Somehow I missed reading this one with my kids when it came out a few years ago. Needing a feel-good story, I decided to give it a try. August Pullman was born with a severe facial deformity. In fact he apparently suffers from a number of different issues, all of which lead his doctors to call him a "medical wonder." While physically he looks very different from other kids his age--fifth grade--he's actually just a normal, ordinary smart boy on the inside. After years of homeschooling, his parents decide it's time he goes to school. This is the story of August's first year. It's challenging, sad, and angering but also wonderful and uplifting. I liked that the story was told from a number of different points of view. Auggie gets the most time and he's a delightful narrator. But it's nice to see things from the point of view of his best friend, his sister (very emotional), and others.
Showing posts with label School. Show all posts
Showing posts with label School. Show all posts
Wednesday, September 11, 2019
Wonder/ RJ Palacio/ 315 pgs
Somehow I missed reading this one with my kids when it came out a few years ago. Needing a feel-good story, I decided to give it a try. August Pullman was born with a severe facial deformity. In fact he apparently suffers from a number of different issues, all of which lead his doctors to call him a "medical wonder." While physically he looks very different from other kids his age--fifth grade--he's actually just a normal, ordinary smart boy on the inside. After years of homeschooling, his parents decide it's time he goes to school. This is the story of August's first year. It's challenging, sad, and angering but also wonderful and uplifting. I liked that the story was told from a number of different points of view. Auggie gets the most time and he's a delightful narrator. But it's nice to see things from the point of view of his best friend, his sister (very emotional), and others.
Thursday, October 8, 2015
Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire / J.K. Rowling / 734 pages
Harry Potter's adventures take a darker turn in this 4th book of the series. The imagery and magical violence conjured in the text may be too strong for young readers. The teenage angst common in young adult books is very present in this volume. Harry finds friends who turn out to be enemies and enemies who turn out to be friends. He seems unable to decide who to trust. To make things worse, Ron gets angry with Harry (over Harry's fame and fortune) and ignores him for weeks.
Hermione takes on a crusade against prejudices of all kinds in this volume. Fans of the movie may appreciate this deeper look into Hermione's psyche. Another difference between book and movie is in how distant the teachers seem in the book. Snape is even worse to Harry in the book than ever in the movies, Dumbledore and McGonagal seem to hardly notice Harry's troubles and rarely help him. The only teacher seeming to help this year (besides Hagrid of course) turns out to be arranging Harry's death. (What's a year in Hogwarts without someone trying to kill Harry?)
This book, like all the others in the series, is well worth the read.
Hermione takes on a crusade against prejudices of all kinds in this volume. Fans of the movie may appreciate this deeper look into Hermione's psyche. Another difference between book and movie is in how distant the teachers seem in the book. Snape is even worse to Harry in the book than ever in the movies, Dumbledore and McGonagal seem to hardly notice Harry's troubles and rarely help him. The only teacher seeming to help this year (besides Hagrid of course) turns out to be arranging Harry's death. (What's a year in Hogwarts without someone trying to kill Harry?)
This book, like all the others in the series, is well worth the read.
Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban / J.K. Rowling / 435 p.
The 3rd book in the Harry Potter series is wonderfully written as always. The animosity between Snape and Potter is more apparent than ever. Harry has a new foe to worry about - the prisoner of Azkaban, who might have gotten out in order to kill him. Harry remains the intrepid hero and faces all his challenges bravely - finding friends where he thought to only find enemies and learning more about his own past and parents. Hermione and Ron help as much as they can and are by Harry's side through the worst of his challenges. Fans of the movies will begin noticing more pronounced differences between text and film in this book and the next. This series is excellent for reluctant readers or those who need a little magic now and then.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)