August is a young boy with facial anomalies who has been home schooled his whole life, until his parents make a decision to have him attend public school. When he first starts, everyone treats him differently because of the fact that he looks different. He gets ostracized or pitied from students. But, as he lets his guards down and really allows students to see who he is, he creates friendships that help him see who he really is. This novel also takes on different narrations, from August's sister, her boyfriend, her best friend, and August's two friends. When the novel goes into that style, we get to see how August's situation effects all of those around him and how they see him.
This novel deals with issues of acceptance of those who look different than you, but they aren't really. August has many of the same interests and personality traits of those around them. Wonder helps readers see how the way they bully, mock, or ostracize students affects those that they are doing it too. It also discusses how those who have a family member of special needs often acts. How they often feel pushed out of the spotlight and need just as much love as the other child does.
As a whole, I don't think I would use this as a text to teach in my classroom. It is extremely easy to understand and doesn't deal with many difficult themes. Also, if one tried some type of literature circles, I would worry about how the illustrator portrayed August's outward appearance, as we never get a complete sense of it. The changing narrators could easily confuse students who fit the reading level of this text. It's a book that I think students would like and I would have it in my classroom though. It would be good for an independent reading project of some kind though.
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