Wonder by R.J. Palacio, 320 pages

This has probably been my favorite read of the summer. A friend and former teaching colleague recommended it to me and I loved it.

This story is told from multiple perspectives but the main character is Auggie. He is starting beginning fifth grade in his first year at a public school. This may seem strange until you understand that Auggie's face is severely disfigured due to a birth defect. He's had multiple surgeries in his ten years but there isn't much that doctors have been able to do.

This book chronicles Auggie's first year in school. The good and the bad and how it affects both him and those who've loved him since he was born and those who meet him at school.

I'm typically not a huge fan of books with multiple perspectives. I find that following too many characters often makes it difficult to keep up with what's going on. It can also be annoying when you have a character you really like and you have to periodically break away from that character to follow someone you don't care about.

I thought that would be the case in this book because I loved Auggie's voice so much. Therefore, the first time the novel switched perspectives, I couldn't help but grimace. But the great thing about this book is that every character is engaging. As each viewpoint switched, I found myself sad that I was having to leave a character I enjoyed but excited to meet someone new whom I was sure I'd love just as much.

I can't recommend this book enough. It made me cry and laugh and cry some more.

5 out of 5 stars

Variant by Robison Wells 376 pages

Wow, this was a weird one.  Really interesting story, though.  I had trouble putting it down.  A young man who has bounced from foster family to foster family his whole life finally wins a scholarship to a very exclusive private school.  The catch?  Once he gets there, he discovers it's more of a prison than a school.  The other students have separated themselves into factions, but they all follow the basic rules of the school.  The alternative is death, so it's not entirely unbelievable that they would.  There are no adults anywhere...ever.  Cameras watch the students' every move.  The students have jobs for which they are paid in points and then allowed to shop the school's catalog, but there appears to be no rhyme nor reason for some of the punishments that are meted out at random.  Are they being tested?  Are they being trained?  Nothing makes sense here, but Benson Fisher is determined to get out...or die trying.  This is a nominee for the Truman Award this year and is a great book for 6th graders and up. 

Because of Mr. Terupt By Rob Buyea 288 Pages

Because of Mr. Terupt is a wonderful story.  An easy page turner with short chapters and wide margins makes it perfect for a reluctant reader.  My daughter loves non-fiction and was told by her teacher to read more fiction.  I gave her this book and she was done in 4 days!  Seven wonderful 5th graders drive the different chapters of this book.  Each chapter has a different voice, a different story and a different feel.  Each 5th grader speaks about Mr. Terupt, their teacher, their friends, their enemies and their personal lives.  From the popular kid to the fat kid, from the quiet kid to the new kid, you learn that life is not easy for anyone and that what really matters in life are the people in it.  Mr. Terupt goes above and beyond to connect with each of his students and to teach them what's really important in life.  However, when tragedy strikes, does the class turn on each other?  Or do they stand by each other and finally realize what Mr. Terupt was teaching them all along?