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Apr 03, 2019IndyPL_SteveB rated this title 5 out of 5 stars
A remarkable and emotionally stirring book about the realities of life in school and the power of bravery and friendship. Auggie Pullman has been home-schooled all of his life, but his parents have decided it’s time for him to go to school with other children. A common event, except that Auggie is no common kid. He was born with multiple genetic defects which, even after many surgeries, have left him with a severely distorted face and ears. His brain is fine though and perfectly capable of understanding the casual cruelty of other 5th graders meeting him for the first time. Fortunately a couple of bright kids, Jack and Summer, decide to be his friends. The remarkable thing about this book is that it is written from multiple viewpoints. We see Auggie’s point of view for several chapters, then we switch and see the world from the point of view of his older sister, Olivia, and several of his friends. One of the best things about this approach is that it allows children to get outside of themselves and to see the world through the eyes of someone else. *Wonder* is particularly good at that, and it shows children that no one point of view explains everything. This would be a fine read-aloud, although it will take some voice control to get through the more emotional passages without going into full choke-up.