Wonder

Locations
Call Number: Y Fiction / Palacio, R. J., Kids Book / Fiction / General / Palacio, R J
On Shelf At: Downtown Library

Location & Checkout Length	Call Number	Checkout Length	Item Status
Downtown Kids Books 4-week checkout	Y Fiction / Palacio, R. J.	4-week checkout	Canceled Transit
Downtown Kids Books 4-week checkout	Y Fiction / Palacio, R. J.	4-week checkout	On Shelf
Downtown Kids Books 4-week checkout	Y Fiction / Palacio, R. J.	4-week checkout	On Shelf
Downtown Kids Books 4-week checkout	Y Fiction / Palacio, R. J.	4-week checkout	Due 05-12-2024
Downtown Kids Books 4-week checkout	Y Fiction / Palacio, R. J.	4-week checkout	Due 04-04-2024
Pittsfield Kids Books 4-week checkout	Kids Book / Fiction / General / Palacio, R J	4-week checkout	Due 05-02-2024
Traverwood Kids Books 4-week checkout	Kids Book / Fiction / General / Palacio, R J	4-week checkout	Due 05-02-2024
Westgate Kids Books 4-week checkout	Kids Book / Fiction / General / Palacio, R J	4-week checkout	Due 04-16-2024

Ten-year-old Auggie Pullman, who was born with extreme facial abnormalities and was not expected to survive, goes from being home-schooled to entering fifth grade at a private middle school in Manhattan, which entails enduring the taunting and fear of his classmates as he struggles to be seen as just another student.

REVIEWS & SUMMARIES

School Library Journal Review
Booklist Review
Publishers Weekly Review
Summary / Annotation
Fiction Profile
Excerpt
Author Notes

COMMUNITY REVIEWS

It's a WONDER-ful Life submitted by mcki1 on June 30, 2012, 2:31pm Auggie is hideously ugly. I’d tell you how, but it would ruin the book for you. Let’s just say people sometimes audibly gasp when they look at him. He’s used to it. But, it’s still hard on him when he goes to school for the first time ever, and middle school at that. As his sister’s boyfriend says, “Middle School is just about as tough as it gets.” Will he ever make any friends who see him for the really, rather normal boy that he actually is, despite his appearance? This is a coming of age story, not only for Auggie, but for the other characters in the book as well, which really gives the reader a memorable punch. Auggie might be ugly, but WONDER is a beautiful book.

Palacio uses many voices to tell Auggie’s story, and it works because she does it well. In a soft, subtle, but definite shift, she creates a montage-effect with each voice leaving the story a little bit further ahead than where the last person left off. More than her story-telling skill, I appreciated the “message” of the book. Choose kind. See humanity in the world around you. Choose to be more than kind sometimes, go out of your way to do it. I just watched the viral video of some middle school kids bullying a bus monitor yesterday, so this message renewed some of my hope. People really can be kind. The deal is, though, that sometimes this type of message gets schmaltzy and downright preachy, so it’s easy for readers to tune it out. I think that’s where this book will differ. Just when it’s getting too preachy, the voices change and the narrative barrels forward.

If you liked MOCKINGBIRD, SO B. IT, or any other novel that teaches us how to get along, you'll love WONDER.

Rating: 5 tissues.

Good until the end submitted by yugure on January 15, 2013, 12:42pm Realistic fiction is generally not my cup of tea, and I've already read (and lived) my fair share of "fitting in" stories, so I was hesitant to pick up Wonder, but I had heard from so many people how much they liked it that I thought I'd give it a try.

For the most part, I liked Wonder. I thought Palacio did a great job of making Auggie seem like a very normal, average boy with the exception of his physical different-ness. His voice feels very authentic, and I love that he loves Star Wars. I also liked the chapters told from his sister Via's point of view, but I thought the other POVs pulled the focus off of Auggie (I am reading this book for his story, after all!)

The book lost me is at the very end, where the conclusion was overly sentimental, basically undoing all the good will it had been building over the course of the story. I can't say too much without giving away what happens, but I will say that I was disappointed in it.

An Excellent Read! submitted by leehannah on June 17, 2013, 9:34am I found this book to be amazing and it really made me think about people from a different point of view. I don't want to spoil the ending or the whole book, but I would highly recommend it for anybody but especially those in middle school. The main character is August (Auggie) and he has trouble due to his appearance. I feel like R.J. Palacio is strong in having the reader feel what Auggie is feeling.

Life Changing submitted by jangmikyoung on June 17, 2013, 5:28pm I think this book really changed how I look at "different" people out there. I think so because the storyis told from mostly the "different"person, Auggie's, point of view. It describes how people starred at him which really changed me.

Terrific. submitted by jthecken on June 19, 2013, 9:02pm This book was a wonderful but at times tear needed book. "I won't describe what I look like. Whatever you're thinking its probably worse" Beautiful.

Touching submitted by sherlonya on June 19, 2013, 10:31pm This was a touching book. I couldn't put it down. For the moms out there, you might want to have a box of tissues nearby.

Good submitted by philiptv on July 16, 2013, 11:28am I liked Wonder. I liked that August had interests of many kids his age. Palacio did a great job especially since this was her debut book.

Awesome submitted by webbnic1 on July 22, 2013, 3:18pm This is a really good book. I think parents and kids would like Wonder. This book is about a kid who struggles through life with a face problem. This book is awesome!

A GREAT BOOK submitted by cdarragh on July 29, 2013, 12:39pm I got Wonder for my birthday, read it the next and loved it

Great submitted by Katharina Geschner on June 13, 2014, 2:49pm This book is awesome. You can't stop reading it.

Really Good submitted by sunsuliles on June 13, 2014, 7:31pm This book is an interesting and fun book. It talks about middle school

Amazing submitted by kjurgle on June 17, 2014, 11:44am This a very good book!!!!!!

Amazing book submitted by unknown on June 20, 2014, 5:59pm It is an amazing book that makes you realize that don't ever judge a book by its cover

A Must Read for All! submitted by darian.leib on June 22, 2014, 11:28am You know how sometimes your memory of something is very different from your actual experience? I just finished reading this book for the second time, confirming that wasn't the case here. This book was everything I remembered it was. As a teacher, I think this is a must-read for students of all ages, used as a read aloud when appropriate. I have found myself recommending it to adults as well.

Also, Palacio just released an e-book called The Julian Chapter, which is a sequel of sorts to Wonder. I had high expectations, and she met them. Read them both!

A good book submitted by Noahwebb on June 23, 2014, 6:30pm My class read this book and it was good and fun.

Best book submitted by jerbear on June 24, 2014, 6:21pm This is one of my favorite books of all time. It touched my heart, and that touch won't leave me now.

Wonder-ful Book! submitted by Dannihu on July 9, 2014, 4:13pm An amazing, inspirational story, with an emotional plot and amazing details. A good read for any bored person!

Best Book Ever submitted by anushagupta on July 12, 2014, 9:52pm I was moved by this book. Inspirational. It will make you laugh and cry. A great read.

Wonder of a Book submitted by rekha on July 16, 2014, 10:17pm Truly amazing book! An amazing, inspirational story. A must read for the whole family. Loved every minute of it.

A rare gem submitted by doctorfang on July 21, 2014, 6:02pm Wonder is a rare gem of a novel--beautifully written and populated by characters who linger in your memory and heart.

Wonder submitted by hcf on August 31, 2014, 7:03pm Be kinder than necessary. That sums it up for me.

heart melting submitted by Sweet on June 12, 2015, 2:43pm Wonder is a verygreat book that really touched me. I especially like how the author used so many points of veiw, making you wonder and rethink as you read.

favorite submitted by peterflorence on June 14, 2015, 10:34am This is my favorite book of all time. You must read it. It is about a person who has a disfigured face and has to make friends at school. A great book and a must read. It touched my heart and made me cry in some parts.

Emotional submitted by Stanley on June 17, 2015, 8:15pm Very touching and emotional book telling how people have to get over problems that they didn't mean to have. It was just the luck of the draw. I couldn't stop thinking about all the unlucky people in life.

one of my favorite books submitted by JY 2005 on June 18, 2015, 9:19am really really good book you should read it

Great book submitted by Miriam Wasserman on July 2, 2015, 5:48pm Really moving book. Loved it!!!

The best book ever submitted by Ian Zhang on July 13, 2015, 12:16pm This one of the best book ever that my teacher read to me

Heartwarming submitted by angejohn on July 13, 2015, 9:50pm I set out to read this text as a moral (and academic) support for my middle school son who was required to read for school. I quickly found the story intriguing and moving. Protagonist August even with his unique physical characteristics is a realistic companion drew me in into his tale and carried me through on an emotional roller coaster complete with tear jerking moments and inspirational insight.

A lovely, impassioned tale about the redemptive quality of the human spirit. A must read for those of all ages old enough to understand!

Wonder submitted by Junie on August 8, 2015, 6:12pm I find this book great and inspiaring!

*YOU* should read this book submitted by Susan4Pax -prev. sueij- on August 8, 2015, 9:11pm My 9 yo daughter read this is school this year and insisted I read it. (My son read it several years ago and seconded the recommendation strongly.) Once again, they were spot on.

An excellent book. Another of those YA books that stretches your worldview to see and think and feel how life is from someone else's perspective -- but even better, this tells the story of a boy with severe facial disfigurement from not only his perspective, but also that of his sister and several friends and classmates. It follows Auggie through his first year of middle school, which is also his first year not being homeschooled, and through the social twists and turns of that additional challenge.

This book is for *everyone* 3rd grade and up. Yes, I mean you.

Great Parent/Child Read Aloud submitted by andrea on August 31, 2015, 10:46pm My 11-year-old son read this book to me. It led to a lot of discussion about things happening at school and the ways kids treat each other that likely wouldn't have happened without this book. Read it with your kids! Our copy included the Julian Chapter, which added to our discussion.

MUST READ submitted by Bookworm8 on November 14, 2015, 8:55pm This is probably the best book I've ever read! Check it out RIGHT NOW!!!

Loved It submitted by Hades on June 18, 2016, 12:02pm This book was sooooo good that i read it twice in a row and forgot to renew it!!! xD

Believe submitted by NoaG on July 9, 2016, 3:54pm This book really taught me to learn that everybody is different and unique and special in their own way.

Wonderful submitted by dez on July 9, 2016, 4:04pm It was touching and hurtful at times.

Amazing submitted by TELLIES on July 31, 2016, 5:31pm This book is amazingly written and a great book. I could really understand everything, like I actually was Auggie. It made me laugh and cry. Amazing book.

AWESOME submitted by careyy on February 26, 2017, 9:51am Bestbookever!!!!

Wonderful! submitted by pepemama on June 16, 2017, 5:11pm A very well written book. A must read for this summer!

Beautiful submitted by EllieN-W on June 17, 2017, 9:15am this book was a beautiful, and interesting mix of love, and friendship! It was the best book I ever read!

Great Book! submitted by charlottedebaltzo on June 20, 2017, 10:46am This is definitely one of my favorite books I've read this year. A book I want to read to my kids when they get a little older and are about to enter middle school!

Fantastic! submitted by books rule on June 21, 2017, 10:19am Wonder is my all time favorite book it helped me understand how hard it would be to be so different and definitely made me cry a couple of times. Wonder is a must read for kids and adults alike. I love it.

Great submitted by khamidi on July 12, 2017, 12:52pm I really like this book. It is an interesting story about a boy named August who has a -how do I say this- not normal face. It is a story about his life. It is really good.

So beautiful submitted by KOH on August 4, 2017, 9:06pm Lovely, captivating story that's wonderful for kids and adults alike.

beautiful story submitted by colleenklussalisbury on June 15, 2018, 7:51pm the story is great it should be on top of your reading list.

Amazing Story submitted by lexielizzie on June 16, 2018, 4:11pm I give this story 10/10 it's one of my favorite books!

Amazing Book submitted by Shannon2336 on June 17, 2018, 10:04am I read this book with my 9 year old son, he loved the book and I did too! I plan to checkout the movie when it comes to the library!

Love it! submitted by lei01341 on June 17, 2018, 1:57pm A five star book. Good for adults too.

AMAZING submitted by lguenthner on June 17, 2018, 2:33pm I give this book 5 stars. This is a touching, sad, inspirational book.

Super submitted by sonaowens on June 17, 2018, 4:37pm I loved the book Wonder. It was super good. I loved the meaning of kindness

Awesome submitted by speedysophia on June 18, 2018, 11:32am I really like this book. I like how it shows what his friends and sister are going through too.

Great submitted by motherof3 on June 18, 2018, 3:53pm This is a great book

Child who is different submitted by Xris on June 19, 2018, 9:42pm Love how this author portrays the main character. He's still a kid, but looks different, and his family are pretty great about dealing with it and helping him feel good about who he is. :)

me too submitted by kendra-library on June 20, 2018, 12:19pm you could say i'm wonder too i look different so i get teased too #choosekind anyway GREAT! BOOK

So Inspiring! submitted by bookworms on June 23, 2018, 7:11pm This book follows the life of August Pullman, a kid with a very unusual face. Auggie has had trouble fitting in his whole life because other children are afraid of his face. One day, Auggie and parents decide that he should try out going to Beecher Prep School. At school Auggie struggles to make friends and fit in, and he is bullied by a boy named Julian. With the help of his family and new friends, Auggie learns how to accept who he is.

I love the way this story is told through the view of several characters! It makes it quite hard to stop reading!

Amazing and very inspiring! submitted by priscilladu on June 27, 2018, 9:37am This book is about Auggie Pullman's life. Auggie is a boy who has facial differences and he faces bullying at his new school, Beecher Prep. He struggles to make friends and fitting in. He gets bullied by a kid named Julian. This story is told through multiple points of view and you never want to put it down. It's very inspiring and its overall such a great story.

really good! submitted by drwuju1 on July 3, 2018, 4:30pm there has always been a time when you've looked into the mirror and say: " I think I'm ugly." Wonder is one of those rare books that lets us see that we all have beauty on the inside and out.

Great book submitted by fatismata on July 6, 2018, 10:28pm It's very inspirational

Awesome submitted by Munchkin on July 14, 2018, 4:41pm Awesome and sad at the sad at the same time.

Pretty Good submitted by Coleman on July 18, 2018, 2:46pm I liked it but thought that the ending was a little unrealistic.

Wonder submitted by AmeliaR on July 23, 2018, 1:55pm This book is so good!

Great Book! submitted by Cayla on July 23, 2018, 8:35pm It's very inspirational

BEST!!! submitted by Fleabag on August 4, 2018, 3:27pm so good! sad and happy at the same time. it's a 5 star book.

Emotional submitted by Bigal2212 on August 22, 2018, 1:43pm Very nice and sad book

AMAZING!!!!!!!!! submitted by catenka on August 30, 2018, 11:12am Hello I'm 7 years old and this is the first big chapter book I ever read by my self and I love it so so so so so so so so so so muuuuuuuuuuch; I love this book because of the storyline i love how Auggie becomes friends with other people by only being himself and he has friends that help him stand up to bullies.

Good submitted by nicenora2371 on June 15, 2019, 5:27pm It had different points of views which I really loved

Great Book submitted by MagicallyMay on June 16, 2019, 2:44pm Lovely book

Great Book submitted by accountefpd on June 17, 2019, 8:27am This book is amazing!

23rfqwef24brhn4yrj submitted by maxence07 on June 18, 2019, 7:19am 46jh46yju46yjr6j

heartwarming submitted by Satvika on June 18, 2019, 11:21pm You need to read this book. Love it! It's so sad but is one of my favorite books!

so wonderous submitted by Kiyoteru Tsutsui on June 20, 2019, 10:22am I love Wonder! One of my most favorite books ever. Some parts are sad but great.

Wonder submitted by SBNB on June 23, 2019, 8:25pm This is a great book. It should be required reading for everyone. Kindness is everything.

Wonder submitted by Evan230 on July 8, 2019, 1:45pm Wonder is a really good book. It is readable to all ages. I would definitely recommend this book to everybody. It is also one of my favorite books.

great submitted by Annabeth4 on July 12, 2019, 3:50pm This book was heartwarming

WONDER-ful! submitted by shanbao on July 13, 2019, 7:22pm This book inspires people to be kind to others. It comes with a powerful message, to not judge a book by its cover, or don't judge a person by their face. It teaches us to be role models.

Amazing submitted by zora on July 16, 2019, 4:48pm I would recommend that every person of any age reads this book. It is so heartwarming along with shows the reader true feeling. It is so easy to sympathize and connect with the main character. Even if you are not in the exact same position as Auggie you can relate to the experiences that he goes through and can feel the pain he feels.

Awesome submitted by ramesh_anmulwad on July 20, 2019, 11:37am this book inspires me, and everyone else (who read this book) to be kind to others.

One of the best books submitted by grderrow on July 29, 2019, 9:42pm I have read it twice already because it is so good.

Great story submitted by jenquad on August 28, 2019, 8:49pm I like that people stood up for August. It was entertaining because there was a lot of action in the story.

Such a great book! submitted by wysea on June 14, 2020, 11:38am I loved reading this book out loud to my son. I was sorry when it ended! Such a great book.

So many reviews. This book definitely strikes a chord with many people. submitted by tbbrown76 on June 20, 2020, 9:47pm The main character is very relatable even though most of us have fairly normal faces. His sister inspired me to read War and Peace. I think anybody who doesn't love this book needs counseling.
Very highly recommended!
TB

absolute treasure submitted by lgoff on July 26, 2020, 10:54am Wonder is an absolute treasure. Words can't express how touched I am by Auggie's story. Every one, no matter what age, should read this gem of a book.

Terrible book submitted by Hslee on August 19, 2020, 11:54pm I hate this book. It is the worst one that I have ever read in my life and I am not sure why I read this.

Best book ever submitted by MayaLucy on June 4, 2021, 2:01pm This book is so so good!

amazing moral submitted by bedineelu on June 30, 2021, 4:35pm the moral of this book is so amazing the best

great book submitted by sophiaszh on July 12, 2021, 11:18am this is my favorite book ever!!

Wonder submitted by swansoncarey on August 9, 2021, 7:36pm It's a super good book. You should read it if you like stories about good friends.

important read for kids submitted by audreyhalversen on July 13, 2022, 1:32pm Endearing, sweet, sincere-- a must-read for kids! Even as an adult I feel like I took some good life lessons from this.

Sweet submitted by ADMartin on July 29, 2022, 6:58pm Such a wonderful and sweet book. Everyone should read this one.

Wonderful read submitted by allilruff on August 5, 2022, 8:58am A great read-allowed for families with elementary aged children!

AWESOME!!! submitted by xijin Hiraga on June 10, 2023, 11:29am Wonder is a great story for everyone, and tells a great story.

A very good book for all ages. submitted by jmanwoo on June 12, 2023, 10:05am My wife originally checked out this book for my 14 year old daughter who is not fluent in English. My wife began reading it and told me it was really good, so I picked it up and I ended up finishing it in only a couple of days. The way stories are told from different perspectives makes the book interesting and exciting. The writer uses uncomplicated words and sentences to convey complex emotions and that is just amazing. Movie was good, but the book is a treasure.

I love it! submitted by alfulton99 on June 30, 2023, 6:10pm I love the book I think that it is a very unique book!

Heartwarming and Inspiring submitted by emtuft on July 8, 2023, 3:14am Loved it! Such a wonderful story and well written book. I enjoyed the style of the book with different sections being told from different perspectives, including perspectives you wouldn't expect (i.e. Via's boyfriend, though style wise, his section wasn't my favorite, haha). An enjoyable, inspiring and heartwarming read!