Book Review: The Julian Chapter: A Wonder Story

The Julian Chapter:  A Wonder Story by R.J. Palacio

My Rating:  ***** 5 out of 5 Stars

Why Did I Read This Book?

Wonder and 365 Days of Wonder, both by R.J. Palacio, were both very inspiring to me.  They are some of my all-time favorite books.  The Julian Chapter is the final book that completes the story.  In the book Wonder, you get the perspective of six different characters, but one important character is not included:  Auggie’s bully, Julian.  I was really excited when I found out there was a book on Julian’s perspective, and I couldn’t wait to read it!  My daughter found it at her school library included in a Special Edition of the book Wonder.

Summary (from Goodreads)

From the very first day Auggie and Julian met in the pages of the #1 New York Times bestseller Wonder, it was clear they were never going to be friends, with Julian treating Auggie like he had the plague. And while Wonder told Auggie’s story through six different viewpoints, Julian’s perspective was never shared. Readers could only guess what he was thinking.

Until now. The Julian Chapter will finally reveal the bully’s side of the story. Why is Julian so unkind to Auggie? And does he have a chance for redemption?

What Did I Think/Recommendation

Like Wonder and 365 Days of Wonder, I LOVED this book!  I loved that this was a very easy read (only 89 pages)  and the chapters were very short (1-2 pages), just like the book Wonder.  The Julian Chapter completes the story of Wonder.  It is realistic and helps the reader identify with Julian and his family.  It helps the reader understand the reasons for some of the actions Julian took in the book Wonder…because there is always more than one side to every story!  Like Wonder, this book brought me to tears.  I would recommend this book to EVERYONE, young and old.  If you have already read Wonder, The Julian Chapter is a MUST read!

This advice from Julian’s Grandmere is my favorite quote from the book:

“But the good thing about life is that we can fix our mistakes sometimes.  We learn from them.  We get better…One mistake does not define you…You must simply act better next time.” (Grandmere, p.391-392)

What I love the most about this story is that Julian truly does learn from his mistakes.  He is genuinely sorry for his actions.  He apologizes for them, and in the end, Julian and Auggie are able to reconcile.

For more information or reviews on The Julian Chapter or author R.J. Palacio, check it out on Goodreads.