Wonder is...

I realize that there has already been a lot of amazing reviews of the book - Wonder by R.J. Palacio.  I just want to add my two cents.  This book is a MUST read not just for every classroom teacher but also every parent.  I read Wonder this past school year as a read aloud to 2 of my classes.  (The third class wanted to read Peter Nimble and His Fantastic Eyes which I will save for another post).  Each time I would read the chapters, I would always find new topics to discuss.  My students would beg me to keep reading as they were glued to this wonderful story about Auggie.  I think this book is the perfect book for 6th grade students.  Even though Auggie is a 5th grader, my students could definitely relate to what he was dealing with in school.  My students could not stand Julian.  It was fun to see their reaction and listen to them discuss the relationships in the book.  I also showed them a book trailer which is on R.J. Palacio's site.  It is great to show them because it is true to the story.

I plan to use this book at the beginning of the year as my first novel read aloud.  I say my first novel read aloud because I start every year with a short story read aloud, "Curses, Inc" from the book of short stories, "Curses, Inc."by Vivian Vande Velde.  I like using "Curses, Inc." as my first read aloud because it is great for think-alouds and getting the students used to my reading style.  Once I begin Wonder, I  plan to use some of the creative ideas from this site - Help Readers Love Reading. 

In short, if you are looking for a great book to read now or with your students - check out Wonder!