Wonderful New Book

I absolutely love Palacio’s work in both these books. Before I became a literacy specialist I taught 5th grade. The year Wonder came out, I had an especially challenging group. This young group of students had a difficult time with kindness, self-acceptance, and acceptance of others. It was like Palacio had dropped this eye-catching, blue book in my lap. What a wonderful gift it was! I read this book aloud to my students, and I often spent much longer than 15 minutes each day reading aloud because my students were so engrossed in the story. By the end of the book, my students had a new level of respect for themselves and the other students in the room. It was so important to me that my classroom feel like a community, and Wonder was exactly what my class needed that year.

I’m excited to check out Wonder. I think my kids might be a bit young for it, though (2 and 3). We’ve been reading “We’re Different We’re the Same,” which is a Sesame Street book and has become a favorite. It was recommended to me by a close friend who had osteosarcoma in her jaw, and the surgeries to remove it left her looking “different.”

An author friend of mine, a wonderful person and writer, has written two books about his experience of being born ‘ugly’ with facial and other physical deformities. The kids’ version of the book is available here: https://www.amazon.com/Ugly-Robert-Hoge/dp/0425287777/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1490867344&sr=8-1&keywords=ugly+robert+hoge. Amazon describes it as the perfect book for fans of Wonder.

I’m a teacher, and I have read Wonder (with my students). We loved it!!! Cant wait to see the movie.

I read Wonder aloud to my boys over several weeks when they were preteens. Highly, highly recommend. It sparked great conversation and gave me great vocabulary to use with them on some really deep issues. So glad to hear this has been adapted to a children’s book!!

Where is that whale print from? So cute!

Sounds like a wonderful series. I’ll have to check it out for my nephews and nieces! Thanks for the suggestion.

As someone who grew up with 2nd and 3rd degree burn scars (and some physical complications due to them), I felt same as Auggie most of the time. When you are young, it is really hard to understand why people stare at you or see you differently while you feel perfectly normal. I was lucky to have an amazing family who made sure I knew that my scars does not make me any different than other people. Still, I wish people were more understanding and empathetic. Also, growing up, I wish I had a book like this that I could relate to. It’s not late though. I’m definitely getting one soon:)

Thank you Joanna! I’ve been following you for years and it’s amazing seeing A Cup Of Jo turned into this platform where people from all different backgrounds are included.

Thank you for the great book rec.

My son loves whales. Can I ask where you found that great poster?

I love book recommendations and added it to my cart. I wrote a post on how to raise a book lover, which includes a recommendation for a subscription service and and a TV show centered around books. http://catherinegacad.com/2017/03/28/how-to-raise-your-children-to-love-books/

Is that your house? I love the print and wallpaper so much! I hope you give a tour and provide sources. Also, I am going to buy the novel immediately. Thank you for the lovely post!

My daughter – now 14 – read Wonder a few years ago and loved it. That was no surprise, as her character is very kind and empathetic. But recently my 12-year-old son and I decided to read a book aloud together (for a blast-from-the-past) and we chose Wonder. I loved it, and so did my electric guitar-wielding, hockey-playing, rambunctious almost-teen-aged boy. It is a beautiful story. Also, the shifts in perspective that occur throughout the book provide an effective and fascinating literary style that you don’t encounter very often in children’s (and Young Adult) literature. Highly, highly recommended!

For all the Wonder fans, The One and Only Ivan is another great chapter book for late elementary aged kids. I just read it to my 8 yr old and it led to lots of great conversations! I think even older kids would get more out of the book’s message.
For little kids I like Odd Velvet and Zen Shorts.

How wonderful! I often struggle with what to say when my children ask me about someone they see on the street who has a deformity or is handicapped. I want to teach empathy and understanding, but I just don’t know what words to use without seeming preachy. Looks like this book could really help. Thanks!

I am a children’s book editor and I can honestly say Wonder is one of my favorite children’s books of all time. So lovely and important, and as a lifelong New Yorker, I love books about city kids!

Just ordered it! I really enjoy your book recommendations!

Great book. Yes, we all are wonders as no one is identical. Everyone has their own powers and specialty.

I can’t wait to buy this for my nephew!! Thanks for sharing : )

http://hyggewellness.com/blog

These books are so important and they are such great conversation starters. Though I don’t have children of my own, I look forward to scoping it out at the library next time I’m there. Thank you, Joanna!

x Tali
http://www.stylecheese.com

Wow, my daughter and I were just talking about Wonder this morning! I had the opportunity to meet the author and asked her what age she would recommend for the novel. She said that she felt it resonated most with kids around 5th or 6th grade and up. But my daughter tells me her 2nd grade classmates are reading it and rave about it, so I think we’ll give it a try.

Love the conversation this is generating! Can you also share where the lovely watercolour whale illustration hung in your bedroom is from? Thanks!

I can’t wait to get this for my preschool classroom! We love reading books to our students about being a kind friend – Enemy Pie, Invisible Boy, Ordinary Mary’s Extraordinary Deed, Giraffes Can’t Dance – all are wonderful! Thank you for the recommendation!

ordered! Thank you so much for sharing. I will be honest, reading the preview pages on amazon already made me tear up – I wonder how I will be able to get through reading the whole thing! ;) We need more books like this today and this is exactly what I want to teach my young son!

I am about to start reading Wonder
to my almost 8yo. We’ve just finished “there might be a castle” by Piers Torday which was amazing. I wasn’t sure how my son would cope with the subject and the end of the book which was pretty harrowing (I was in floods of tears) and he was really interested in it and stimulated quite a discussion. I had to explain lots of the novel to him due to the changing perspectives and narration. Highly recommend for adults as well as kids (but not young ones … more 7.5yrs and up).

We just finished Wonder last week. We would read it to our son before bed and then he would take it to his room and read on his own – one night for an hour!

It is a fantastic book. I read it on my own to catch up with my son. It made me cry at the end. So moving.