To be honest, I never had a close relationship with reading in elementary school. I always felt intimidated by all these words on a single page which would make me confused and lost at times. I would sometimes have to re-read the same paragraph over and over again just to understand what was going on. Unlike some of my other friends, who were reading Harry Potter in second grade, I chose to resort to reading comic books instead. The colorful images with just a few captions on the side made them much more appealing to me because I could easily understand the plot. I thought I would never willingly pick up a novel to read on my own until my third grade teacher caught my attention. 

During our scheduled snack breaks, I saw Ms. Marcelli reading in the back of her classroom at her desk. She held this blue thick book, which almost resembled the size of a dictionary. My friend, who also saw Ms. Marcelli absorbed in the contents of the book, openly asked her what she was reading. “Oh, it’s Wonder by R.J. Palacio,” she answered enthusiastically. She then proceeded to explain that she would frequently re-read the book to remind herself of the valuable lessons about kindness and acceptance which it offered. She even advised that all of us should try to read it before middle school. Her passion for the book piqued my interest. 

A couple of weeks later, I happened to see the book in my friend’s house during one of our playdates. She told me that she really loved it and even let me borrow it. Although I postponed reading this book to a later date, the minute I opened the first page, I was immediately drawn into the world of Auggie. The first paragraph still sticks in my memory when he writes: “I know I'm not an ordinary ten-year-old kid. I mean, sure, I do ordinary things. I eat ice cream. I ride my bike. I play ball. I have an XBox. Stuff like that makes me ordinary. I guess. And I feel ordinary. Inside. But I know ordinary kids don't make other ordinary kids run away screaming in playgrounds. I know ordinary kids don't get stared at wherever they go” (Palacio 1). His apprehensive description of his oddity fascinated me. 

As I continued to devour each page without many breaks, I learned that this novel was about Auggie Pullman, a young boy with facial deformities, who enters mainstream elementary school for the first time. The novel shows multiple perspectives on Auggie’s experiences, which include his family and friends’ reactions to his everyday struggles. The characters grapple with accepting Auggie’s abnormal appearance, which makes readers empathize with the story’s emotional plot. 

I specifically remember one scene from the book when Auggie and his family were driving back home from Auggie’s childhood best friend’s house. The parents assumed that Auggie and his older sister were asleep in the backseat, so they openly discussed the idea of sending Auggie to a public school. Auggie’s father was against the idea as he did not want his son to be discriminated against, due to his physical deformities. During the scene, I was able to personally relate to the father’s concerns because I started to compare Auggie and his experience to my younger brother’s conflicts. Although he does not have Treacher Collins Syndrome like Auggie, he does have a developmental disorder, which also makes him a target for ridicule. I personally witnessed people shy away from or even be mean towards my brother because of his cognitive disability. I knew too well at that point of the book that Auggie was going to face a lot of hardships and ridicule at the place where his parents were about to put him.

However, despite all of the sad parts in the book, I loved its ending because it offers consolation and reassurance. Eventually, Auggie finds acceptance and love within his new school environment. Auggie is even rewarded for his bravery, resilience, and a positive impact on his school. The novel Wonder will always be one of my favorites, not only because it helped me overcome my challenge with reading, but because it also taught me that in every challenge lies the potential for growth, acceptance, and ultimate transformation.