A great story about bullying at school and about finding courage within yourself, Wonder from R.J Palacio is full of positive inspirations and is highly recommended.  

Wonder- Courage & Inner Strength (Kindle Book Review)

 Title: Wonder

Format: kindle & Hardback

By: R.J Palacio

Positive Inspirations: Courage and Personal Bravery

Wonder Book Synopsis:

Wonder is a rare gem of a novel–beautifully written and populated by characters who linger in your memory and heart. August Pullman is a 10-year-old boy who likes Star Wars and Xbox, ordinary except for his jarring facial anomalies. Homeschooled all his life, August heads to public school for fifth grade and he is not the only one changed by the experience–something we learn about first-hand through the narratives of those who orbit his world. August’s internal dialogue and interactions with students and family ring true, and though remarkably courageous he comes across as a sweet, funny boy who wants the same things others want: friendship, understanding, and the freedom to be himself. “It is only with one’s heart that one can see clearly. What is essential is invisible to the eye.” From The Little Prince and R.J. Palacio’s remarkable novel, Wonder.–Seira Wilson

Quotes from Author R.J Palacio

“Middle school is a tough time,” says Jaramillo. “I don’t know what it is about the middle school experience that turns kids into The Lord of the Flies, but it just does seem to be that way. .  . [However], maybe because the expectation is that kids will be mean to one another, but whenever one kid shows any kind of kindness or is noble, it almost takes on an extraordinary act of courage,” says Jaramillo. “You’re really rooting for the kids who stand up for Auggie. Ultimately, it’s a feel-good book because it is a meditation on kindness and the impact of kindness.”

Excerpt from the book [br] [br]

Ordinary

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.

If I found a magic lamp and I could have one wish, I would wish that I had a normal face that no one ever noticed at all. I would wish that I could walk down the street without people seeing me and then doing that look-away thing. Here’s what I think: the only reason I’m not ordinary is that no one else sees me that way.

But I’m kind of used to how I look by now. I know how to pretend I don’t see the faces people make. We’ve all gotten pretty good at that sort of thing: me, Mom and Dad, Via. Actually, I take that back: Via’s not so good at it. She can get really annoyed when people do something rude. Like, for instance, one time in the playground some older kids made some noises. I don’t even know what the noises were exactly because I didn’t hear them myself, but Via heard and she just started yelling at the kids. That’s the way she is. I’m not that way.

Via doesn’t see me as ordinary. She says she does, but if I were ordinary, she wouldn’t feel like she needs to protect me as much. And Mom and Dad don’t see me as ordinary, either. They see me as extraordinary. I think the only person in the world who realizes how ordinary I am is me.

My name is August, by the way. I won’t describe what I look like. Whatever you’re thinking, it’s probably worse.

Wonder Book Review Highlights [br] [br]

Entertainment Weekly, February 10, 2012:
“In a wonder of a debut, Palacio has written a crackling page-turning filled with characters you can’t help but root for. A—”

Starred Review, Booklist, February 1, 2012:
“Palacio makes it feel not only effortless but downright graceful, and by the stand-up-and-cheer conclusion, readers will be doing just that, and feeling as if they are part of this troubled but ultimately warm-hearted community.”

Starred Review, School Library Journal, February 2012:
“Palacio has an exceptional knack for writing realistic conversation and describing the thoughts and emotions of the characters. Everyone grows and develops as the story progresses, especially the middle school students. This is a fast read and would be a great discussion starter about love, support, and judging people on their appearance. A well-written, thought-provoking book.“

 
“Wonder is a book with such a big wide heart – it shows how we are all fragile, imperfect, and perfectly beautiful creatures. A wonderful novel by a wonder of a writer!” - Julia Alvarez, author of Return to Sender, Before We Were Free, Finding Miracles, and the Tia Lola Stories

“This really is a remarkable book!” - Tom Angleberger, author of the New York Times bestseller The Strange Case of Origami Yoda

“The breakout publishing sensation of 2012 will come courtesy of Palacio [and] is destined to go the way of Mark Haddon’s The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night-Time and then some.” - The London Times, “The Top 100 People to Watch in 2012″

“August Pullman reminds us of what true beauty is.” - Paul Hankins, Goodreads