“Okay, okay, okay.”

From R.J. Palacio’s Auggie & Me: Three Wonder Stories.

The book opens with The Julian Chapter and readers are allowed to re-experience the events of the first year in public school for a young August Pullman, a boy with facial deformities, but this time from Julian’s perspective.  Julian doesn’t set out to be mean to the very boy he was asked to be a “welcome buddy” for, but seeing the boy’s face frightens Julian and things just sort of happen.  It’s not Julian’s fault!  Maybe he’ll be able to get his grandmother to see the truth this summer. In Pluto, readers are introduced to Christopher who was Auggie’s best friend, before they moved to the opposite side of the city.  At first, distance was the biggest hinderance to keeping their friendship strong, but the more involved Christopher gets in his new school/life, the easier it is to let his sometimes-difficult friendship with Auggie dwindle.  Chris wants to be popular, but things at home and school are falling apart, leaving him with no one to turn to for help.  Finally in Shingaling, another of Auggie’s “welcome buddies” Charlotte shares her version of the major events of Wonder as well as her experiences preparing for a major dance performance.  While Charlotte isn’t mean to Auggie, it’s hard to always to be nice to him.  However, Charlotte’s biggest struggle comes from the divides developing between her friends; as different friendships are abandoned, feelings and emotions may all come to an explosive confrontation with Charlotte stuck in the middle.

This companion to the book Wonder is the perfect sort-of sequel needed to add more life to Auggie’s life.  Since it is a collection of three short(ish) stories, it allows for a fast-paced read that is full of heart and humor.  The aim of the stories is not to cast blame on any of the characters, but rather to give each one more depth.  Palacio manages to give each narrator a unique voice that brings Auggie & Me to life in truly memorable ways.