Yes, for beginners ready to read a real novel. Wonder is a middle-grade book with very short chapters, so you can make progress in a few minutes a day, and its story gives you a strong reason to keep going.
- Level
- Beginner
- Format
- Book
- Year
- 2012
Why it works for learners
R. J. Palacio writes short, plain chapters, some barely a page or two, which means you finish something every time you sit down. Sentences mostly sound like children talking, with vocabulary for school, friendship, family and feelings. The book also passes between several narrators, so you hear the same events from different viewpoints, and that repeats useful words in new contexts. A school setting offers a familiar frame, which helps you predict what comes next.
What makes it hard
Each new narrator brings a new voice, which takes adjusting to, especially when one writes more casually. American school terms and pop-culture references, such as Star Wars, appear often. Some medical description of August's condition uses harder words. This is a real novel, not a graded reader.
How to use it
Read two or three chapters a day, and aim to finish the first part before judging how hard it feels. Mark who is narrating when the voice changes. Keep a list of feeling words, and use them to write a sentence about your day.
Keep it where you'll see it
Save Wonder and log every episode or chapter toward your English hours. Free for one language.
Add to my list