Reading is Fundamental (RIF)--Wonder

When given the choice between being right or being kind, choose kind. ~Dr. Wayne Dyer

My 3rd grader and I read before bed every night, and this book is a recent favorite! Wonder, by R.J. Palacio, tells the story of 10 year old Auggie Pullman, born with several complicated conditions that have caused deformations to his face, mouth, eyes, nose, and even his ears. His parents have kept him sheltered by home schooling him through the 4th grade. However, he and parents decide that the time has come for him to have a more traditional school experience, and he enters the local private Beecher School in New York City as a 5th grader. Auggie has an impact on the students in his school that reverberate in ways both expected and unexpected.

The book follows the perspective of a variety of characters throughout his 5th grade year, including Auggie, several of his friends, his sister, and his sister's best friend. The decision to allow the reader the experience of understanding the story through a variety of perspectives adds significantly to the great strength of this book: teaching empathy to readers. If you're looking for a book that will help open your students or children to the difficult challenges faced by other people, this book is a real winner.

This is book is appropriate for 3rd-7th graders. Prime age to share in the classroom, or as a read-aloud at home, is 3rd-5th grade. My son turned out to be a great age to enjoy this as a read-aloud. He could have read it on his own, but he would not have gotten as much out of the experience if I wasn't there to encourage conversation about Auggie's challenges.

I HIGHLY recommend this book for use in the classroom. There are many activities you can use to deepen learning and understanding in the classroom, including Mr. Browne's Precepts. Read the book to find out what I'm talking about, but click here for a sneak peek.