Every so often I stumble upon a perfect book.

Well, ‘stumble’ isn’t quite fair. I found Wonder after reading about it on one of my favorite blogs, A Year of Reading.

And then after I started reading it, the book showed up everywhere. Like how when you talk about someone you haven’t seen in ages and then you start seeing them again, everywhere. I read reviews and blog posts about Wonder and crossed my fingers that it would live up to all the hype. I hadn’t read something truly engrossing for a bit and I needed a book to remind me why I love to read.

Wonder was up to the task and then some.

Wonder is the story of a boy with a genetic condition that leaves his face unbelievably malformed. August says at the beginning of his story, “I won’t describe what I look like. Whatever you’re thinking, it’s probably worse.” And then as a reader, you are taken into the life of this boy, his family and friends.

I will remember this read for a long time. And I will hope that I bring with it, an important message that is imparted to the student’s at August’s school. Mr. Tushman, the middle school director, recites from J.M. Barrie’s The Little White Bird,

Shall we make a new rule of life…always try to be a little kinder than necessary.