. And don't miss R.J. Palacio's highly ...
The Wonder
The Wonder. By KEN JAWOROWSKI The New York Times. Those who would see The Wonder and focus on its flaws are the same type of killjoys who would eat ice cream then whine about the calories. While they're certainly free to grumble, they're also spoiling a treat. The Wonder, written by Susanna Centlivre and first produced in 1714, is staged here by The Queen's Company, an all-female ...
Book Review: 'Wonder Boy,' by Angel Au-Yeung ...
100 Best Books of the 21st Century: As voted on by 503 novelists, nonfiction writers, poets, critics and other book lovers — with a little help from the staff of The New York Times Book Review.
Wonder: Illustrated Edition|Hardcover
A Publishers Weekly Best of Children's Books A Kirkus Reviews Best of Children's Books A Booklist Best of Children's Books Slate: "Wonder is the best kids' book of the year." Entertainment Weekly: "In a wonder of a debut, Palacio has written a crackling page-turner filled with characters you can't help but root for." The New York Times:
Wonder: Palacio, R. J., Podehl, Nick, Rudd, Kate, Steele, Diana
Wonder. Audio CD - CD, February 9, 2016. Kindness brings us together no matter how far apart we are. Millions of people have read the #1 New York Times bestseller WONDER and fallen in love with Auggie Pullman, an ordinary boy with an extraordinary face. The book that inspired the Choose Kind movement, a major motion picture, and the ...
Wonder Drug (book)
Wonder Drug: The Secret History of Thalidomide in America and Its Hidden Victims is a nonfiction book authored by Jennifer Vanderbes and published by Random House in 2023. It tells the story of how Frances Oldham Kelsey of the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) found flaws in thalidomide research. Contrary to the initial opinion that the FDA declined the drug a license for morning sickness in ...
Can You Identify These Books By Their Bad Reviews ...
100 Best Books of the 21st Century: As voted on by 503 novelists, nonfiction writers, poets, critics and other book lovers — with a little help from the staff of The New York Times Book Review.

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Wonder: A Message to Choose Kindness

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Wonder, by R.J. Palacio | Book Review

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Wonder by R. J. Palacio: Book Review By Jess Lahey and Her Son, Ben

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Wonder Audio CD – CD, February 9, 2016

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