Wonder left me wondering

My mom always told me when reading a book that I wasn’t excited about to read the book anyways to find out specifically why I didn’t like it. This is what I had to do with the novel Wonder. This was not my favorite read. The novel was about a boy with a deformity and the relationship he had with his peers and family. The first couple of chapters were spent describing the boy, August. The reader is provided a descriptive image that would make the Beast look like a beauty. There was an unnecessary build up and hype surrounded by the deformity and I think it did a disservice to the novel. This is the first year that August is going to school where he experienced good relationships and negative relationships. And of course at the end, August gained friends and was accepted by all.

The reason why this novel was not my favorite probably has nothing to do with the novel. Honestly, I can’t wait for the moment when there are all types of children represented in novels and their “issue” whether it’s skin color, health issue, socioeconomic status, whatever the “it” is just exists. August is a boy. He has a deformity. He needs to interact with others and overcome a “difficult issue”. This is something that all can relate to. We have all been there. The fact that he is grotesque and his appearance was shocking did not add to the plot of the story.

What I love the most was the theme of family. I love how the parents were represented in this novel and how there were examples of genuine love between the parents and children.

Not my favorite novel, but it gave a voice to children with disabilities and it is a great discussion starter for a middle school setting. The speech the principal gives to the student body at the end of the novel was great and provided a great wrap up to the novel.