Wonder

Wonder is, without a doubt, one of my favorite books.  The thing I loved most about it is that anyone and everyone can relate to it in some way.  Auggie is a typical child with Treacher Collins Syndrome which alters nothing about him other than his appearance.  So, what makes it relatable to everyone?  At one time or another, we have all struggled with feeling as though we don’t “fit in” or struggled with something about ourselves we dislike and would like to change.  Auggie is forced to deal with multiple uncomfortable situations.  He deals with bullies, he builds friendships, he has good days, and he has bad.  This books teaches children (and adults!) effective ways to deal with emotions and feeling “different”. This book could be paired with "Fish Cheeks" by Amy Tan.  “Fish Cheeks” is a short story of a girl who is embarrassed by her family and their traditions.  Students could compare this short story with Via being embarrassed to have Auggie come to her school.  Students could then consider personal family traditions that they can share with the class.  The objective is to not only get students to compare two literary works but to consider acceptance of differences.