Wonder

I went in to the school library on Tuesday to shelve books, as usual. I also helped the library tech staple Book Fair flyers, with the help of an absolutely charming 6th grader named Anna. She told us at length about some of her favourite books, including Rules, Out of My Mind and Wintergirls (“I love books about characters with disabilities or diseases!” she exclaimed, with completely unabashed sweetness and sincerity.) This reminded me that I have to tell you, and all my friends and family, and everyone else I meet ever, that you must not miss reading Wonder.

It’s one of those books where you keep hearing the hype and you think the book can’t possibly live up to the hype (similar to how I thought “oh come on, there’s no way The Bloggess’s book will make me laugh OUT LOUD”, and then my husband stormed downstairs to sleep on the couch) and then it lives up to the hype and more. For me, anyway – if there’s one thing we’ve all learned here, I think it’s that different people can love each other and NOT love the same books, although if I’m totally honest I have to say that there are people I now think an infinitesimally bit less of now, but I try not to dwell on it.

 It’s a first novel. If I think about that too much, it makes me weep. It’s SO FUCKING GOOD. It’s deeply moving and revelatory without being preachy, it’s beautifully written without being flowery, it’s funny and honest and the characters are wonderful and the way the family deals with things reminds me a lot of the way my family deals with things. I love it. I LOVE it. Katy, the school librarian, let me borrow it from the school library over the summer, and I wanted Eve to read it to, but she didn’t get a chance, which is fine because I’m buying ONE copy at the VERY least. 

 Read it. Get your kids to read it. If you don't love it, that's fine. Just don't tell me. 

Comments

Nicole said…
Okey dokey, will do.
November 8, 2013 at 12:48 PM
Lynn said…
I see it come around in the Captain's Scholastic orders every now and then, I KNOW it's supposed to be good, but for that very reason I never order it, because (like many people, I think) when something gets super hyped it turns me off. But some day I'm sure I will read it (as happened with The Hunger Games) and then three years after the fact I'll be raving about this AWESOME BOOK I JUST DISCOVERED, and I trust you then to just sigh and pat me on the head and tell me I'm adorable. Right?
November 8, 2013 at 1:31 PM
StephLove said…
I have heard about it, multiple stories on NPR. It's on my list (which is not an actual written down list or anything but titles which sometimes flit through my brain and I think oh I should read that.) But I think I am a much slower reader than you.
November 9, 2013 at 5:01 AM
amyboughner said…
When I was reading The Bloggess' book Joe kept asking me if I was alright and could I still breathe
November 9, 2013 at 2:15 PM
Unknown said…
I haven't read it yet. But my DD loved it and recommended it on my blog. Now, my neighbour who is a teacher is reading it with her class and they love it too! I guess I better get around to reading it!
November 9, 2013 at 6:55 PM
Magpie said…
my daughter has read that book several times...she loves it.
November 21, 2013 at 10:26 AM
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