Wonder
About
August (Auggie) Pullman was born with a facial difference that prevented him from going to a main-stream school – until now. He's about to enter fifth grade at Beecher Prep, and if you've ever been the new kid, you know how hard that can be. The thing is Auggie's just an ordinary kid, with an extraordinary face. But can he convince his new classmates that he's just like them, despite appearances?
Read one section at a time, then discuss the questions to review understanding. These questions are a starting place for conversation, not a complete test of the chapter.
Part 1 · August · Pages 3–16
Ordinary-Paging Mr. Tushman
Comprehension questions
Describe the main character.
Page 3 — His name is August (Auggie), he’s ten years old, his face is different than everybody else, has a family with a mom, dad and sister named Via, is homeschooled, has had 27
surgeries since his birth, has friends named Christopher, Alex and Zach
3
Describe the night Auggie was born.
Page 6 — His mom and dad knew there were some problems with Auggie’s face before he was born, but when he was born the doctor fainted and the nice nurse carried Auggie out of the delivery room quickly. Auggie’s dad ran after her dropping and breaking the video camera and the nurse held Auggie’s mom down and tried to wake the doctor; the nurse was also a nice nurse and she stayed with his mom; the doctors didn’t think Auggie would make it through the night, but he did; when his mom first saw him she thought he had pretty eyes
6
Is Auggie correct in his assumption that the other kids will make fun of him at school?
Page 10 — Listen to your child's answer
10
What did Auggie’s dad do that helped convince him to go to school?
Page 12 — He made fun of the principal’s name
12
Part 1 · August · Pages 17–34
Nice Mrs. Garcia-The Performance Space
Comprehension questions
What did Mrs. Garcia’s shiny smile mean to Auggie?
Page 17 — She was fake; it made him nervous and uncomfortable
17
Why did Mr. Tushman have the three students give Auggie a tour of the school?
Page 22 — to help Auggie get to know some students and help them get to know him
22
How did Auggie’s mom act as he left with the kids for the tour?
Page 22 — Nervous
22
How was Julian rude to Auggie?
Page 28 — He asked him questions about his face; mocked him for being home schooled; cut in front of him and made him stumble backwards
28
Part 1 · August · Pages 35–50
The Deal-Choose King
Comprehension questions
Why was Auggie’s mom now saying he couldn’t go to school?
Page 35 — She felt sad Julian was mean and didn’t want him to be exposed to other mean kids; she wanted to protect him from bullies
35
Why did Henry put his backpack on his desk like a wall?
Page 39 — To separate himself from Auggie
39
How would you feel if someone did that to you?
Page 39 — listen to your child’s answers
39
Explain what Julian meant when he said Auggie looked liked Darth Sidious.
Page 44 — Julian was making fun of Auggie’s face since Darth Sidious has a face that's deformed and looks like it’s melting
44
Part 1 · August · Pages 50–80
Lunch-Names
Comprehension questions
How did Summer help Auggie feel accepted?
Page 51 — She sat by him during lunch and talked to him about their names and who could sit at their table
51
Why did Auggie cry when his mom was reading The Hobbit to him?
Page 60 — He was sad he was so ugly
60
Why does Auggie consider himself the old moldy cheese?
Page 72 — No one will touch him and if they do, they hurry and wash their hands
72
What did Jack say to Julian on Halloween that upset Auggie?
Page 77 — He made it sound like he couldn’t stand August and was forced to be his friend
77
Part 2 · Via · Pages 82–102
A Tour of the Galaxy-Breakfast
Comprehension questions
Whose point of view are we hearing in the story now and describe them.
Page 82 — Via’s or Olivia’s; August’s sister who’s in high school; she loves and defends August and never complains since his life is so
much harder
82
Why does Via think Auggie needs to grow up?
Page 90 — He’s 10 and shouldn’t be treated like a baby; he needs to learn to talk about things
90
Why was Via upset about her friends, Miranda and Ella?
Page 94 — They were leaving her out
94
Why did Via want to ride the subway home instead of getting a ride?
Page 101 — She wanted to be independent and act more grown up
101
Part 2 · Via · Pages 103–117
Genetics 101-Time to Think
Comprehension questions
Who did Olivia begin to hang out with?
Page 107 — Eleanor and her friends
107
Why didn’t August want to go trick or treating, or to the Halloween Parade?
Page 113 — His mom would have made him go to school the next day since he was feeling better
113
How did Via help Auggie realize it was important to go to school and that everyone had bad days?
Page 115 — She helped him understand that it was normal to hate school and that it is okay to have bad days. If he wanted to feel normal too, he needed to keep going and not give up
115
Part 3 · Summer · Pages 119–132
Weird Kids-The Egyptian Tomb
Comprehension questions
What’s the Plague?
Page 120 — Julian started it by saying if anyone touched Auggie they had to wash their hands within 30 seconds, or they would get the Plague
120
What did Savannah say to Summer at the party?
Page 122 — She invited Summer to be in the popular group and that Julian liked her; however, she couldn’t be August’s friend too. Summer had to decide between August and Julian
122
Choose a word to describe Summer in this chapter. How do you feel about her actions?
Page 123 — Courageous, strong, true, integrity. Listen to your child's answer
123
How is Summer a true friend?
She doesn't care what others think and stands by Auggie and loves him for who he is
Part 4 · Jack · Pages 134–157
The Call-Detention
Comprehension questions
When did Jack first see August?
Page 136 — On a bench in the street eating ice cream with his babysitter and little brother
136
Why did Jack agree to be August’s welcome buddy?
Page 141 — He felt bad and knew August didn’t stand a chance at middle school
141
Why couldn’t Jack write about meeting Auggie for the English assignment?
Page 148 — Jack was worried Mr. Browne would make them read them out loud or put them up on a bulletin board, and he didn’t want Auggie to see
it
148
Why was Jack in detention?
Page 154 — He hit Julian for saying mean things about August
154
Part 4 · Jack · Pages 158–185
Season’s Greetings-The Boyfriend
Comprehension questions
How did Jack get a hold of August and apologize to him?
Page 164 — Facebook
164
What did Jack find challenging as he went back to school after being hitting Julian?
Page 168 — His friends wouldn’t talk to him
168
Why is Julian’s mom trying to get August’s school application reviewed?
Page 171 — She doesn’t want him in the school and is trying to get him kicked out
171
Describe the war going on between Jack and the other boys in fifth grade.
Page 172 — Julian’s convinced the other boys that August is bringing down Jack and so they have stopped talking to him as well as hanging
out with him. They’re hoping to wake him up and to get him to stop hanging out with August
172
Part 5 · Justin · Pages 187–204
Olivia’s Brother-The Universe
Comprehension questions
Compare Justin’s parents to Olivia’s parents.
Page 191 — Justin’s parents don’t pay attention or talk to him, they are divorced and hate each other. Olivia’s parents pay attention, talk and laugh to their children and to each other
191
What do you think Olivia wished for on the ladybug?
Page 195 — Listen to your child’s answer
195
What did Justin do for Jack when he saw Miles, Henry and Julian in the subway station?
Page 199 — He stood up for Jack and told the other boys to leave him alone
199
What metaphor does Justin use to describe Olivia on page 203?
Page 203 — He compares her to a bird: how her feathers get ruffled when she’s mad, and when she’s fragile she’s a little lost bird looking for its nest. So he'll provide her a wing to hide under
203
Part 6 · August · Pages 206–219
North Pole-My Cave
Comprehension questions
How did Jack and August respond to the notes Julian left in their lockers?
Page 208 — They wrote love notes to him from a pretend girl named Beulah and left them in Julian’s locker
208
Why didn’t August want to wear hearing aids?
Page 211 — He was already nervous about his ears and felt self-conscious
211
Why didn’t Olivia want to invite her family to her play?
Page 218 — She was embarrassed to have Auggie go since the kids at her new school don't know him
218
Part 6 · August · Pages 220–234
Goodbye-The Ending
Comprehension questions
What happened to Daisy?
Page 220 — She was sick and died
220
What did August wonder about heaven?
Page 227 — What it would be like to not have his face be different
227
How did August feel about the play as it began?
Page 230 — He liked it since it made him feel grown up
230
Why was it good that Olivia’s family came to see her?
Page 230 — She ended up being the lead since Miranda got sick
230
Part 7 · Miranda · Pages 236–248
Camp Lies-After the Show
Comprehension questions
Describe what Miranda did at camp that made her self-conscious to call Olivia?
Page 237 — She smoked, snuck up to the boys' camps and hung out with them; she’d lied to everyone about having a little brother (August) who was deformed; her parents being in Europe, living in a huge townhouse and having a dog named Daisy; she changed her hair and makeup and changed her t-shirts into halter tops
237
Why did the drama teacher switch from doing the play Elephant Man to doing Our Town?
Page 240 — Miranda lied to him, telling him that her little brother was deformed, and that Elephant Man would hit too close to home
240
Why did Miranda lie to the drama teacher about being sick and not being able to go on stage?
Page 244 — She realized no one was at the play to see her and saw Olivia’s family in the audience and knew Olivia should perform
244
Part 8 · August · Pages 250–275
The Fifth-Grade Nature Retreat-Aftermath
Comprehension questions
What made August feel comfortable about leaving Baboo home when he went to the retreat?
Page 256 — He knew Daisy was with him wherever he went
256
Name 3 things August and his classmates did during the retreat?
Page 257 — They went on a two-hour guided nature tour in the woods, hung out in the rec room playing ping-pong and arcade games, had a campfire cookout, rode horses, rappelled up trees, went to an outdoor movie night
257
Who came to help Jack and August, during the movie night, when they went into the woods for a bathroom break?
Page 267 — Amos, Miles and Henry
267
What did Amos, Henry, Miles and Jack become after that incident?
Page 272 — August’s emperor guard
272
What positive consequence resulted from Eddie and his friends bullying August and Jack in the woods?
Page 274 — August showed courage; Amos, Henry and Miles hadn’t been nice to August all year and came to defend him and became his friends; everyone really seemed to care about August
274
Part 8 · August · Pages 276–310
Home-The Walk Home
Comprehension questions
What happened to Auggie’s astronaut helmet?
Page 290 — His dad threw it out since he missed seeing Auggie’s face and didn't want him to hide from the world any longer
290
Name one characteristic that August demonstrated that helped him earn the Henry Ward Beecher Award? Give an example of why you chose that characteristic.
Page 304 — Courage, kindness, friendship, character; Listen to your child's answer
304
Compare Auggie from the beginning of the story to who he is now.
Auggie started out self-conscience, insecure and fearful of what other people thought. He hid from the world and was dependent on his family; at the end of the story, he had grown in confidence, become independent, and didn't want to hide any longer
What did you like about this story?
Listen to your child's answer
Practice reading skills together
Use the questions in this guide to help your child look beyond what happened and explain how they know. Choose one skill to focus on during each conversation.
- Point of view — Compare how Auggie, Via, Summer, Jack, Justin, and Miranda see the same people and events.
- Character development — Notice how Auggie’s confidence and friendships change. Ask your child to find an example from the beginning and the end.
- Inference & text evidence — Follow an answer with “What in the story makes you think that?” and revisit the passage together.
- Main idea & theme — Talk about what the characters’ choices suggest about kindness, courage, and belonging.
- Compare & contrast — Compare two characters’ reactions or trace how one character changes.
Downloads
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Worksheets
Practice sheets with space to write your answers.
Download one reading section
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