A book at the bottom of your to-read list

Title: Wonder
Author: R.J. Palacio
Publication date: 2012

I've been curious about Wonder for about as long as I've been aware of it. The cover art is simplistic and intriguing (too bad I'd already use "book based entirely on its cover!)

My name is August, by the way. I won't describe what I look like. Whatever you're thinking, it's probably worse.

At age 10, August enters school for the first time. He's been home schooled for his entire life due to surgical schedules and recoveries that made keeping up with a regular school year an unnecessary challenge. August is not a special needs student. A fact I really appreciated about this book. Genetics played havoc on him and resulted in craniofacial abnormalities that render most he encounters speechless. For this reason, the prospect of going to school has not been appealing.

This novel alternates sections/chapters in the voices of different characters. I found the chapters from August's sister Via's point of view to be among the best. The book also explores the thoughts of tertiary characters like Via's boyfriend:

olivia reminds me of a bird sometimes, how her feathers get all ruffled when she's mad. and when she's fragile like this, she's a little lost bird looking for its nest.
so i give her my wing to hide under.

Wonder is the first children's book I've read this year. I loved its honesty and its ability to explore the inner workings of tween minds not to mention giving us a pretty realistic glance at fifth grade.

Four stars

Next challenge: A nonfiction book