A Few Favorite Quotes from "Wonder"

Overall, this book evoked my emotions in many different ways.  I felt Palacio was pulling at the strings of my heart one second, and then the next she was yanking at them.

 

The way that Palacio used her words throughout the story is what kept me into the book.  I remember I was reading it one night, and I didn't put it down until three in the morning!  I couldn't believe that I had gotten so lost in a book, because I never believed that could happen.

I look at this book as a guide to my teaching career, a guide to show us that not all of our students are going to be the same, and that's okay.

 

Here are a few of the things Palacio either quoted or wrote during the story Wonder, and they're words that I will always keep close to my heart.

 

“Kinder than is necessary. Because it's not enough to be kind. One should be kinder than needed.”

This quote really stood out to me the most. Think about a time when you were kind to someone.  Were you just kind because someone was looking? Or were you kind because you wanted to be?  The thing that we as humans do is decided every moment which path we're going to head down.  Are we going to be mean to someone who hasn't done a thing to us, or will we choose to be the kindest person to them?  It's our decision to choose, and I choose "kinder".

 

“Jack, sometimes you don't have to be mean to hurt someone.”

If you're going to be a teacher, get ready for it.  You're going to run across the kid who is mean to someone, but comes up with the excuse that they never intended to hurt them, or they weren't even trying to be mean.  Whenever I become a teacher and run across this, this quote will probably be the first thing that comes to my mind.

Actions speak louder than words, and that's what we need to teach our children.

 

“AUGUST PULLMAN'S PRECEPT
Everyone in the world should get a standing ovation at least once in their life because we all overcometh the world.

- Auggie”  

I love this precept more than any of the others in the book.  I believe every word that Auggie says about everyone deserving a standing ovation.  I believe that everyone has battles they're going through, even if they're small.  Everyone, even the person who is fighting the hardest battle ever imagined, deserves a standing ovation, because like Auggie said, we all overcometh the word.