R J Palacio - Wonder

review by showhost June 2012
I have just finished this book and just wiped the last tear from my eye.
August (Auggie) Pullman was born with a facial deformity that prevented him from going to a mainstream school—until now. I had to look up some info on this book to see if it was a real story. Although it wasn't, as such, this is a quote from the author on her webpage: 'I'm not sure why I found it so easy to get into the head and heart of this ten-year old boy. I wasn't born with what he has, and I don't know anyone who was. In that way Auggie is unlike anyone I've ever known. And yet in just about every other way he's like every other child in the world. So while I can't know what it's really like to walk in Auggie's shoes, I can try and put myself in his situation, and that of his sister and his parents and his friends. I've always loved the underdogs of the world. And I've always admired those who can pull themselves up by their bootstraps and march on. I love Auggie's pluck most of all'.

At the end of the book that is exactly what you do - admire Auggie so much!

Auggie has an amazing, loving family who support him 100% and they make the brave decision to allow him to go to school knowing that he would face hostility, cruelness and judgemental descrimination. He is like "a lamb to the slaughter", says his kind father in an unguarded moment. He is 10 years old and very bright, he has been schooled at home but now facing the challenges of Prep school. The book is told firstly from Auggies point of view then twoards the middle end it is told from other peoples perspectives ( like Jodie Picoult style). I also admired so much the Head of the school for standing up to the horrible, judgemental parents who wanted him to ban Auggie from their school. I admired Summer, a girl who went to sit with Auggie in the cafeteria when no-one else would. And Jack Will, his friend at school, who had to make the hard choice of alienating himself from the vindictive bullies to be friends with Auggie (especially superficially nice Julian who thinks Auggie resembles Darth Sidious in Star Wars).
It's about how eventually Auggies heart and courage win people over.