One Book, One Community: Bringing wonder to life

Books come to life each year at the One Book, One Community event, and this year’s event promises to bring wonder to life with the selection of the book, "Wonder," by R.J. Palacio.

The event will be held Monday, Nov. 6 from 7-9 p.m. in Founder’s Hall at Kent State University at Tuscarawas in New Philadelphia.

“When I read the book a few years ago, it spoke to me on a deeply personal level as a mother of a medically complex child,” said Andrea Legg, extension and technical services manager for the Tuscarawas County Public Library System. “It touches on so many aspects of what it feels like to be different from one's peers and how crucially important character traits like kindness and compassion can be.”

The book is aimed for grades three through eight, but Legg said it has universal appeal to readers of all ages.

“I began thinking about what a difference this book would make if enough people were given access to read it and really apply it to their lives, if at a formative time of development, children were truly encouraged to 'choose kind,' as the book states,” Legg said.

It wasn't long after this realization Legg volunteered to chair this year's One Book, One Community program and suggested "Wonder" as the title. “The Literacy Coalition accepted my proposal and have been truly supportive of the program in its entirety,” she said.

Due to the film version of the book being released on Nov. 17, "Wonder’s" author is unable to visit the area. Organizers have scheduled a guest speaker with impact.

“Our guest speaker, Sam Drazin, is a Vermont-based educator who lives with the same craniofacial anomaly as the main character in "Wonder" and will be talking about his experiences growing up, the challenges he faced and the ways that he overcame many medical, emotional and social obstacles,” Legg said. “Our committee felt strongly about making a lasting impression on readers in a way that extended from reading the book, and Sam's presentation felt like the perfect way to do that.”

In an opportunity to reach out to students, Drazin will speak to nearly 1,500 middle-schoolers earlier in the day before the culminating presentation that evening at Founder's Hall.

Drazin lives with Treacher Collins syndrome and is the founder of the disability-awareness foundation, Changing Perspectives. He will tie his experiences into the challenges and triumphs that the main character, August Pullman, faced in "Wonder."

Copies of "Wonder" are available at any public library in the county as well as copies of the companion picture book for younger readers, "We're All Wonders," for those wishing to read the book. Because the author won’t be present at the One Book, One Community event, there will be no book sale there.

As an added treat the Tuscarawas Philharmonic’s Children’s Chorus will perform. “I am so grateful to Laura Barkett, the director of the children's chorus, for agreeing to partner with us for the culminating program,” Legg said. “The 40-member children's chorus will be performing Natalie Merchant's song, 'Wonder,' which inspired the author when she was creating the title of the book.”

Tickets are not required, and the event is free and open to the public. Guests may RSVP to the event on social media if they wish and visit the Tuscarawas County Literacy Coalition's Facebook page to respond.

“We've learned from past One Book, One Community events that readers really appreciate the opportunity to engage with authors and guest speakers in ways that enhance their understanding of the book,” Legg said.