Comments on: Wonder

By: Colette

Colette — Tue, 19 Feb 2013 21:36:50 +0000

Sam, and Shoshona, I agree to a point. The only chapter I didn’t enjoy was the one about the boyfriend. BUT! This book was written for kids, therefore they should speak to kids insecurities. It would have been nice to see a chapter from Julian and find some redeeming value in his treatment of Auggie. That aside, kids today want everything handed to them on a silver platter, all wrapped up with a pretty bow. They feel entitled to treat others any way they want, with no ramifications attached. They have NO qualms of making fun of the least error in a person, never mind some poor kid who doesn’t have a normal face, something he can’t hide, and shouldn’t have to.

This is the type of book, with true feelings about something kids can’t control, what you are born with, our children NEED to be exposed to type of literature. It is happening more and more. When I came to this campus 16 years ago, we had a unit with children who couldn’t walk or talk. Many were either spoon fed or through a feeding tube. I exposed my students to these children. The worst behaved kids in my class had the biggest negative reaction, no empathy, no forethought of how to respond appropriately. We spent class time discussing this classroom of children. Well, that unit moved long ago to another campus, but we have kids who have other issues, this book speaks to many of those issues. Bulling at the top of them!

I LOVED this book!

By: Cybil Awards Honor Palacio, Sheinkin, Hartman | School Library Journal

Cybil Awards Honor Palacio, Sheinkin, Hartman | School Library Journal — Tue, 19 Feb 2013 17:52:38 +0000

[...] Grade Fiction Wonder. R. J. Palacio. Knopf. Told from multiple perspectives, this poignant, honest realistic read, a boy [...]

By: Wonder by R.J. Palacio | Hope Is the Word

Wonder by R.J. Palacio | Hope Is the Word — Tue, 30 Oct 2012 10:04:33 +0000

[...] [...]

By: Recent reading: middle grade | By Singing Light

Recent reading: middle grade | By Singing Light — Fri, 12 Oct 2012 00:00:52 +0000

[...] of these books are, I think, strong Newbery contenders and have been discussed over at Heavy Medal: Wonder and We’ve Got a [...]

By: Wendy

Wendy — Sat, 06 Oct 2012 16:00:54 +0000

I thought JAKE & LILY was great, and called it “the book to read about bullying this year”. I thought it told a much more real story, and was in a way more challenging to the reader in the way it makes you go from empathizing with a character to uncomfortably hating him and then works you back to loving him again.

By: Brandy

Brandy — Fri, 05 Oct 2012 23:25:18 +0000

@Mr. H: I didn’t like the approach to bullying any better in JAKE & LILY than in WONDER. I thought they were similar in their dramatic techniques and sweeping changes. In my opinion LIAR & SPY trumps both of them as far as the bullying theme is concerned. I am surprised to not have heard more buzz about JAKE & LILY though . It wasn’t one of my favorites of the year but I certainly found it to be just as good as, if not better than some of the books that are garnering more discussion.

By: Shoshana

Shoshana — Fri, 05 Oct 2012 21:46:09 +0000

I thought Spinelli nailed what it’s like to be eleven.

By: Mr. H

Mr. H — Fri, 05 Oct 2012 21:15:35 +0000

Anyone read JAKE & LILY by Jerry Spinelli? I actually liked his approach to bullying better than WONDER . . .

Is Spinelli a forgotten author? I feel like he’s still got some award winners left to write. Why not JAKE & LILY?

By: Brandy

Brandy — Thu, 20 Sep 2012 23:57:28 +0000

Haha Sondy, Thanks! That is what I figured, good to know I was correct and I will definitely NOT talk myself into reading it to be sure.

By: Sondy

Sondy — Thu, 20 Sep 2012 23:29:57 +0000

Um, Brandy, I just read your comment and skipped down to add: Please DO NOT read Meet Me at Harry’s! With a 4-year-old son named Charlie, you just don’t need to do that to yourself! (When I had just had a baby, I kept watching movies where a baby dies, and thought such movies should come with a warning label!)