Wonder Children's Cover Initial Research

Initially I decided to look into Wonder, I read it at school however I wanted to revisit it and jog my memory from when I read it.

Brief Notes from Anna Billson, Art Director, Penguin Random House Children’s on Wonder:

-       About friendship, tenacity, fear but most importantly it’s about kindness

-       We chose Wonder because it a book that works on so many levels

-       It has an iconic cover thus meaning will be a huge challenge to create a whole new look

-       Looking for a connection, something that sparks an emotion, powerfully and appropriately

-       Looking for inspired thinking, a clear vision that communicates the book in an instant

-       Looking for beauty and originality and attention to detail

-       Don’t get distracted by the film

-       Lots of ideas then cull down from there

-       Keep the audience in mind whilst designing

-       Does it work on phone and printed?

Notes on Book -

-       August is only 10 years old, but he has had 27 surgeries to try to correct his craniofacial structure / Treacher Collins Syndrome 

-       Smart 10-year-old, loves science

-       Looks different, gets bullied a lot

-       Story gets told in different perspectives – family members, school mates and August

-       Kindness can change someone’s life

-       August’s sister Olivia, kept home life and school life are separated, at home she is 2^nd priority – good perspective

-       As you read more and more of the perspectives the story became fuller and you learned about August from different point of views e.g. outsiders and his own mind

-       Jack’s point of view showed that the bullying was not just of august but also people who were accepting of august

-       It’s all about a transitioning time filled with pressure to be something where some teens can fall into mean habits

-       Via has had to come to terms with the fact that her family's universe revolves around Auggie and his needs

-        

Author R.J. Palacio thoughts on Wonder –

-       August is just like any other 10-year-old boy with a ‘difference’

-       Book follows his school journey

-       She was inspired to write it when meeting with a little girl who looked just like August did, she was with her 2 kids and it was the way they responded to her – her youngest started to cry because he was afraid. In that situation she panicked, not knowing what to do – she should have set an example and spoken to the girl however she left the scene. This got her thinking what it must be like to have to face a world every day that doesn’t know how to face you back

-       She obsessed about the way the mum responded saying “Ok guys, I think it’s time to go” realising the mum had been through this a million times – she started writing the book that night!

Themes

1.     Kindness

2.     Coming of age

3.     Tolerance

4.     Intolerance

Symbols

-       Shoes

-       Padawan braid

-       Masks

-       Augusts helmet – a symbol of Augusts own insecurity about the way he looks. In order to be normal, August felt that he had to hide his true self. However, as he gets older, he becomes more comfortable with his appearance and learns to deal with the responses of others to his condition. After he losses the helmet he realises he can get by without it

-       Seasons

Motifs

-       Star Wars – symbolic of Augusts childhood, Star Wars will always be important to him, but part of growing up is seeking out new interests and learning to leave some things behind in the past

-       Disguises / Masks

-       The Universe (towards end of book) – the universe is mentions initially by Via saying it revolves around August, Justin then continues this by saying it has been unkind to August but also blessed August by giving him a loving family. The idea of the universe is important because it emphasises that there is always something out there bigger than any single person, something guiding the way the world works.

-       Improvement / Progress / Graduation – as it is a coming-of-age novel the growing up shows the growth that the character has exhibited over the course of the narrative. August has grown up so much throughout the year at his new school

Treacher Collins syndrome is a condition that affects the development of bones and other tissues of the face. The signs and symptoms of this disorder vary greatly, ranging from almost unnoticeable to severe. Most affected individuals have underdeveloped facial bones, particularly the cheek bones, and a very small jaw and chin (micrognathia). Some people with this condition are also born with an opening in the roof of the mouth called a cleft palate. In severe cases, underdevelopment of the facial bones may restrict an affected infant's airway, causing potentially life-threatening respiratory problems.

People with Treacher Collins syndrome often have eyes that slant downward, sparse eyelashes, and a notch in the lower eyelids called an eyelid coloboma. Some affected individuals have additional eye abnormalities that can lead to vision loss. This condition is also characterised by absent, small, or unusually formed ears. Hearing loss occurs in about half of all affected individuals; hearing loss is caused by defects of the three small bones in the middle ear, which transmit sound, or by underdevelopment of the ear canal. People with Treacher Collins syndrome usually have normal intelligence.