August is a typical ten year old kid, he rides his bike, plays sports, video games and eating junk food. What’s not typical is that he’s had twenty-seven operations and despite them, his appearance isn’t what everyday society would classify as “normal.” This is the result of what is described as a rare “mutant” gene that causes severe facial deformities.
His parents are torn about sending him to school. Their hesitation stems from the fear of how casually cruel other ten year olds in the world can be. His older sister Via, gets fueled by anger whenever she seems people staring at August, and they stare a lot.
When he does start school, August is full of nerves because being full of nerves is what every ten year old should experience when they start a new school. Of course, August has much more weighing down on him as he tries to cope with the stares and whispers as he passes students in the corridor.
The world is brutal, but middle school can be worse.
Wonder provides the ups and downs of experiencing a new school and doesn’t shy away from how cruel people can be, and how empathetic and kind they can be as well. Not only does it allow you to step into the shoes of someone experiencing something unique and difficult to navigate, it’s also full of charm, wit and hope. The book’s aim isn’t there to make you feel sad for August, it’s to shine a light on the goodness that can come out of people.
Wonder is a modern classic that injects you with a feeling that not all is lost in this world, I highly recommend it if you somehow haven’t yet picked it up.
A beautiful clothbound edition of the much-loved modern classic Wonder. Bound in real cloth with two coloured foils and sprayed coloured edges, this deluxe edition is a perfect gift or collector's item. Part of an eight book set published to mark the 85th anniversary of Puffin Books. With a brand-new foreword from Tom Fletcher.
'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 facial difference, Auggie has been home-schooled by his parents his whole life. Now, for the first time, he's being sent to a real school. All he wants is to be accepted - but can he convince his new classmates that he's just like them, underneath it all?
Astonishingly powerful, WONDER is a read you'll never forget.
Collect all eight titles in the Puffin Clothbound 85th Anniversary Collection
R. J. Palacio is a graphic designer by day and a writer by night. She lives in New York City with her family and a black dog called Bear. The Times chose her as one of their 100 people to watch in 2012.
