It's very rare for me to go on a reading streak these days. More so, land on two books that impressed me. After Aristotle and Dante, I read Wonder by RJ Palacio. The reviews are great. However as always, I'm not often compatible with reviews.  In the case of Wonder, I'm happy to report that the reviews worked well for me. Wonder made it to my list of favorite reads.

The lead character in the book is a kid named August. Unlike other kids, August is special. He has this rare physical disability, which doctor's can't even explain. Despite having a facial deformity, August's learning ability and comprehension were not different to any other kid. The story started when his parents decided to enroll August to a real school. After probably 11 years of being home schooled, August is finally experiencing the life of a typical school kid. Coping with the demands of academics was not a problem for August. In fact, he excelled in most of his subjects. The real problem lies on how the entire school environment is treating August. 

The best thing I love about the book was how it was told. It started with August narrating everything. I later discovered significant people around August relating their sentiments. The narrator I love best was her sister, Via. Having a brother with special needs has its own struggles. Unknown to probably everyone here, I see myself on Via because I also have a special brother. 

Plot structure wise, I have to say hands up to R.J. Palacio's approach of narration. I love how the author presented different perspectives in narrating the story. I love how each character related their endearing stories with August. I felt attached with their own stories. This later made me forget about the much awaited ending. At some point, I didn't want the story to end. There were pains and struggles along the way, but those little stories of redemption and realizations were so priceless.

Character development was equally unparalleled. Parents who have special children will highly appreciate August's transformation. August's character is a perfect dream for parents blessed with special children. While the book is clustered under Young Adult reads, I believe it also works best for parenting.

If you love Diary of a Wimpy Kid, you will definitely love Wonder. More than the humor element though, Wonder is an endearing tale of friendships, family and self-redemption. No doubt, 5 out of 5 stars for Wonder!