'My name is August. I won't describe what I look like. Whatever you're
thinking, it's probably worse.' Auggie wants to be an ordinary
ten-year-old. He does ordinary things - eating ice cream, playing on his
Xbox. He feels ordinary - inside. But ordinary kids don't make other
ordinary kids run away screaming in playgrounds. Ordinary kids aren't
stared at wherever they go. Born with a terrible facial abnormality,
Auggie has been home-schooled by his parents his whole life. Now, for
the first time, he's being sent to a real school - and he's dreading it.
All he wants is to be accepted - but can he convince his new classmates
that he's just like them, underneath it all? Now featuring a brand-new
chapter told by bully Julian, Wonder is a funny, frank, astonishingly
moving debut to read in one sitting, pass on to others, and remember
long after the final page.
Wonder by R.J. Palacio is juvenile fiction,
written with a target audience of 8 to 13 year olds. Consequently, most
of the author and publisher's resources are directed toward discussing
the books with children or young adults. My book club, however, found Wonder
to be a great read for a adults and it was a book that fostered a
lively discussion. These questions are written with adult book clubs in
mind, to help you work through this rich book.
Did you like the way R.J. Palacio told the story from alternating viewpoints? Why or why not?
What parts of the story made you particularly sad?
What parts of the story were funny or made you laugh?
Which characters did you relate to? What kind of middle schooler were you? How are you now?
If
you have kids, did you find yourself feeling parental feelings toward
Auggie -- anger toward other kids, a sadness that he couldn't be
protected, etc. Which passages evoked the most parental emotions from
you?(Example: when Auggie and his mom come home from meeting Jack,
Julian and Charlotte before school starts, Auggie tells his mom that
Julian said "What's the deal with your face?" He says, "Mom didn't say
anything. When I looked up at her, I could tell she was completely
shocked" (34).
Which passages reminded you of your own youth?
All
year the students learn "Mr. Browne's Precepts" and then write their
own over the summer. What did you think of these? Do you have your own?
Did you think it was realistic that Amos, Miles and Henry would defend Auggie against the bullies from another school?
The novel required a much-needed attitude shift for me. I 'm used to unraveling the symbolism behind imagery, searching for the deeper meaning within a metaphor and puzzling over an author's choice of setting and character motivation. This was refreshing. In contrast, there was no literary angst in Palacio's Wonder. I "got it" in this short, afternoon read, much like I would watching a Life Time episode. This is not to dismiss the novel; rather Augie's tale was uncomplicated by moral choices. The story of this boy born with Treacher Collins syndrome offers up a clear vision of how to treat another human being: with dignity, respect and kindness. Having been home schooled so as to protect and nurture the boy, Augie transitions into public life entering 5th grade at a private school. This insular environment allows for the exploration of the individual characters and how they process and evolve their relationship with Augie. It was important to keep in mind that this is a children's book and hence there is little grey in the "correct" way the characters should behave. In case one was unsure of the direction, the English teacher Mr. Browne has the monthly "Who Are We" precept. (I liked his classical, historical choices.) Augie's family is loving and supportive, the conflicts muted. His enlightened, financially secure parents have always loved him; they tussle over whether their son should attend school, eventually switching sides. His sister Olivia has been side-lined by her parents' demands of having to raise a son with severe health issues. When her compassionate and understanding grandmother dies unexpectedly, she must soldier on, processing her own frustrations with how her brother's malformations have impacted her social life. She, of course, has an epiphany, makes the enlightened, mature choice and will eventually pursue a career in genetic medicine. Let's not forget the accepting boyfriend. (I think I read that novel too.) Palacio's choice of a syndrome serves as a neutral hook and so universalizes the themes of discrimination and its antidote kindness. The 5th graders behave like 5th graders. There are the usual suspects: the jock, the brain the wanna-bes, who embody all the anxieties, hopes and stresses of middle school. Goodness eventually wins over evil, who will find a school with a better (more socially conservative) student population. So "sometimes a duck is just a duck."
For SOTA students? This is an easy read in terms of vocabulary, syntax and ideas. Most likely some would identify with the the notion of an underdog or someone outside of the mainstream; after all, much of middle school is a template for establishing a caste system. However, I imagine many of the students being flummoxed by Augie's private school and familial world. This would be an excellent library acquisition.
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Parker blog post for Wonder
ReplyDeleteThe novel required a much-needed attitude shift for me. I 'm used to unraveling the symbolism behind imagery, searching for the deeper meaning within a metaphor and puzzling over an author's choice of setting and character motivation. This was refreshing. In contrast, there was no literary angst in Palacio's Wonder. I "got it" in this short, afternoon read, much like I would watching a Life Time episode. This is not to dismiss the novel; rather Augie's tale was uncomplicated by moral choices. The story of this boy born with Treacher Collins syndrome offers up a clear vision of how to treat another human being: with dignity, respect and kindness. Having been home schooled so as to protect and nurture the boy, Augie transitions into public life entering 5th grade at a private school. This insular environment allows for the exploration of the individual characters and how they process and evolve their relationship with Augie. It was important to keep in mind that this is a children's book and hence there is little grey in the "correct" way the characters should behave. In case one was unsure of the direction, the English teacher Mr. Browne has the monthly "Who Are We" precept. (I liked his classical, historical choices.) Augie's family is loving and supportive, the conflicts muted. His enlightened, financially secure parents have always loved him; they tussle over whether their son should attend school, eventually switching sides. His sister Olivia has been side-lined by her parents' demands of having to raise a son with severe health issues. When her compassionate and understanding grandmother dies unexpectedly, she must soldier on, processing her own frustrations with how her brother's malformations have impacted her social life. She, of course, has an epiphany, makes the enlightened, mature choice and will eventually pursue a career in genetic medicine. Let's not forget the accepting boyfriend. (I think I read that novel too.) Palacio's choice of a syndrome serves as a neutral hook and so universalizes the themes of discrimination and its antidote kindness. The 5th graders behave like 5th graders. There are the usual suspects: the jock, the brain the wanna-bes, who embody all the anxieties, hopes and stresses of middle school. Goodness eventually wins over evil, who will find a school with a better (more socially conservative) student population. So "sometimes a duck is just a duck."
For SOTA students? This is an easy read in terms of vocabulary, syntax and ideas. Most likely some would identify with the the notion of an underdog or someone outside of the mainstream; after all, much of middle school is a template for establishing a caste system. However, I imagine many of the students being flummoxed by Augie's private school and familial world. This would be an excellent library acquisition.