Dear R.J Palacio,
When I read your book, Wonder, I was stunned. I felt some sort of instant connection to Auggie. He was extremely insecure and shy. I can be that way, too. Even though I don't have a facial deformity, I have my imperfections, my fears, and my weaknesses. And knowing that, its hard to admit them aloud.
This year, I am the new kid, just like Auggie. For the first week or so, I often started talking about my school day at dinner and minutes later I would be crying. Not necessarily because I was being bullied or because I hated it, but because I was so uncomfortable. It was like I walked in a room, and there were a bunch of people. All of those people were in groups, and I was standing in the middle of the room, alone. Whenever I talked to my mom, she said that being new is one thing, but being a new sixth grader is another. When I asked her why, she would say that everyone has a rough start to their first year of middle school, and that I was extra brave for being new in this year because new responsibilities and tasks are thrown at you like a football. She also told me that gratitude was the most important thing to remember. At first, I could barely connect, but then I realized what she meant. It meant that I couldn't complain about not feeling comfortable and not being able to relate to all of the things that the other students learned at school in previous years, but I should at least be thankful that I am in school, and have the opportunities that I do.
It might seem weird that I thought of Auggie during this time, but I did. I just remembered that Auggie had a harder time than me with his facial deformity and being new.This really changed my perspective because I knew that real or not real, someone was having a harder time than me in the world.
Now, that it is a few months into the year, I am seriously questioning why I was ever so anxious and uncomfortable. I could be in the worst mood because of something that happened before school, and the minute I get to school, that mood is gone. Its all because I have made potentially the best friends in the world that always make me laugh when I am down.
Auggie Pullman is a brave, and a newly confident human being, as most of us should be. I have overcome my challenges, I have found the people I want to be around and the people I dont. I have become more confident, and I am able to do and try more things because of that. I am finally myself, and that is good. I really learned a lot from Auggie Pullman, even if he is just words printed on a book page.
Sincerely,
Stella Logsdon