"Â For me, Halloween is the best holiday in the world. It even beats Christmas. I get to dress up in a costume. I get to wear a mask. I get to go around like every other kid with a mask and nobody thinks I look weird. Nobody takes a second look. Nobody notices me. Nobody knows me."Â
R.J. Palacio, Wonder
I think of Wonder by R.J. Palacio whenever the word "bully" comes to my mind. When given the choice between to bully or to be kind, choose to be kind. Wonder is about August Pullman or ‘Auggie’ for short, a boy who was born with a severe facial deformity and home-schooled by his parents for ten years, and the torment he faces when deciding to make the switch to public school. Auggie's struggles are heartbreaking and real. All he wants to do is to convince his new classmates that he’s just like them… underneath it all. By contrast, Auggie's sister, Via, is a normal girl but also struggles to fit in her high school's life. It's clear that abnormality or not, it's tough trying to fit in and belong in a hostile world. And that's where kindness can make a huge difference. The themes of this touching story inspire us to exercise simple human virtues like respect and kindness.Â
Be kind, for everyone fighting a hard battle.
A wonderful read for all ages!
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