Arlene on the Scene by Carol Liu

In the story, Arlene on the Scene by Carol Liu, a girl named Arlene has

difficulties with her disabilities. She is running for school secretary even though she is in 4th grade. Only 5th and 6th graders are allowed to run. She is determined to run and she does. She has Charcot-Marie-Tooth disorder. It can eventually affect her arms, legs, fingers, and neck. It is a real disorder. This is a sweet book and I strongly recommend it. Do you think she will win the votes that she deserves? Find out by reading the book.

I like this book because CMT is an actual disease. I went to an awareness type event on September 23, 2017. Grace’s Courage Crusade was the event. It was for a girl named Grace who has CMT type 2 and so does her mother, Marybeth. The book was based on Grace and Marybeth. I also like the second book, Arlene the Rebel Queen.

Reviewed by CharJadeSparkle

Save Me a Seat by Sarah Weeks

Save Me a Seat by Sarah Weeks is the 2017 Read Across Rhode Island book for kids. It is a great story that takes place over the course of the first week of school. The chapters alternate between two 5th grade student's points of view. Joe is a big boy who loves food but hates loud noises and feels misunderstood. Ravi is the new student in class. He's from India, where he was considered smart and popular, but his efforts in an American school keep backfiring on him as he struggles to fit in. Then of course there needs to be an antagonist in the story. He is named Dillon. Dillon is a bully and wow what a bully! Will the boys be able to survive the year? I think they'd be happy if they could make it through a week!

What a great story to teach empathy and to help teachers understand their classes from the perspective of their students. I think this would make a terrific first week read aloud. The book flies by and I can guarantee great discussions and new understandings will come from reading it.

Reviewed by Mrs. Castro

Fish in a Tree by Lynda Mullaly Hunt

Fish in a Tree is written by Lynda Mullaly Hunt. Fish in a Tree is about a girl named Ally with dyslexia. She has trouble learning in school and gets picked on because of it. A girl named Shay in her class bullies Ally. Then a new teacher comes to class and everything changes for Ally.

One thing we liked about the book was the close friendship that develops between Ally and her new friends. We also like how Ally learns to be strong. In the book Wonder, which we also read as a class, August was also bullied because of his disability. They both had to overcome their fear and stand up to the bully.

Reviewed by the Pesola’s Peaches. (You’ll have to ask us for the story on this later!)

Wonder by R.J. Palacio

Wonder by R.J. Palacio is about the difficulties of a boy with an abnormal face. Everyone keeps judging him and he finally starts going to school. See how he overcomes getting bullied by the people in his school.

The book gives a few life lessons that I really liked. This reminds me of the difficulties of school and how I'm pulling through. One of the life lessons is to be kind to others and people will be kind to you. In other words, treat people the way you want to be treated. Sometimes I get bullied in school by a person that shall not be named, but I have my friends to help me, just like the protagonist in this book.

Review By: robloxjb0007

In this book Wonder by R.J. Palacio, which is a #1 New York Times Bestseller, there is a boy who has a deformed face. He goes to school for the first time and he has to face all the struggles of school and bullies because he is different. It is very difficult for him in the beginning since people at public school aren't used to having someone as different as him there. Read the story to find out more and get a touching feeling in your heart. I really like this book because it is a touching story and really hits a soft part of your heart. It is so meaningful and you should truly read it. Wonder is emotional and is such a great story with great details you just want to keep reading.
Review by Cherryshell

Wonder by R.J. Palacio. is a pretty cool and nice book to read in class or at home for some calm time. I read this book in 4th grade and thought it was very touching and a very calming story. Auggie is a boy who has a not so normal face. His face looks a little weird. but other than that he has some good friends and keeps his Friendships! Wonder was a good book to read. I really think this was really helpful for friendship and bullying. I really think people should read for help on bullying and to not judge people on the way they look on the outside, but what they are like on the inside.
Review By theminecrafter

The book Wonder by R.J. Palacio, is about a boy named Auggie who was born with a deformed face. He starts the fifth grade in a public school for the first time. Auggie faces many challenges along the way, such as bullies, friends, and family. As the school year goes on, Auggie makes some great friends too. Will Auggie continue going to a public school or will he have his mom homeschool him again?

I like this story because it gives me many different feeling as I read it. It made me feel happy, sad, confused, angry, and excited.  I can relate to Via, the older sister because my brother just started school too. He’s in kindergarten but he doesn’t have a facial deformity. Because he just started school, we tend to focus on him more. This doesn’t really bother me as much as it bothers Via though. My family still focuses on me a lot too, just a little less than before, but I’m fine with it.

Reviewed by- #1wonderfan


In the story Wonder, by R.J. Palacio, there is a boy named Auggie. The problem is that Auggie is different than most of the other kids. He has to try to fit in at his new school. It was his first year in a school after being home schooled for his first five years of school. The cause of this problem is that Auggie’s face is deformed. Will he survive middle school?

I thought that the book was very good and had a lot of detail. The author gave me a very vivid picture of the characters and the situations. It was very sad when Auggie had to try and fit in and the other kids wouldn’t accept him.

When I was new at this school, I didn’t know many people. I had to make new friends even though it was a challenge. This made me feel a connection to Auggie.  My first friends were Jack and Will, and one of Auggie’s first friends was Jack Will.

Reviewed by TB12

The book Wonder is by R.J. Palacio. It is about a kid that gets picked on because he has a deformed face. Auggie Pullman had been home schooled until the 5th grade. This kid named Julien is a jerk to Auggie because he is deformed. Auggie made a friend named Jack Will. They also did a project together and got first place. How do you think Auggie is going to end up with the rest of the 5th graders.

I love this book. It  is a really good book that makes you want to read on. I really recommend this book for you. This book reminds me of a kid that does not care what people think of him. It is not right for people to judge you on how you look or feel.  

Review bye Hankdatank25

In Wonder by R.J. Palacio, there's a kid named August with a deformed face. He's been homeschooled all his life because of all his surgeries. His doctor says he doesn't need anymore surgeries for a couple years. His mother is making him go to school this year. He likes the school but there are some issues along the way. Read more to learn about how August survives his new school!

I enjoyed this book because of how it grabbed me and I just couldn't let it go. The story was told by different points of view. I liked August's point of view the most. August is a really nice kid. This book is kind of like the movie A Girl Like You because she gets bullied but keeps it inside. August gets bullied and doesn't tell anyone.

Panda*

Wonder by R.J. Palacio is a fantastic book!  I would go so far as to say it should be required reading for every sixth grade student in both of my schools.  I'm hoping that many of my faculty members will put this book on a list as their next read aloud for their classes.  R.J. Palacio writes from the point of view of different children throughout the book and manages to accurately capture each person's feelings and voice.

Okay, by now you probably want to know what this book is about...  Wonder is a book about a boy who is born with a genetic abnormality that causes his face to be deformed.  His name is August, and through his voice we get to see the world from his point of view.  We learn about how he ignores the staring looks of strangers and the way they avoid touching him.  But we also learn how August has a kindness in him that lets him understand and forgive people.  Read this book and put yourself in the shoes of each of the unforgettable characters in the story.  You will learn some things about them, and about yourself in the process.

Reviewed by Mrs. Castro

Have you wanted to read a book that is sad and funny?  Well then read this description of the book Wonder by R.J Palico, and you will surely want to read the whole book. 

The main characters in the book are Auggie and Via.  Via is Auggies sister.  Auggie is in fifth grade and Via is In high school.  In the story Auggie has some trouble, because he is going to public school for the first time.  I know that this sounds weird but there is more.  Auggie has facial deformities and he is scared he will be made fun of.  I know that I would be scared too.  Would you be scared?  Via is in high school and she is also having some difficulties, and that is making friends and losing friends.  Just like Via, in fifth grade I had some trouble, because some of my friends were not so nice to me.  I made new friends and that is what counts.

This story is phenomenal because of its details and how the author explains the story almost as if it is real.  I really hope that you choose this book because it is just so good!   

Reviewed by MADFOOTBALL

The book Wonder is a tremendous and astonishing book for kids! This book is realistic fiction. The main characters are August, Julian, Summer, and Jack Will. August has facial disabilities and he has been home schooled and now he is starting a real school as a 5^th grader. Read to see what happens to August. I think the message is “treat people the way you want to be treated”! The book can be sad and informational at the same time. I would highly recommend this book!

Reviewed by bigpapi20  

Wonder by R.J Palacio is an amazing book. The book helps you understand why you shouldn’t judge people by their looks. It has so many funny moments and also a lot of it is really sad. If you want to know more, READ IT!

           

This book is a connection to my life because my friend in North Carolina named Garret, has a different face but he still goes to school and a lot of bad things happen to him. He gets bullied. I feel like I am like the character Summer, because I stand up for him.

         

Wonder is a very good book for the 5th graders, because they would understand the meaning of this book. I hope you get to this read book, because it’s an amazing book!

Reviewed by #supercupcake16

Wonder  by RJ. Palacio is a very good book. It’s about a little kid named August. He has a cleft palate. Ok this year is August’s first year of school. He was homeschooled his whole life. In the hallway everyone stares at him all the time. One day the 5th grade boys were making fun of August, so his older sister Via screamed at the kids. But just because someone looks different doesn't mean that they are different. Everyone should be treated the same.

Wonder is a very good book. August’s big sister Via always sticks up for him. You should read this book because it is awesome. August is a regular kid. He plays games, sports, and eats ice cream. If you think about it, everyone is the same, no one is different.

Reviewed by Paw Patrol

Things Not Seen by Andrew Clements

Things not seen by Andrew Clements, is a great book. It starts off with a kid named Bobby who has parents that are really smart.  Sometimes he feels invisible. Until one day he actually turns invisible. Then on top of that his parents get into an accident.  After that he meets a blind girl named Alicia, who also has pretty smart parents. Since Bobby can’t go to school, a social worker tries to check in on Bobby, so his mom lies and tells them he’s in Florida with his Aunt Ethel. The social worker tells the family they have 5 days to show her Bobby.  Read Things Not Seen to find out if Bobby finds out why he turned invisible. Also, be sure to read more Andrew Clements’ books, because I love his books and I know you will too!  Unfortunately, you’ll have to look for this particular Andrew Clements book at the public library.

Reviewed by XabcdefghijklmnopqrstuvwxyzX