Skip to main content

Wonder by R.J. Palacio

Brief synopsis (no spoilers): Auggie Pullman was born with a severe facial deformity. This year he is going to public school for the first time, entering 5th grade at Beecher Prep. 

Category: Middle School

Why I chose this book: Been on my "to read" list for a while


My personal opinion: Everyone should read this book at least once in their lifetime. It is a fantastic way to see how someone with disabilities is treated and how to handle bullying. 


Warnings
Language: None
Violence: Bullies/middle school fights
"Adult" situations: None
Death: Minor "character"

Movie rating equivalent: PG


Protagonist description: Auggie is a smart boy who is particularly good in math and science. In having his facial deformity he has learned to read other's thoughts/feelings very well. He has also been somewhat sheltered by his parents (understandably), so at the beginning he his somewhat whiny, but he learns to grow a thicker skin at school. Though Auggie deals with a lot every day, he 
isn't always model citizen and deals with pressure the same way other boys his age might react. For example, he does engage in a bit of bullying to one particular boy who is especially mean to him.

Point of view of story:  Told from several different character's perspectives

Book length: Short


Story flow: Somewhat jumpy between characters


Grammar and spelling issues: None


Character connection (no spoilers): Violet 

Comments

Popular posts from this blog

Tap the Magic Tree by Christie Matheson

Summary: Every book needs you to turn the pages. But not every book needs you to tap it, shake it, jiggle it, or even blow it a kiss. Innovative and timeless, Tap the Magic Tree asks you to help one lonely tree change with the seasons. It begins with a bare brown tree. But tap that tree, turn the page, and one bright green leaf has sprouted! Tap again—one, two, three, four—and four more leaves have grown on the next page. Pat, clap, wiggle, jiggle, and see blossoms bloom, apples grow, and the leaves swirl away with the autumn breeze. (Amazon) Attention Span/reading level: Perfect for my three year old. I would say that ages 2-10 would really enjoy something like this. It really keeps kids engaged and makes them feel like part of the story. There is one word to one sentence per page. Good uses for book in teaching: Interaction, that the reader takes part in making the story, what a tree can do (leaves, blossoms, fruit) Favorite part:      Child: The fact that ...

Balancing Act by Ellen Stoll Walsh

Summary: Two mice make a teeter totter. Soon a frog comes along and wants to join. Can the mice balance all the friends who want to play with them? Attention Span/reading level: 3-6 years old, usually 5 or less words on a page Good uses for book in teaching: Balance, science Favorite part:      Child: When the frog joins in     Mine: That the mice keep playing at the end  Least favorite part: None:   W arnings/negative feedback: None.  Review: This is a really simple but fun way to introduce the idea of balancing and weight to kids. It's fun to show them how it must be equal on each side to balance. Showing that size can affect weight is shown on the page where all the animals are on one side with the big bird on the other. This could be a fun activity to replicate with toys if doing a science lesson at home. 

The Final Empire by Brandon Sanderson

Brief synopsis (no spoilers) Vin relies on her fighting skills, and a little extra "luck" to survive in the thief's world. Then comes Kelsier, a master thief and planner, showing her that what she calls luck is really much more. Kelsier and his crew plan to use a variety of special powers to free an entire population of slaves, including themselves, from tyranny. But, as always, there's far more to the story. Category Science Fiction or Fantasy Why I chose this book Rated highly on the library site My personal opinion (the review) Definitely the best story I've read in the past year. I'm really looking forward to the next book in the series. Special abilities, fighting, romance, social justice - this has it all. And not a single bad word or uncomfortable situation. Warnings Language: None Violence: frequent, some mildly graphic "Adult" situations: None Death: Some, and of major characters Movie rating equivalent PG-13 Protagon...