WONDER

Wonder by J. R. Palacio at first seems like a book about a fifth grader with a deformed face. The main character August Pullman starts school in fifth grade, after being home schooled. His older sister Olivia starts high school the same year. The book is about August's first year of school, the struggles and discrimination he faces because of the way he looks. Throughout the book different characters tell the story, so that we soon get to know the thoughts of August, Olivia and all of their friends. I think that this is a genus way to write a book. There is no better way to get to know the characters, than to be put right inside their minds and see the world around them in their eyes.

It is hard for me to have a favorite character because all of the characters have such different views on what is happening throughout the book. However, the character I can relate to the most is Olivia, because of how she lost one of her best friends from middle school when they came to high school. I really enjoyed reading this book partly because of the way that I is told, but partly because this is such a different topic than I have ever read a book about. There is nothing I can say that I would change in this book, but I would also love if there was a sequel to the book, because I have become so attached to the characters that I want to read more about them. But in the meantime I will be sure to tell everyone I can to read this book, because there is no reason you should not read it.

In the story, all of the characters face various conflicts that span from losing one of  your best friends, to having people discover something about you that although is a major part of your life, it was nice to forget about every once in awhile, and those are only the problem that one of the characters has to deal with. Although everyone has their hardships throughout the year, the book is mainly about realizing who you are, and how you fit in with everyone else - even though everyone else is trying to figure out who they are aswell. This is a really amazing message to spread, it is important to figure out who you are, and where you belong, but also remember that everyone else is trying to figure this out at the same time. Most importantly that nothing is set in stone, and anyone can make a change.

For the creative portion of this project, I made a playlist that August Pullman (the main character) might listen too. A few of the songs are mentioned in the book, a few of the songs go along with themes and events in the book, and some of them are just songs I could see August listening to based on his personality, and who he is in the book.

August Pullman’s Playlist

Space Oddity................................................................................................David Bowie

Luckiest Guy on the Lower East Side...............................................The Magnetic Fields

Major Tom (English version)......................................................................Peter Schilling

Star Wars Main Title...................................................................................John Williams

Spaceman........................................................................................................The Killers

Lonely Boy.............................................................................................The Black Keys

Young Blood...............................................................................The Naked and Famous

I’ll Rise............................................................................................................Ben Harper