Emma+Journal

Entry 1: 1/7/15 There are two ways to look at this situation. One is looking at it from August's point of view and another is looking at it fro your own point of view. Since August is different from his friends, I don't think he was overreacting about the birthday parties. Being invited to a birthday party is important to August because when he is invited it makes him feel like he isn't different. Also, it makes him feel accepted. Sometimes I'm not invited to a party, but that doesn't mean that the person doesn't like you. It may mean that they had a limit or you just aren't that good of friends. August makes a big deal out of it because he doesn't have a lot of opportunities to make friends. Therefore he cherishes the ones he does have. It makes him feel good about himself if someone looks past the ways he appears and asks him to come to there party. I feel good about myself when somebody asks me to helps celebrate their special day. I think it makes everyone feel good inside.

Entry 2: 1/9/15 I think Auggie's mom is more scared because she cares so much about him. She wants him to feel like he belongs. She tried so hard to convince Auggie to go to Beecher Prep and she really wants him to like it there. She's also nervous because she doesn't know if Auggie will be accepted by the students there. Auggie's mom knows that he's mad at her and she wants to make it up to him by showing him that he's going to love it there. I think that she didn't know that the students were going to take Auggie on the tour. She probably thought that it as just going to be Mr. Tushman, Auggie and her. Auggie's mom just wants him to be happy and she will do anything to make him feel just like everyone else. I think she is trying to put herself in Auggie's shoes and she's almost there, but not quite. She wants so badly to know what he feels like and she is very protective of him just like all parents.

Entry 3: 1/12/15 I feel like Julian is not accepting Auggie. He thinks Auggie is different and he doesn't like that. He is being really rude to Auggie. Jack Will is correct when he says that Julian is a jerk. Charlotte is nice but she probably feels a little uncomfortable. Jack Will, Auggie, and Charlotte are probably going to be friends. Auggie feels nervous because of Julian. Julian is trying to make Auggie feel bad. Charlotte and Jack Will know that and they're trying to mke Auggie feel better. Julian is picking on Auggie because he's different. The "tour" is not going very well because of Julian being a jerk. I think this chapter focuses more on Julian than Auggie. The "tour" for Auggie gave him mixed feelings and he definitely doesn't like Julian.

Entry 4: 1/12/15 I was only half surprised when Auggie said that he did want to go to school. I thought that Julian would make him not want to go to school because he was such a jerk. Charlotte and Jack Will were nice so he might have liked it and thought that more kids would be like them. I think Auggie is more of an optimist because even though Julian was a jerk, he still managed to see that he really did want to go to the school. He doesn't like Julian and he doesn't want to get Charlotte and Jack Will. I am very excited to see who Julian hangs out with or if he is alone. I think Charlotte's friends will accept him and so will Jack Will's.

Entry 5: 1/16/15 Jack Will is worse than Julian! Julian was up front about being mean so you know he doesn't like Auggie. One of the worst kinds of bullies are the ones that don't say anything mean to your face, but they gossip behind your back. In the beginning of the book Julian is making fun of Auggie and Jack Will says, "Shut up, Julian!" it makes you think that Jack Will likes Auggie and he doesn't mind what he looks like. I am hoping that Jack was just saying those hurtful comments because Julian was there and he might've wanted to impress him. I wonder if Charlotte is the same way or if she was genuinely kind to Auggie despite his face.

Entry 6: 1/16/15 Just like the first entry there are two sides to this. If I were Auggie I would not go back. Auggie is afraid of what people think of him. He wants to be accepted so badly. Jack Will landed a blow that I don't know that Auggie can take. Auggie might go back because he does have a friend in Charlotte and Summer. He also like Mr.Browne and Mrs.Petosa. If it were me I would definitely go back to school. I care too much about my education. I would also want to go back just to prove that I don't care what other people think of me. It doesn't matter if you think I'm ugly. That's your problem. If someone doesn't like you then they shouldn't hang out with you. Jack Will hung out with Auggie and made him think that he was his friend. Then, when he thought Auggie wasn't looking he said what he truly felt to Julian. He should tell his mom or a guidance counselor. Being a kid though, I know he probably won't. Most kids don't tell there parents what they feel. I wonder if e will tell anyone or if he'll become friends with Jack Will again.

Entry 7: 1/16/15 After reading Part One of Wonder I feel like I almost know Auggie. He shares all the hardships he has been through at Beecher Prep with us. I know how he feels. I learned what it would be like to be a kid tat was different. I learned what it feels like to have all those eyes staring at your back with you pretending not to notice. It's basically pretending that you are deaf and blind to the world. I learned that you shouldn't judge something their looks. I have done that with many books. After I read them I couldn't believe how blind I had been. It's like Auggie is the book. Who cares what he looks like? A lot of people need to learn that beauty is sometimes only skin deep. Auggie is a normal person. I think Julian and Jack Will need that drummed into their heads.

Entry 8: 1/26/15 When Via says "The galaxy is changing. Planets are falling out of alignment." I think she means herself. When you first meet her from Auggie's perspective, you think "Wow! I wish I had a sister like that!". Except that it's all a front. Via has been putting on a brave face ever since she saw through that little "peephole". Now she that has had a small taste of what other people feel about Auggie, it makes her angry. She knows that she shouldn't feel like that but she probably wishes that she didn't have to put up with Auggie. Now her planet is falling out of alignment. She doesn't want to have to deal with the stares and the double-takes and the gasps. She just wants to be a normal girl. She doesn't want pity about it. She just wants to be normal. So does Auggie. So does her whole family. I can totally relate to that. My parents are divorced. Whenever someone thinks that my stepdad is my real dad they'll say, "You look nothing like your dad!". Then I have to explain to them that he's my stepdad not my real dad. Then they always make this "poor you" look. They say "Oh I had no idea! I'm so sorry! It must be so hard for you.". The truth is I don't want their pity. Their pity doesn't help. All I want is for someone to truly understand. I don't feel sad about the divorce anymore. I doesn't bother me. I just want someone to understand. So does Via. None of her friends truly understand. They'll try, but they don't. No one truly understands unless they have that experience. Via wants it to just go away. For that, she hates herself. Via is tired of having Auggie being the sun. Parents always say "It's all about the kids!" but it isn't in Via's family. Instead it's all about Auggie. Via is not okay with that. She's finally taking a stand. It's time for change.

Entry 9: 1/26/15 When Via talks about her Grandma's secret she feels as if that's the last thing she has of her. She clings to it and wraps it around her. Knowing that secret makes her feel special. It makes her feel like she's the sun. It covers her like a blanket when she misses her Gran she uses the secret like a blanket. She feels secure with it. It makes her feel good. A blanket is special to every child and they love it very much. Via loves the secret because it's her Gran's. It makes her feel important that it was shared with her and just her. Her "blanket" or secret is what she clings to that is left to her from Grans. Children don't share their blankets. Via doesn't share her secret. She wraps herself in the secret to feel just as children wrap themselves into their blankets.

Entry 10: 2/2/15 Summer left Savannah's party because she felt uncomfortable. The kids there were from the popular group and the populars badmouth Auggie. Summer is Auggie's friends and she doesn't like hearing mean comments about him. When she first arrived, Savannah teased her about hanging out with Auggie. That put stress on her, but she decided to stay since she had friends there. Then, when she was in the basement they asked her why she hung out with the "Zombie Kid". Summer said that he was nice but they kept on asking. Finally, she broke down and left. If I were Summer, I wouldn't have even gone. Summer knew that the group she was going to hang out with at the party had started the "Plague" and they just don't like Auggie. I don't have Summer's kindness and patience for that. If I did go to the party, I wouldn't tell savannah up front that they needed to stop or else I'd leave.

Entry 11: 2/9/15 After reading "Letters, Emails, Facebook, Texts" I know that Melissa Albans is exactly like her son, Julian. She doesn't like Auggie because of his looks. Neither does Julian. Mrs.Albans thinks that Auggie because Auggie is different, he has special needs. She tells Mr.Tushman. Mr.Tushman is calm and collected, but he doesn't like that she is being exclusive. He know that Mrs.Albans knows that the school did do all the correct applications for Auggie. Mrs.Albans just doesn't want to have that. She thinks Auggie is ruining Julian's learning experience. Mr.Tushman does not want her to do this and is trying to tell her while keeping his temper under control.

Entry 12: 2/9/15 Yes, I would have forgiven Jack. Jack is a good kid and he most likely didn't mean to say those things. He was hanging out with some of the popular boys and felt pressured into saying those things. Jack punched Julian to defend Auggie. A true friend would do that because they enjoy your company. Julian was saying horrible things about Auggie and calling him "the freak." After reading "Letters, Emails, Facebook, Texts" I don't think that Jack really meant his apology to Julian. It didn't sound sincere. Also since Jack begged Auggie to be his friend again while most people in the grade would be glad not to be his friend. It shows that he truly values their friendship.

Entry 13: 2/9/15 I would be on Jack's side. I honestly can't believe that Julian strutted around telling everyone that Jack had "emotional problems." Even worse is that just because he's popular they believed him! Julian said horrendous things about Auggie that he knows aren't true. Even though physically assaulting a student like Jack did to Julian is bad, I would probably do it too. Julian otally deserved it. If there's one thing I can't stand, it's people insulting my friends and not caring or feeling guilty. Julian baby tooth knocked out. His //baby// tooth! I would march up to him and yell "Get over it you big crybaby!" I am starting to feel that Julian just wants the spotlight on him. Since Auggie's new and his face is different everyone is curious about him. Julian is jealous and everyone knows that. Julian is a spoiled brat so they know not to get in his way. They're agreeing so that the same thing doesn't happen to them. They need to stand up to him.

Entry 14: 2/19/15 I think that Jack and Auggie //shouldn't// tell Mr.Tushman about the notes. I mean, sure, they're mean, but Jack and Auggie know that Julian is bitter that he was humiliated. Miles and Henry just follow Julian's orders like dogs. I think that Mr.Tushman would bring in Auggie's parents and Mrs.Albans and Mrs.Will. Then Mrs.Albans would get defensive and start berating everyone. Jack's mom would find out why Jack punched Julian. Everyone would be angry and upset. Even after that, Auggie's parents would get too involved and while trying to solve everything, they would put too much stress on Auggie and just make things worse. Also because adults tend to think that they can fix it, Auggie, Jack, and Julian would be way too embarrassed. People wouldn't trust Jack and he would go back to being a loner.

Entry 15: 2/23/15 I have learned so many things about family that I don't know where to start. First, would be that family will always be there for you and even when they're annoying and angry they love you. They also may put you out on a limb but they want the best for you. Olivia has taught me to be a good sister. Auggie's mom has showed that moms aren't always perfect and they can't always be at your plays. They also show that parents can be way too overprotective. I think that Auggie's family is almost a perfect family. Olivia and her mom show that you need to talk to your parents especially i you feel like they are ignoring you. The biggest thing I've learned is that family is a blessing. You only get one. They are one of the most important things in your life.