Wonder - A Book Review

I was late to the bandwagon with Wonder. The book was already a wild success and the movie was doing amazingly well at theaters before I picked it up to read with my daughter.

And then we didn’t start it right away because we were reading another story.  But when we did, from the very first chapter, we were hooked. We jumped in Auggie’s world and loved him.

Auggie, or August, was born with a genetic condition that led to facial deformations.  In the book, there are other issues, like hearing problems.  Due to all the surgeries and to protect him, Auggie has been homeschooled his entire life.  But now, in the fifth grade, Auggie is entering school.

In school, he has to deal with children that are horrible to him because of his looks.  He makes some friends and inspires many of the students and adults in his life.  It’s a tale about choosing to be kind, about being the kind of person we should be, and about how difficult it can be to take the high road.

My daughter and I loved the story.  We loved Auggie.  My daughter loved Via, Auggie’s older sister.  It was truly an inspiring story.

As homeschool parents, my husband and I chose to homeschool for many reasons.  One of them is so that we can protect our children from the negative atmosphere that is pervasive in public schools.  I don’t know if I would have made the decision Auggie’s parents chose, to place my child in school, even a private school.  But I respect the fact that homeschooling was shown with respect.  Auggie is smart, easily able to keep up with his peers.  His personality is funny and quirky, despite having few friends in the beginning.

My daughter and I waited until we finished the book to watch the movie.  We noticed the subtle differences between the two.  Overall, the movie was very well-made and closely resembled the book.  Both have an emotional punch that will clutch your heart.

There is one scene in the book where Auggie overheard his peers talking about him in a horrible way, including his best friend.  He is devastated, and I was enraged.  That is the power of this story.  I wanted to go and confront these fictional characters for their lack of character. 

Wonder is totally recommended to read with your children.  It is a book that confronts how we see others, and how we treat them.  “If you must choose between being right and being kind, choose kind.”