Wonder is the Perfect Movie (and Book) for English Learners
If you want to improve your English speaking naturally through reading, Wonder by RJ Palacio is one of the best books for intermediate to advanced English learners.
In the video below, I share my thoughts on the novel, the themes within it, and why I think it works especially well for high level English learners – despite being written at roughly a B1 level.
One thing I really love about Wonder is that the language feels accessible without the ideas feeling simple.
I also love that the novel is told through multiple viewpoints. You get to hear different voices and perspectives throughout the story, which makes it especially interesting to discuss.
I think Wonder also creates a brilliant English-learning task when combined with the film adaptation starring Julia Roberts and Owen Wilson.
Read the book first, then watch the film afterwards and compare:
- which version impacted you more
- how the characters felt different
- which scenes stayed with you most
That kind of comparison creates such good speaking practice naturally!
Speaking Activities:
- What do you think the quote “You can’t blend in when you were born to stand out” means?
- What is the difference between being friendly and truly being a friend?
- Why do you think Wonder resonates with adults as well as children?
- Which character’s perspective did you enjoy most?
- Do you prefer reading the book first or watching the film first?
- Which moment in the story felt most emotionally impactful to you?
Vocabulary Review:
Here is a review of some of the words that may be new to you from the video:
Blend in (phrasal verb) = to appear similar to everyone else and not attract attention
“You can’t blend in when you were born to stand out.”
Example sentence: “When I moved abroad, I tried hard to blend in.”
Synonyms: fit in, conform
Antonyms: stand out
Collocations: blend in socially, blend into the background
Stand out (phrasal verb) = to be very noticeable or different from others
“The book is about lessons on kindness, what it means to fit in, blend in, and what it means to stand out.”
Example sentence: “Her creativity really helped her stand out.”
Synonyms: shine, distinguish yourself
Antonyms: blend in
Collocations: stand out from the crowd, stand out immediately
Tease out (phrasal verb) = to gradually identify or extract information or meaning
“You can really tease out and find valuable vocabulary.”
Example sentence: “We tried to tease out the deeper themes of the novel.”
Synonyms: uncover, extract
Antonyms: overlook
Collocations: tease out meaning, tease out ideas
To speak to the fact… (phrase) = to relate to or highlight a particular truth or idea
“To me, it’s speaking to the fact that there’s a big difference between being polite and being a friend.”
Example sentence: “The story speaks to the fact that everyone wants acceptance.”
Synonyms: highlight, point to
Antonyms: ignore
To shy away from… (phrasal verb) = to avoid something difficult or uncomfortable
“One thing I’ll say about the book is it doesn’t shy away from the difficult topic that it is based upon.”
Example sentence: “The novel doesn’t shy away from difficult conversations.”
Synonyms: avoid, evade
Antonyms: confront
Collocations: shy away from conflict, shy away from difficult topics
Your FREE gift:
Start using your new vocabulary now!
Grab this FREE Custom GPT chatbot designed to help you confidently integrate new English vocabulary into real-life personal and professional conversations. Take those new words and start speaking with them!
Quotes:
What do these quotes suggest to you or make you think about?
Also, if you have read Wonder, or watched the film, tell me what you thought of it! I would love to know.
(A standing ovation is a form of applause where the audience stands up from their seats to clap for a performer, speaker, or athlete. It is the highest sign of praise and respect an audience can give during a live performance.)
The Read to Speak Book Club:
Develop your English speaking fluency and confidence
Wonder was the May 2026 Book Club pick.
Each month we read a new text and then come together to share our opinions about the big ideas within it.
If you love reading, thinking deeply, and expressing yourself in English and you want to feel more fluent, more confident, and more you when you speak then The Read to Speak Book Club is here to support you.
Recently I needed detailed information about my laptop model. While
looking for answers I discovered https://znayka.com.ua.
I couldn’t find step-by-step guidance on most websites. Many sources were incomplete.
On this site I found a detailed description of the laptop model, along with illustrations that made everything much easier to understand.
It’s worth visiting this platform if you want reliable information about laptops and hardware upgrades.