Wonder

Wonder *****
by R.J. Palacio
Book Type: Juvenile Fiction, Realistic Fiction
Summary: You can't blend in when you were born to stand out.
My Name is August.
I won't describe what i look like. Whatever you're thinking, it's probably worse.
August (Auggie) Pullman was born with a facial deformity that prevented him from going to a mainstream school—until now. He's about to start 5th grade at Beecher Prep, and if you've ever been the new kid then you know how hard that can be. The thing is Auggie's just an ordinary kid, with an extraordinary face. But can he convince his new classmates that he's just like them, despite appearances?
summary found on goodreads
My Review: This book is absolutely phenomenal. I experienced a myriad of emotions while reading this story from triumph, laughter, and joy to heart breaking sadness and tears. I absolutely loved it. It is a beautiful, heart rending story about a young boy who is just a little different... looking. He has a face that invokes fear on those who see him. But he is just a normal kid, in his mind. He starts public school for the first time in fifth grade, he's had enough surgeries and procedures that he is stable and can handle being away from home for extended periods of time. He goes in as a "lamb to the slaughter" according to his father, and finds a place in this world. He struggles a lot as he tries to make friends and enjoy being in a school setting. I loved the family relationships in this book. I LOVED how his sister adores him and stands up for him but it still human, she's embarrassed to have her new friends meet him. But he is a part of her and embarrassed or not, she isn't ashamed of who he is. I love how much his parents love and protect their son but learn to let go a bit in this story. They start to allow him room to grow. 
The story is told from multiple perspectives, which at first I wasn't happy about, but just a few paragraphs into the first new voice I realized how brilliant that tactic was. We see the same story from multiple views. We see Auggie the way other people see him, not just himself. We feel the shock and horror of meeting him for the first time and the peace and love that develops for him as his character is discovered. 
Throughout the story there are many cruel and horrible people who treat August and his friends as though they are freaks. I absolutely love that his friends stand up for him, that they prefer his company over the "popular kids" and they choose to be "rejects" rather than give up August's friendship. Oh the woes of being a middle schooler. I love the line towards the end of the story: "I didn't destroy a Death Star or anything like that, but I did just get through the fifth grade. And that's not easy, even if you're not me."
I love August's character. He is a very intelligent young boy and is very aware of the way he looks to other people. He is self-deprecating but has a great sense of humor. He is able to joke about the way he looks. He knows that people fear him, he's used to the looks and whispers that erupt whenever he's around. He's not blind to his uniqueness. But in the end, he IS just like everybody else. He has his nerdy side - his love for everything Star Wars, and his vulnerable side - his response to how he is treated and other events in the story. But he is not a baby. He is SO strong. I've had friends bad mouthing me and been treated badly before and it hurts, but August handles the hand he's dealt incredibly maturely.
This book is fabulous. Absolutely wonderful. I read it in less than a day. The chapters are short which makes it easy to whip through. The characters are dynamic, realistic, imperfect, and heart felt. It is easy to follow August on this journey. I can't say enough good things about this book. But I will stop here. Read this book. You won't regret it.