Kendal+Journal

1/7/15 Auggie is not making a big deal about birthday parties. Many people get upset when they aren't invited to their friend's parties. I don't remember ever being hurt over not being invited to a friend's party. I wouldn't expect to be invited to someone's party that I don't know very well.
 * Kendal, Please tell me more! Do you think Auggie is being left out? Why?? Tell me more about how you felt about this as we are getting to know Auggie. **

1/9/15 Auggie's mom is more scared than Auggie is because she is worried about him. She can tell that those kids aren't comfortable around Auggie. Auggie isn't comfortable with the kids, either. She is worried that they will hurt Auggie's feelings and make him not want to go to school. She knows that Auggie already doesn't want to go to school, and having nice kids make him feel even worse is not going to help.

1/12/15 The tour for Auggie was informational but hurtful. Julian was not pleased with Auggie and went out of his way to make Auggie feel terrible about the school and himself. The other two stood up for Auggie, making him feel like he wasn't totally alone. Julian made Auggie feel bad about himself, and I believe that he might have done it to get August to not want to go to school. Even though Julian did all of those awful actions, Auggie still wanted to go to school to learn and grow. Auggie knows that others don't see him as an average kid, but he also knows he wants to learn from his teachers.

1/12/15 What surprised me the most was Auggie still wanting to go to school so badly even though everyone didn't see him as normal. He only rated his pain from the tour a five out of ten, meaning Julian wouldn't stop him from going to school and learning. August didn't stand up for himself, but he didn't run away either. He stuck with himself and continued on through the tour through the middle school. He thought that he had gotten past everyone's stares, but he didn't. That didn't stop him from trying, though. He is a tough kid that might not stand up or believe in himself, but he does have the right to learn, and he knows that.

1/16/15 Jack Will's feelings about Auggie are being tested when Julian asks him why he hangs out with August. Jack replies, "I don't know, he's always following me around. What am I supposed to do?" My feelings have now changed about Jack Will. Julian put him to the pressure with the question, but Jack was quick to reply with the excuse. Jack Will is most likely not a real friend to Auggie. I believe this mostly because of his quick excuse he threw out to Julian. I still have a little hope that he just said that because he wanted Julian to think he was cool.

1/16/15 The only thing that might change Auggie's mind is him realizing that school will always have a bully no matter what. He doesn't want to go back to school, and if that happened to me, I probably wouldn't want to go back either. He just needs to realize that every school has a bully. But he should tell someone about what happened. He should at least tell his mother about what was happening. If Auggie had a little more confidence in himself, he would be perfectly fine in school even if people insulted him. If he told someone what had happened, they would help him gain more confidence.

1/16/15 From reading Part One in this novel, I have learned that it is not easy being a new kid, especially when you are different. Being a new kid is already hard enough because you don't know your way around and you have no friends. But when you don't look like everyone else, the trouble to fit in is multiplied. I have also learned that Auggie isn't at all confident in himself and won't stand up to Julian or anyone who dislikes him because of his face. Being Auggie must be very difficult and challenging, but I have learned that if he could make just one real friend, he would feel a whole lot better about himself and his school.

1/26/15 When Via says that the galaxy is changing, I think she means that Auggie is attending school. When you are going to a new school, you should find a good friend to hang out with and then you will meet more new friends. With Auggie, Via knows that no one will want to be friends with him. She knows being a new kid is tough, and being different like that must make it much worse. Now there are many, many more comets floating around the Sun. These comets are all the 5th graders in Auggie's middle school.

1/26/15 When Via said that the secret wrapped her up in a blanket, she meant that knowing that she was her grandmother's favorite meant something to her. She knew that someone cared about her more than Auggie. Via knew that she loved Auggie but loved her just a little more. Since her mother and father always spend time with Auggie instead of her 90% of the time, she really appreciated her grandmother spending more time with her than August.

2/2/15 Summer left the party because she didn't feel comfortable talking about Auggie. I probably would've stayed just to prove that Auggie is not the Zombie Kid but a really nice kid. Summer went to the party because it was sort of an honor to be invited to a popular girl's party. But when Savanna started talking about Auggie and how she would be popular if she didn't hang out with him, Summer decided it was best not to hang out with the popular gang.

2/9/15 After reading the letters, emails, texts, and Facebook posts, I learned much about Tushman and Melissa. I learned that Melissa is really rude and assuming. She assumed that Auggie had disabilities just because he looked different. I also learned that Mr. Tushman will stand up for Auggie and treat him like any other kid in the fifth grade. This chapter in the book has revealed more about these two characters' personalities.

2/9/15 When I read the part about Jack, I thought very differently of him than I did before. After I read the Halloween chapter, I thought that Jack did not want to hang out with Auggie because Auggie was making him look bad. When I read this part of the book, I realized that he just said that about Auggie to make himself look cool in front of Julian. I would definitely forgive Jack if I had the choice, but I would tell him that it is not right to be cruel just to make himself look better.

2/9/15 Now that there is a War going on in the school, kids in the fifth grade are choosing sides. If I could pick a side, I would pick Jack's. Julian started the War by lying to almost everyone in the grade at his Holiday party. Jack's side consists of most of my favorite characters, Auggie and Summer. I would choose Jack's side also because it is the right side to be on because everyone else had been turning against Jack and his friends on Jack's team. I would have to tell him though that he should not ever punch anyone no matter what they do to him.

2/19/15 The final decision I made with telling Mr. Tushman about the notes was hard. I finally agreed that Jack should not tell Mr. Tushman because that will just make matters worse. Word will get around that Jack told on Julian. Julian then might be able to get all of the boys back on his side of the war. If that does happen, everything will be a whole lot worse for Jack. Even though if Mr. Tushman found out, Julian would still find a way to get back at Jack.

2/23/15 From reading //Wonder,// I have learned a few new ideas about family. In the few chapters I just read, I learned that for Auggie, and for everyone, family is very important. Family is a key element to success. If your family doesn't support you all the way, you will have a hard time completing the task you were assigned. Having family support you in everything you do gives you confidence. Via was an understudy, but when she had to fill in for Miranda, her entire family cheered her on. After the play, her mom, her dad, and Auggie went backstage and congratulated her. //Wonder// is a great novel that can teach you many new ideas about how to become a better person, and a better family member.