Wonder by R.J. Palacio: Blog #2

I'm always a little sad when I finish a good book because I don't want it to be over, but after finishing Wonder I am extremely sad. It was so good that I never wanted it to end. This book opened my eyes to many things. Towards the end of the book, (if you have not read but would like to read, do NOT read past this part due to spoilers!!), August is at his graduation ceremony for the 5th grade, and his principal is giving a speech to conclude the year and acknowledged all of the students. In his speech he quotes The Little White Bird by J.M. Barrie and says, " 'Shall we make a new rule of life...always try to be a little kinder than is necessary?' ", and I have not been able to stop thinking about that quote since I read it. I think it really sums up the theme of the entire book, and is something that we all should consider when interacting with other people. Be kinder than what is expected of you. In doing this, someone's day can be made, or someones life could be saved. It doesn't take much to be kind, and this is why I want my future students to read this book. August was already sad and insecure about his face, dealing with people bullying him for it just made it worse. But there were those few kids who decided to be kinder than others, and it made all of the difference. I feel that this book really proves that people who have disabilities don't just have one story. This story is told from the point of view of several people in August's life, not just his. His story was not singular, he impacted so many people around him that the author felt the need to have these characters tell their story too. Also, when August was telling his story it wasn't even close to being a single story. It was not just his facial deformities he had to deal with, he also dealt with friendships, school work, the death of an animal, growing up a bit and changing his image, and many other things. August's story is not a singular one, but it is one that everyone should consider reading.