Wonder (Discussion)

Hello book worms! I’m excited to hear what you thought about our March book selection: Wonder. Did you get a chance to read it? I gave it a 5/5 stars. It was such a joy to read! I’ve got 3 questions below, and Lisa’s got 3 as well over on her blog. Feel free to discuss any or all of the questions in the comment section or link-up your post at the bottom. Lisa and I are sharing the same link-up, so you don’t have to enter on both blogs. The linky will close in a week. Alright, let’s get started!

This book is a book that I would recommend to every friend I have, as well as everyone else in the world. It really pulled on the old heart strings but reminded me that kindness is, above all, the most important thing. The story was written for 8-12 year olds but children are not the only people who need to take a look at how they’re treating others.

And now, for the discussion. Before I begin, I’ll remind you that there may be spoilers ahead. Also, feel free to use my questions as jumping points. Ask your own questions and start your own discussions.

     1. I think teachers have an amazing role in a child’s life. They can make a huge influence on the outcome of a child. Mr Brown was one of Auggie’s teachers who made a big impact on his students. His use of precepts were a great way to instill thoughtfulness and reflection in his students. Did any of the precepts stand out to you (p. 312)? What would your current precept be? I enjoyed reading the class precepts the most. Amos Conti’s precept ‘Don’t try too hard to be cool. It always shows, and that’s uncool.’ was one of my favorites because he learned who he was and who he wanted to spend his time with by the end of the year. That’s a hard thing for anyone to learn! My current precept is: All our dreams can come true, if we have the courage to pursue them. -Walt Disney Here’s the list of precepts from Mr Brown:

“When given the choice between being right or being kind, choose kind.”   —Dr. Wayne Dyer
“Your deeds are your monuments.”   —Inscription on ancient Egyptian tomb
“Have no friends not equal to yourself.”   —Confucius
“Fortune favors the bold.”   —Virgil
“No man is an island, entire of itself.”   —John Donne
“It is better to know some of the questions than all of the answers.”   —James Thurber
“Kind words do not cost much. Yet they accomplish much.”   —Blaise Pascal
“What is beautiful is good, and who is good will soon be beautiful.”   —Sappho
“Do all the good you can, by all the means you can, in all the ways you can, in all the places you can, at all the times you can, to all the people you can, as long as you ever can.”   —John Wesley
“Just follow the day and reach for the sun.”   —The Polyphonic Spree
“Everyone deserves a standing ovation because we all overcometh the world.”   —Auggie Pullman

     2. I really enjoyed how R.J Palacio included chapters from the other character’s views. The chapters helped to explain why they acted how they did towards Auggie. Which character’s chapter was your favorite and why? I was extremely frustrated by Julian’s chapter in the beginning, I didn’t even want to continue reading it, but I’m so happy I did because it was my favorite chapter. Knowing how cruel and manipulative he was towards Auggie, makes me realize how prevalent that type of behavior is in our society. I am so thankful there are people like his Grandmere in this world to help people realize how seriously their actions affect others. Grandmere’s story made me cry knowing her story was so similar to thousands of people’s pasts.

     3. Which characters did you relate to? Take a look back. What type of middle-schooler were you? How are you now? I wish I could say that I related well to Summer in her accepting nature. Although Summer’s initial reasoning behind sitting with Auggie was pitty, it didn’t last long and she became good friends with him. As a middle-schooler, I had a lot of friends in different groups because I was in so many different activities (soccer, Girl Scouts, Student Council, FCA) but I can remember not going out of my way to talk to someone when they were sitting alone at lunch or in the stands at a sporting event. I have definitely changed and I think it is largely due to going to college and working in Disney with all types of people. I’ve learned that everyone has a story to tell and sometimes, the person sitting by themselves is the one with the best story.

Now, it’s your turn! Answer any or all of the questions in the comment section below. Ask questions of your own. Or, link-up a blog post with your review and/or the answers to these questions. Also be sure to check out Lisa’s discussion questions on her blog. We’re sharing the same linky, so no need to link-up on both blogs.

Remember our April selection is The Martian by Andy Weir . It’s not a book I would typically read so I’m excited to see how I like it! We’ll be discussing The Martian on May 1st.

PS. Who else had to skip the three chapters where Daisy died? I was balling just reading the first sentence and the chapter titles. Not cool R.J.! For more Wonder-ific entertainment, check out 365 Days of Wonder: Mr. Browne’s Book of Precepts or the movie (not sure when this is being released.)

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