It tells the tale of August (Auggie), a ten year old boy born with a severe facial anomaly who has gone through more pain in his short life than most people will experience if they live to be a hundred. Little children scream at the sight of him and adults can't move away quickly enough. Auggie goes to school for the first time in fifth grade and as you can imagine it is really difficult.
The first-time author cleverly uses cultural references from the Star Wars films and Diary of a Wimpy Kid to show that in spite of his outward appearance, Auggie is a child like any other; into the same things that his peers are interested in. The chapters are short and precise, telling the story from several first-person points of view including Auggie’s. This allows R.J. Palacio to powerfully describe the impact that Auggie has on those around him. She doesn’t pull any emotional punches but isn’t mawkish either and the story is a real page turner which I finished in less than a day. The last few chapters had me blubbing (in a good way).
This is one of the warmest and most uplifting stories I have ever read and I would recommend it to anyone aged 10 and upwards.
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Mrs Osafo