Wonder

AUTHOR: R.J. Palacio

PUBLISHER: Alfred A Knopf
COPYRIGHT DATE: 2012
GENRE: Realistic fiction
LEXILE: 790L

SUMMARY: Auggie Pullman wants to be a normal ordinary boy entering fifth grade,
but he has a facial deformity that most people find repulsive. This is an inspiring
story of a boy, his family, his schoolmates, and principal and how they adjust to
Auggie’s deformity and his attempt to be a normal fifth grade student at Beecher
Prep Middle School.
Book trailer
● http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QOXDD3atWco

BOOKTALK: We all know how hard adjusting to fifth grade can be, right? This
story is about a boy, Auggie Pullman, who has a facial deformity and who is trying to
go to school for the first time. Despite his appearance, Auggie wants to be a normal,
ordinary fifth grader, but can he? Will he make friends? And can the people around
him learn to see past his appearance? Read Wonder to be inspired by Auggie’s
journey.

AUTHOR’S BIOGRAPHICAL SKETCH:

Author’s Name: R. J Palacio

Author’s Website:
twitter: @rjpalacio
hashtags: #thewonderofwonder, #choosekind
email: [email protected] [email protected]
blog: rjpalacio.tumblr.com rjpalacio.tumblr.com
take the pledge: choosekind.tumblr.com

Other books written by the author: First novel

CHALLENGING WORDS
Definitions from The American Heritage Student Dictionary ‐ Houghton Mifflin
26 ‐ obnoxious ‐ extremely unpleasant or offensive
32‐schlep‐to proceed or move slowly, tediously, awkwardly, or carelessly
65‐mortality ‐ the condition of being subject to death
103‐pogroms‐an organized and often officially sanctioned massacre or persecution
of a minority group
107‐diverse‐distinct in kind; different

YHBA Intermediate Book Committee Final Activity Sheet, Last Revised 2013
188‐immaculate‐perfectly clean
189‐craniofacial abnormality
190‐geneticist‐a scientist who specializes in heredity and the variation of inherited
characteristics among similar or related organisms
190‐tics‐a recurring spasmodic contraction or twitching of set of muscles
239‐prude‐a person who is too concerned with being poeper, modest, or righteous
239‐ice her out‐ to purposefully not talk to; ignore; not be friends with
246‐mayhem‐‐a state of confusion or destructive disorder
250‐trache tube ‐ a tube that leads through the mouth, along the windpipe, to the
lungs
260‐rappel‐‐to descend by sliding down a rope
287‐symbolism‐the attachment of symbolic meaning or significance to objects,
events, or relationships
290‐revelation‐the act of making something seen or known
299‐cusp‐a point
301‐verbosity‐using more words than is necessary; talky
303‐exemplary‐ worthy of imitation; commendable
303‐ruminating‐to spend time thinking about

DISCUSSION QUESTIONS:
1. Auggie says his one wish if he had a magic lamp would be to “wish that I had a
normal face that no one ever noticed at all.” If you had a magic lamp and could
change one thing about yourself what would it be and why? (page 1)
2. Auggie decided he “liked Mrs. Garcia ‐ when she wasn’t wearing her shiny smile”.
What is a “shiny smile”? (page 18)
3. Kids that are different are almost always bullied. How does Auggie know the first
time he meets Julian that he will be a bully? What are some the ways that Julian
bullies Auggie? Jack? Why doe the other kids at school follow Julian’s lead and join
the bullying of Auggie and Jack? How does Auggie respond?” (page 30)
4. Explain Via’s comment about when she describes her mom as “August’s mom” and
“Via’s mom”. Do you think Via is jealous of Auggie? Why/not? (page 110)
5. Have you ever said something you regretted saying? What was the situation and
how did you handle it after? What do you think Jack will do? (page 152)
6. The last line of the book, “You are a wonder”, shows how the author came up with
the title. Do you think “Wonder” is a good title for the novel? Why/not? What
would you have titled the book? Why?

ACTIVITIES with COMMON CORE STANDARDS :

Language Arts:

1. Sections of the book are written by different characters in the book. Discuss why
the author chose to do this. Choose one of the events that happened in the book and
rewrite it from another character’s point of view, using what you know of that
character’s personality, attitude, and opinion.
ISS ‐5.3.3‐Contrast the actions, motives, and appearances of the characters in a work

YHBA Intermediate Book Committee Final Activity Sheet, Last Revised 2013
or fiction and discuss the importance of the contrasts to the plot and theme

2. Auggie makes the connection of everyone being afraid to touch him with the old
moldy cheese in Diary of a Wimpy Kid. ( pg. 72) What connections have you made
so far? List at least two and describe with details from the story and your own
experience.
ISS‐5.2.4 ‐Draw inferences, conclusions, or generalizations about text and support
them with textual evidence and prior knowledge.

3. On page 311 of the book are Mr. Brown’s monthly precepts that he had his
students write about. Choose one of these “mottos” to write about describing what
it means to you.
ISS‐5.5.7‐Write summaries that contain the main ideas of the reading selection and
the most significant details.

4. How would you describe Auggie in the first few chapters of the book? What about
at the end of the book? Has he changed? What changes have you noticed and why
do you think these changes have taken place?

Others:
5. Art ‐ From what you’ve read from the book, what do you think Auggie sees when
he looks in the mirror? How about him mom/dad? Sister? Julian? Choose one of
the characters and draw a portrait of Auggie according to how you feel the character
sees Auggie.

LIFE SKILLS:
● Adolescent Issues
● Middle School
● Disabilities
● Friends and Friendship

RELATED INTERNET SITES:

Comprehension questions
http://www.mybookezzz.org/comprehension‐questions‐for‐wonder‐by‐palacio/

Discussion questions
http://rjpalacio.com/for‐teachers.html

Lesson plans, author interview, and book trailer

http://www.teachingbooks.net/tb.cgi?tid=29378

ACTIVITY SHEET CREATED BY:

Name: Lori Knecht
Position/Location: 5th grade L.A. Fall Creek Intermediate School

YHBA Intermediate Book Committee Final Activity Sheet, Last Revised 2013