Wholesome Stories: Wonder Read-alikes
Wonder is about August (Auggie) Pullman. Auggie was born with a facial deformity that has affected his entire life. As Auggie enters the 5th grade, he wants nothing more than to be an ordinary kid, but his classmates can’t get past his extraordinary face. Wonder explores important topics such as empathy, compassion, and acceptance.
Here are other books for middle grade readers looking for a story as formative and uplifting as Wonder.
Fish in a Tree is about Ally, who’s greatest fear is that other people will find out that she doesn’t know how to read. With help, Ally learns not to be so hard on herself and that dyslexia is nothing to be ashamed of.
EL Deafo is a graphic novel that is a loosely autobiographical account of the author’s (Cece Bell) experience with hearing loss. Bell explores the difficulties she faced and what she did to overcome them.
Out of my Mind is about Melody Brooks, and eleven-year-old girl with cerebral palsy. Melody feels trapped in her own mind, when she discovers a technological device that allows her to speak for the first time, she can finally let her brilliance show.
In Rules twelve-year-old Catherine tries to teach her autistic brother (David) the “rules” in order to stop his embarrassing behaviors. But, her friendship with a young paraplegic turns everything upside down and forces her to ask: what is normal?
Song for a Whale is about Iris, a twelve-year-old tech genius and the only deaf person in her school. Because she is deaf people often treat her like she’s not very smart. When she learns about Blue 55, a real whale who is unable to speak to other whales, Iris decides to invent a way for him to sing.
In Rain Reign Rose, a girl with mental and emotional challenges, shares a special bond with her beloved dog. When her dog goes missing during a storm, Rose is forced to confront the limits of her comfort level.
Garvey’s Choice is about Garvey, whose father has always wanted him to be athletic, but Garvey is interested in other things. When Garvey joins the school chorus his life changes. It is through the language of music that he reaches his distant father.
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