Wonder by R. J. Palacio

Wonder by R. J. Palacio
Publisher: Knopf
Publication Date: February 14, 2012
Number of Pages: 313
Genre: Middle Grade Fiction
Source: borrowed from local library

Summary {via GoodReads}:
I won't describe what I look like. Whatever you're thinking, it's probably worse.

August (Auggie) Pullman was born with a facial deformity that prevented him from going to mainstream school - until now. He's about to start 5th grade at Beecher Prep, and if you've ever been the new kid then you know how hard that can be. The thing is Auggie's just an ordinary kid, with an extraordinary face. But can he convince his new classmates that he's just like them, despite appearances?

She thinks: This book came highly recommended to me by our children's librarian where I work. I have to admit though that I was a little nervous to pick it up and discover Auggie's world. I didn't know if I was ready to enter Auggie's world. I wasn't really looking for a heavy book at the time.

{via fremdeng.ning.com}

However, there was no reason to be afraid. This book does a spectacular job explaining how Auggie experiences the world as well as how the people around him that love him experience life with Auggie. It also is real but lighthearted at the same time. The trials and tribulations that Auggie, his friends, and his family go through are real, and you're left wondering what you would do in the same situation.

{via meetville.com}

I highly recommend this book to any middle grade students and their parents whenever they are at the library and are asking for suggestions. It tackles the topics of being new, being different, and bullying. Take the Choose Kind pledge started because of the book Wonder.

The List by Siobhan Vivian

The List by Siobhan Vivian
Publisher: Push
Publication Date: April 1, 2012
Number of Pages: 332
Genre: Young Adult
Source: personal purchase

Summary {via GoodReads}:
An intense look at the rules of high school attraction - and the price that's paid for them.

It happens every year. A list is posted, and one girl from each grade is chosen as the prettiest, and another is chosen as the ugliest. Nobody knows who makes the list. It almost doesn't matter. The damage is done the minute it goes up.

This is the story of eight girls, freshman to senior, "pretty" and "ugly." And it's also the story of how we see ourselves, and how other people see us, and the tangled connection of the two.

She thinks: Every woman - teen, preteen, adult - needs to read this book. It perfectly addresses how we judge ourselves and, let's face it, each other based on appearance. The girls in the book are all affected in different ways by appearing on the list, from eating disorders to bullying. It touches on each dynamic and feeling each girl might encounter based on their place on the list. Each girl's struggle with being on the list is perfectly tied to their grade and maturity level. You can feel the pain and confusion and delight on the page. And, just because you're picked the prettiest doesn't mean that you won't have your own set of struggles. This book is real, and I am grateful for that.