I know you aren’t supposed to, but I’m one of those people who judges a book by it’s cover. When I first saw Wonder in the bookstore (Yes, they still exist and I frequent them), I was a little curious, but more like, what the fresh hell is this? Why does the illustration look like it came from a toddler? What is the idea behind this book and why am I now drawn to it? Then I read what the book was about I’m here to tell you why you don’t have to wonder about it anymore (The puns are always intended).
If you aren’t familiar with Wonder, the book is about the first year of school for a young boy. I know that might not sound appealing (especially as an adult), but August Pullman is not your average fifth grader, because he was born facially deformed and had to go through a number of surgeries in order to put his face back together. In the book, it is the year that his family decides he needs to stop being home schooled and treated like a normal person, but as you will see in the book, he faces a number of challenges from not just kids, but also adults who treat him differently because of his face.
Not only is this topic great for children, but for adults too. We all have something to learn from Auggie and how we treat people who may look different than us. While we might all say it matters what is on the inside, Â we all face challenges in getting past what is on the exterior. With Auggie, he proves that just because his face might not be what we consider “beautiful,” his personality is what makes him shine brighter than the rest.
Not only is the topic great, but it is well written! I have said it before, but I will say it again, I love reading books from different people’s perspectives. The same goes for this book! Being able to see through the eyes of all of the different main characters allows for a better view and gives more depth to the story. It  is written like the person you are hearing from too, so you can mentally picture each character speaking the way their text is written as, spelling errors and all.
Warning: You may cry a little, but you will laugh so much more. It is one of those books that will leave you feeling all warm inside and finding a little glimmer of hope in the world. I know that it might not be a true story, but I’m sure that there are many kids out there, like Auggie, that have gone through the same experiences and my hope is for that those kids to be able to shine as much as sweet Auggie does. It is one of those stories that you will love to read to your kids or just in your own free time and appreciate those around you.
Ultimate Ginger Review: Don’t wonder about Wonder anymore, just go read it! Better yet, if you don’t like to read (you are weird and I hate you), the movie just came out in theaters! Although I haven’t seen it yet, it is already a box office hit and has a great cast, so I’m sure that it will be just as great as the book (even though the book is always better). It is a worthwhile book to read and maybe re-read, it is just that good!
Originally published on Ginger Views
Featured image via Tima Miroshnichenko on Pexels
It was horrible