A story that warms from the inside out....perfect for summer

What was wrong with Auggie?
Only a rude person would stare.
Nobody wanted to be his friend.
Don't believe everything you hear.
Eventually, weird can become "normal".
Remarkably meaningful read for anyone.

Publishers are excited by the number of adults to have embraced what are considered teen reads.  This is not a new phenomenon.  Many adults read the Harry Potter series voraciously.  Older teens who were hooked on Harry became adults as they waited for his next adventure to be published and unashamedly waited in line for a chance to own a copy.
Don't overlook some of the outstanding books that are waiting on the children's bookshelves.  Recently, my daughter shared Wonder with me.  She loved the main character, August.  She loved the characters that became his true friends at school.  She was disgusted by the petty (typical) middle school meanness.  
The main character is August who has gone through multiple surgeries since birth and has been home schooled by his mother through fourth grade.  The author hints at Auggie's deformities and limitations but leaves the majority of his actual appearance up to the imagination of the reader.  Although the main theme of the book is about August leaving the warmth and security of his home to attend middle school and learning to interact with the world outside, the author takes the time to delve into how sheltering him has affected his family and friends.
We follow Auggie as he is faced with the challenges of attending fifth grade.  How to open his locker.  How to find his classrooms.  Where to sit in the cafeteria.  What to do if no one sits with you.  He finds that false friends and bullies are bad, but ignoring one's existence is even worse.  We remember how as children we may have initially shied away from those who were different.  The author reminds us that children also have the gift of accepting those who are different and learning to see "weird" as "normal".
My daughter was correct in her assessment.  She had promised me that I would love the book and that it would make me cry.  I loved the book so much, I have passed it along to as many people as possible.  This book will make you glow from the inside.  It is an uplifting story about a courageous child and his family as they confront tremendous obstacles together.  The bonus factor of this read for the adults is that we're likely the only ones who will understand the interaction between August and his dear old dad when they mimic the interplay between the two lovable characters below.