Good Books and Small Efforts

I recently read a couple of books for Middle Graders (meaning pre-Young Adult, maybe 5-8th graders) that were really touching. It's rare for a book to make me cry and love it but two did:

Wonder by R.J. Palacio
and
The One and Only Ivan
by Katherine Applegate.

These are two completely different books (Wonder is about a "normal" boy with a facial deformity and Ivan is about a Gorilla), yet both books share the same sense of isolation and loneliness caused by something outside the protagonist's control. Yet the strength of their character and the goodness of other people result in beautiful triumph.

My younger kids didn't catch the humor that pervades both these stories, so I would recommend them to strong readers with high level interest. They both (I felt) tackle sensitive issues that not all of my kids are ready for. My oldest (age 10) did great with them and really enjoyed them, although I think Wonder was her favorite. Wonder especially is very insightful to the feelings of all involved. Kids can be so mean; naturally they seem to know everyone's insecurities and weaknesses and often point out physical differences in very loud voices, even if they aren't trying to be mean. I remember a time my daughter turned to a woman at a hotel and asked her why she had such huge nipples. Major embarrassing for everyone (except the perpetrator). She was curious and wanted to understand why she was different in that way. She also asked a woman with facial hair if she was a man...as the parent try to apologize your way out of that one. I think I made it worse. Anyway, until kids learn that we all have something that sets us apart and makes us each different and wonderful in our own ways these awkward moments and occasional meanness happen. These books impressed me in how the feelings of others are effected by our ignorance or questions and how it takes so little to make someone feel good about themselves....and what a precious gift that small effort can be.

I loved these, and unlike most books that get read and passed on (or returned to the library), these have found a permanent place on my bookshelf.