Wonder: A Must-Read Book for Your Family

Green Bay Area Mom
Oct 23, 2017
2 min read

Updated: Oct 11

Some books just stick with you after you finish reading them. You remember the characters, the storyline, and the message long after you put it down. Wonder is one of those books. EVERY family that has an upper elementary or middle school child NEEDS to read this book (even if your child has already read it in school) and then see the movie.

It’s a story about a boy named Auggie who was born with many facial defects and has had many, many surgeries to help him. Due to his appearance and medical conditions, and surgeries, he has been homeschooled so far in his life. His parents put him into school as he’s going into 5th grade, and of course, they and Auggie are beyond nervous about how the other kids will react. It’s quite the ride for Auggie to adjust! I don’t want to give too much away, but here are some reasons why your family needs to check it out.

The Message.

The major theme throughout the book is choosing “kind” even when it’s not easy. The idea of empathy is shown throughout the book as you have the chance to empathize with every single character and see their point of view. But more than that, you learn that kindness is the ultimate goal in almost every situation. This is SO important to talk about as a family, especially during those crucial years in 4^th-8^th grade when kids can get really, really cruel. #choosekind

The Writing

It’s a neat book because it’s told from different points of view as the person changes with the chapters. This is a great structure to do as a family because it does help your child learn how to read a book that is set up in this way, which may be new to them. It’s also rich in vocabulary and figurative language. There are also “words to live by” shown throughout the book that make the writing even better.

The Discussion

Sometimes it’s hard to have deeper discussions with your child who is in these upper elementary/middle school years. They might not always want to share what is going on at school or socially, yet these years are so tough for many. This book naturally lends itself to discussions about popularity vs. choosing the right thing to do, how your child or others treat those who might be different, and so much more! The conversations surrounding this and “What would you do?” are worth reading the book as a family if this is all you talk about.

BONUS – The Movie!

There is a movie based on the book. It looks so endearing and will really help kids visualize this happening in real life, even more than the book did. It has humor and yet will pull at your heartstrings! And Julia Roberts is the mom. Seriously, who doesn’t love Julia Roberts! I can’t wait to go to the theater and see it!