365 Days of Wonder: Mr. Browne's Precepts

Wonder #Companion

by R.J. Palacio

Over 15 million people have read the #1 New York Times bestseller Wonder— now, the wonder returns with a companion book of life lessons and inspiration from Auggie's favorite teacher—perfect for back to school! Based on the book that inspired the Choose Kind movement and a major motion picture, readers will fall in love all over again with Auggie Pullman, an ordinary boy with an extraordinary face.And don't miss R.J. Palacio's highly anticipated new novel, Pony, available now!In Wonder, readers were introduced to memorable English teacher Mr. Browne and his love of precepts. This companion book features conversations between Mr. Browne and Auggie, Julian, Summer, Jack Will, and others, giving readers a special peek at their lives after Wonder ends. Mr. Browne's essays and correspondence are rounded out by a precept for each day of the year—drawn from popular songs to children’s books to inscriptions on Egyptian tombstones to fortune cookies. His selections celebrate the goodness of human beings, the strength of people’s hearts, and the power of people’s wills.There’s something for everyone here, with words of wisdom from such noteworthy people as Anne Frank, Martin Luther King Jr., Confucius, Goethe, Sappho—and over 100 readers of Wonder who sent R. J. Palacio their own precepts.

Genres: Middle Grade, Nonfiction, Childrens, Contemporary, Inspirational, Poetry, Realistic Fiction

470 pages, Kindle Edition

First published August 26, 2014

About the author

R.J. Palacio lives in NYC with her husband, two sons, and two dogs. For more than twenty years, she was an art director and graphic designer, designing book jackets for other people while waiting for the perfect time in her life to start writing her own novel. But one day several years ago, a chance encounter with an extraordinary child in front of an ice cream store made R. J. realize that the perfect time to write that novel had finally come. Wonder is her first novel. She did not design the cover, but she sure does love it.

Raquel J. Palacio / R. J. Palacio is a pseudonym of: Raquel Jaramillo

Reviews

[Federico DN · Rating 2 out of 5]

“When given the choice between being right or being kind, choose kind.”

365 inspirational quotes for each day of the year. Another companion book for the Wonder series. They were ok I guess. Some of them were really good, some were not. I think even some of them were repeated, or at least so similar it just felt like it. I usually try to read at least one chapter a day. It was nice having one quote per day too.

Nevertheless, I must mention that other than the ‘kindness’ theme of the book, it has nothing to add to the Wonder series, or any of its characters. I loved Wonder #1, #1.6 (Pluto), #1.7 (Shingaling) and specially #1.5 (Julian). It's a lovely book, but you could erase any reference to Wonder, rename it 365 inspirational quotes, and nobody would probably notice.

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PERSONAL NOTE : I must admit that I hardly remember any quote from this book. But then again, I hardly remember any quote from ANY book. I’m not really a quote guy. I’ll be back.
[2014] [432p] [365 Quote book] [Nice] [Not Recommendable] [Hardly Wonder related]
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★★★★★ # 1 Wonder
★★★★★ 1.5 Julian
★★★★☆ 1.6 Pluto
★★★☆☆ 1.7 Shingaling

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“Si puedes elegir entre tener razón y ser amable, elige ser amable.”

365 citas inspiracionales para cada día del año. Otro libro acompañante para la saga Wonder. Estuvieron bien creo. Algunas de ellas eran muy buenas, otras no tanto. Creo que incluso algunas de ellas estaban repetidas, o al menos eran tan parecidas que se sintió así. Usualmente trato de leer al menos un capítulo al día. Fue lindo tener una cita por día también.

Sin embargo, debo decir que más allá de la ‘amabilidad’ temática del libro, no tiene nada que añadir a la saga Wonder, o a ninguno de sus personajes. Amé Wonder #1, #1.6 (Pluto), #1.7 (Shingaling) y especialmente #1.5 (Julian). Es un libro adorable, pero podrías borrar cualquier referencia a Wonder, renombrarlo 365 citas inspiracionales y probablemente nadie lo notaría.

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NOTA PERSONAL : Debo admitir que no prácticamente no recuerdo ninguna cita de este libro. Aunque bien, prácticamente no recuerdo ninguna cita de NINGUN libro. No soy del tipo que recita citas. Volveré.
[2014] [432p] [Libro de 365 citas] [Lindo] [No Recomendable] [Prácticamente sin relación a Wonder]
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[Natalie · Rating 4 out of 5]

I love quotes with a fiery passions, which is why I somehow always end up looking at the quotes on my Goodreads. I’m a quote collector.

As Cheryl Strayed wrote in Brave Enough:

“The best quotes don’t speak to one particular truth, but rather to universal truths that resonate—across time, culture, gender, generation, and situation—in our own hearts and minds.”

This book is a collection of precepts that Mr. Browne has gathered over the years along with some essays in which he touches upon the themes presented within. For instance: kindness, strength of character, overcoming adversity, or simply doing good in the world.

This collection features multiple quotes that really resonated with me, while others I had to read multiple times to get the message across.
But in the end I managed to capture the ones that left me pondering the most:

January:








February:






March:






April:










May:




June:










July:






August:








September:








October:






November:






December:






Overall, this collection was exactly what I was looking for: beautiful and inspiring quotes to start your day on the right tone.

*Note: I'm an Amazon Affiliate. If you're interested in buying 365 Days of Wonder, just click on the image below to go through my link. I'll make a small commission!*


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[Grace (BURTSBOOKS) · Rating 5 out of 5]

Kindness. Kindness. Kindness. Kindness. There's never enough in the world and I'd really like to thank R.J. Palacio for spreading so much of it through her work. I read both Wonder and this book of precepts this year and both of them have made my heart feel so light and made me so happy. This book was focused entirely on kindness and how to be the best version of yourself using kindness, so it doesn't feel right to rate it. Solid book that kept me inspired throughout the year.

[Josu Diamond · Rating 3 out of 5]

Lleno de citas memorables (y no tan memorables).

Yo tengo un problema con el tema de las citas/preceptos/máximas a lo Mr. Wonderful. A veces les doy la razón pero otras veces siento que son cosas básicas hechas para que la gente sonría durante tres segundos y se olvide, pero no las aplique. Sin embargo, en este libro todo tiene algo más de sentido.

El señor Browne es el mejor profesor de los que aparecen en La lección de August. Le cogí cariño desde el principio, y cuando vi el concepto de este libro supe que tenía que leerlo. Para quien no lo sepa: el señor Browne lanza un precepto cada mes en sus clases, y les alumnes también tienen que pensar uno cada mes. Esto es como una recopilación (falsa, por supuesto) de todos esos preceptos.

He marcado varias frases, de estas que no has oído nunca y no sabes por qué ya que tienen muchísima razón. Lo que me ha convencido definitivamente de este libro ha sido la maestría de R.J. Palacio para situarse en un futuro inmediato de la novela original, planteándonos el cierre de tramas que habían quedado semi-abiertas de una manera diferente.

Además, las partes en las que el profesor hablaba sobre experiencias o sentimientos (entre cada más hay fragmentos más largo novelizados), me convencieron totalmente. Es un libro que se tarda más en leer de lo que parece, porque pide que sea hagan pausas para comprender mejor los significados de algunas cosas.

En definitiva: si os ha gustado el mundo de Wonder deberíais darle una oportunidad porque cierra tramas, nos habla de personas de la novela original y además, vais a hacer muy feliz al señor Browne.

[Nowheregirl]

Remember this?
“MR. BROWNE'S SEPTEMBER PRECEPT:

WHEN GIVEN THE CHOICE BETWEEN BEING
RIGHT OR BEING KIND, CHOOSE KIND.”

yep, I cant wait for all 365 of them :)

[crίѕтίŋα•●Ƹ̵̡Ӝ̵̨̄Ʒ●• · Rating 5 out of 5]

For my students, I’ve always defined it in simpler terms: precepts are "words to live by".
- Mr. Browne

❤️JANUARY
Be yourself, Everyone else is already taken.
- Oscar Wilde

💛FEBRUARY
Love a little more each day.
- Madison

💚MARCH
Do not go where the path may lead, go instead where there is no path and leave a trail.
- Ralph Waldo Emerson

💙APRIL
We love the things we love for what they are.
- Robert Frost

💜MAY
Kindness is a language the deaf can hear and the blind can see.
- Mark Twain

💖JUNE
Start by doing the necessary, then the possible, and suddenly you are doing the impossible.
- St. Francis of Assisi

❤️JULY
Great works are performed not by strength but by perseverance.
- Samuel Johnson

💛AUGUST
The things that make me different are the things that make me ME.
- Piglet (A. A. Milne)

💚SEPTEMBER
When given the choice between being right or being kind, choose kind.
- Dr. Wayne W. Dyer

💙OCTOBER
Love truth, but pardon error.
- Voltaire

It is only with the heart that one can see rightly; what is essencial is invisible to the eye.
- Antoine de Saint Exupéry

💜NOVEMBER
If you're lucky enough to be different, don't ever change.
- Taylor Swift

💖DECEMBER
All our dreams can come true - if we have the courage to pursue them.
- Walt Disney

Even the smallest person can change the course of the future.
- J. R. R. Tolkien

[K.T. ♡ · Rating 5 out of 5]

I smiled the whole way from the start of this book, it totally warmed my heart and made me believe in the goodness of humanity. Needless to say, if I could I would probably give this book 100 stars! No shite, Sherlock! :P

It all started from the very beginning of the book, I already knew that I would love this one as for the ideas of how it was written. Indeed, this is an undoubtedly unique and powerful collection of percepts and sayings of different authors chosen by fifth grade students (some of which are even written by the children themselves!) which gives me a wide perspective of both the young and the old's thoughts of life.

In this book, a teacher named Thomas Browne had come up with the idea of collecting percepts and gradually preferred to receive them from his own students during the summer. Surprisingly, every single kid handed in their favorite quote, one way or another, and each of them had a special meaning which turned out to be a creative as well as helpful way of moral study as these things are not commonly taught in school.

In short, I just wanna tell you that please do read this book, you will love it (at least if you are not too serious when it comes to finding fault with everything!), just take it easy, and you will certainly shock yourself with your sense of contentment throughout this book! :)

Btw this one is my favorite saying, and I'm sure you will be able to find one too for there are way too many lovely ones:
"What is beautiful is good, and who is good will soon be beautiful."

[Paige Bookdragon · Rating 4 out of 5]

I don't usually read self-help books because reasons, but I love Wonder so much and I was deeply touched by the precepts of Mr. Browne that I decided to give this one a go.

I was not disappointed. Here are my favorite precepts:









If you've got kids, I think this is a good book for them to read. They can just read one page a day and hopefully, the precept for the day would make those little muffins inspired.

[Kai Spellmeier · Rating 4 out of 5]

“I've learned that life is like a book. Sometimes we must close a chapter and begin the next one."

This is a cute and empowering collection of quotes, spiked with a few stories and details, that shed more light on the things that happened in WonderWonder. However, it feels like the author is milking her story to make more money. I mean, it's a standalone novel, right? An amazing one. The three short stories that followed Wonder and pictured the events that happened out somebody else's POV were pretty good, too. Then we have this Book of Precepts, which is nice but that's it. AND this March We're All Wonders, a picture book about Auggie will celebrate it's release day. You know what I'm saying?
(There's going to be a movie this year, too.)

Find more of my books on Instagram

[Julie · Rating 2 out of 5]

Blech, this made me want to puke all over Mr. Browne, but I will "choose kind" and give it two stars instead of one. In my opinion this book was ridiculous, and felt like the author was just riding the momentum of the Wonder gravy train all the way to the bank. Mr. Browne was annoying and too perfect. Every 5th grade kid corresponds with him in long, deep thinking letters? Don't think so. And he seemed to just be bragging about how powerful and inspired all of his ideas and lessons were. Also, the Julian letters were exactly cut and pasted out of The Julian chapter. Really, we paid $7.99 and got a bunch of extremely well known 3 word quotes and then on top of that, a chunk that is cut and pasted from another book, all of which can be read in under an hour? Yeah, I'm bugged. And if Mr. Browne was supposedly writing a book of precepts that spanned his teaching career, why were the kids from Wonder the ONLY kids who made it in to the pages of his book? Wonder is a great book, but this left a stain on Wonder for me. It didn't feel true and it made me mad, to be honest.

[Valeria · Rating 5 out of 5]

"Los dos días más importantes de tu vida son el día que naces y el día que descubres por qué."
~Mark Twain

NO PUEDO DEJAR DE LLORAR😭😭😭😭😭❤️‍🩹
Raquel Palacio, es de mis escritoras favoritas y cada libro escrito por ella se siente como un abrazo para el alma.

Aún recuerdo cuando vi "WONDER" por primera vez. Era una niña y estaba con mis padres en la sala. Pensé, vaya, esta película es increíble y siempre mantuve el recuerdo.
Cuando fui creciendo descubrí que tenía libro y leerlo fue una acción automática.
LO AMÉ.
Me encantó y así comenzó esta travesía por el universo de WONDER y por la escritura de Raquel❤️‍🩹

Cada libro es un abrazo para el corazón y un punto de vista diferente. Nos enseña a que cada persona es un mundo propio y que todas la historias merecen ser contadas.
He leído a Julian, Auggie, Chris y Charlotte.
He valorado a cada uno y pudo reflexionar con las historias individuales.

En esta ocasión tengo al señor Browne y LO HE AMADO POR COMPLETO😭😭😭😭❤️‍🩹
Cada inicio de los preceptos por meses comenzaban con una introducción por él y todo cobraba sentido. *Estuve llorando mal*
Amo las conexiones con todo el universo desde Jack, el correo de Julian y Charlotte y claro, todo sobre Auggie.
Todos los momentos de ellos con el señor Browne me hicieron chillar de emoción y también de paz.
CUANDO EN EL CORREO JULIAN HACE UN GUIÑO A LA HISTORIA DE "WHITE BIRD" mis lágrimas salieron por si solas, porque amo ese libro de Raquel.
Idk, es PERFECTO.

Este libro estará en mi corazón PARA SIEMPRE y todo lo que escribe Raquel igual, todoooo.
Leerla a ella me recuerda mi amor por la lectura y mis deseos de ser escritora.

P.D. ESTO LO DEBERÍAN LEER TODOS LOS PROFESORES *TODAS LAS PERSONAS*
Hasta me dieron ganas de ser profesora❤️‍🩹💗😭😭😭😭😭😭😭😭😭😭😭😭💐


Gracias WONDER.
Gracias señor Browne.
Gracias Raquel Palacio.

[Flor ♡ · Rating 3 out of 5]

3,5 ⭐️

Recopilación de preceptos, algunos muy conocidos, otros no tanto. Tenía expectativas más altas con este libro porque el personaje del profesor Browne fue uno de mis preferidos en “La lección de August”, pero en general estuvo bien.

Les dejo algunas de las frases que más me gustaron:

Albergamos en nuestro interior las maravillas que buscamos a nuestro alrededor.

Lo vergonzoso no es no saber, sino no molestarse en averiguar.

Las buenas acciones son las bisagras invisibles de las puertas del cielo.

Si quieres llegar pronto, ve solo. Si quieres llegar lejos, ve acompañado.

[chev ۫ ꣑ৎ · Rating 4 out of 5]

My daily source of motivation for the day. This is another addition to the wonder series. Another short
4/5 Wonderful novella
recommended for: those who haven't read it yet
------
I am usually found here: https://beacons.ai/chevreads
Find me on:
Instagram: @calliesyy
Wattpad: @writerthursday
P.S. Add me as a friend :) I like to read romance novels and mystery stories

[Patty · Rating 3 out of 5]

Morning routine: a quote a day

aka it will take me 365 days to finish this book LOL. Also, there’s no pages numbers so I’m guess when it comes to what page/percentage i’m at o.O.

[E. Mellyberry · Rating 5 out of 5]

my tween son adores it, loves it, puts it on his bedside table, and reads it every night. he gets motivated reading this. whe he had a bad day at school, he would go home and curl up in his room reading this book. always this book.

i love this book too. it's crazy- crazy good.

[Carla Dente · Rating 5 out of 5]

4,5 :D ME ENCANTÓ!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Reseña: http://mimundoestaentuspaginas.blogsp...

[Nhi Nguyễn · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is such an inspiring, uplifting and though-provoking collection of beautiful precepts and quotes that puts a smile on my face. You can easily identify with these sayings, ranging from quotes from the ancient times to quotes made and submitted by children. Most of them focus on kindness and its meaning in our life, especially in a time when there is so much division and hatred among human beings across many aspects and communication platforms. The others are about love, courage, finding the silver lining in the darkest situation, hopes and dreams, being yourself and putting all of your efforts into achieving what you set out to do. So very magnificent and much needed.

But what I appreciate the most in this book is the intervals between precepts (sectioned into 12 parts for 12 months of a year), where we can see the inner thoughts, heart and soul of Thomas Browne – the teacher of Auggie and other students in “Wonder”. What he shared about his inspiration for collecting precepts, and encouraging his students to do the same; for choosing his own teaching method; for emphasizing the necessity of kindness and love and respect in our life, and how that kindness can be taught to young children, really sheds a light on how all teachers and parents and legal guardians should be in terms of the ones who provide education and guidance to the young generation.

Education and studying should not be focused on getting the highest scores, graduating from the most prestigious schools or institutions. It should be about encouraging critical thinking, learning how to be a kind person and how to show kindness, how to think and react and choose a way to live your life following your own principles, and how to be a dignified person with a moral standard. In this turbulent and often scary time, those values have never been so precious to embrace and demonstrate.

[Spriya · Rating 3 out of 5]

I especially enjoyed the little essay entries between the months.

[Carrot :3 (on a hiatus) · Rating 5 out of 5]

A very lovely book. I don’t know why I ever put it down the first time I read it.

[Spens (Sphynx Reads) · Rating 2 out of 5]

Actual rating: 2.5

Meh, nothing too special. Felt like a generic quote book you can get at the bookstore counter as a last minute birthday present for someone you could care less about.

[Tamara · Rating 5 out of 5]

I'm embarrassed to admit that, unlike my dear friend and teaching partner Debby, I didn't immediately recognize the transformative power of Wonder. I had to read it aloud to kids, and hear their reactions, before I began to get it. But really, it wasn't until my second year of reading it aloud (3rd reading) that I had my own 'aha' moment. With each rereading, Wonder filters deeper down into my soul.
So, I've been waiting excitedly for 365 Days of Wonder. And what a great resource for the classroom it is. Mostly, it's 365 precepts. But as R.J. Palacio reminds us in the acknowledgements, "Precepts aren't just maxims or pretty quotes, after all--they are words to live by, to elevate the soul, that celebrate the goodness in people." Charlotte encapsulates the wisdom and challenge of contemplating precepts in the essay "Of Baboons and Men" when she reminds us that "..."being nice" is not the same as "choosing kind."" Maybe because it took me so long to "get" Wonder, I can see how it would be easy to skim through 365 Days of Wonder without allowing it to affect you, without reaching the understanding that "..."being nice" is not the same as "choosing kind."" That's why I'll start by using 365 Days of Wonder as a classroom resource. The power of the precepts is in the conversation, the contemplation, the percolation. In the essay "Choosing Kind" Mr. Browne says, "It's one of the things I love most about precepts: the sentiments they voice are usually about things that human beings have been grappling with since the dawn of time. I love that my fifth-graders are doing the same!" I would add that I love that my students are building community by having conversations and wondering about ideas with the potential to subtlety shift the trajectory of their lives.

[Ruben (BooksVlogs) Arauz · Rating 4 out of 5]

Fueron 365 Días contigo querido amigo, un reto más cumplido, GRACIAS por frases maravillosas y momentos vergonzosos, por estar conmigo en días lluviosos y acalorados, por darme aliento y ayudarme con los bloqueos, y si, también te pido perdón por los días en los que no estuve o te olvide, fue un gran año, fueron 365 Días contigo querido amigo.

[Jenifer Jacobs · Rating 5 out of 5]

Reading with Max. Thinking of you Angela!!

Loved this book! Max and I had fantastic discussion about the precepts (and who wrote them!). I love Mr. Browne and wish he was a real teacher (although he reminds of many of my favorite real teachers!!!).

[Josiah · Rating 3 out of 5]

First, a few of my favorite precepts from the book:

"And above all, watch with glittering eyes the whole world around you because the greatest secrets are always hidden in the most unlikely places. Those who don't believe in magic will never find it."

—Roald Dahl, January 2

"You can complain because roses have thorns, or you can be grateful because thorn bushes have roses."

—Ziggy (Tom Wilson), April 16

"You're never a loser until you quit trying."

—Mike Ditka, July 27

"If your ship doesn't come in, swim out to it."

—Jonathan Winters, May 17

"Be yourself, you will not get a second chance to."

—Daniel, Age 12, Munich, Germany, October 14

"Do your little bit of good where you are; it's those little bits of good put together that overwhelm the world."

—Desmond Tutu, December 22

"Kind words do not cost much. Yet they accomplish much."

—Blaise Pascal, March 1

"Turn your wounds into wisdom."

—Oprah Winfrey, November 4

"When we know how to read our own hearts, we acquire wisdom of the hearts of others."

—Denis Diderot, June 18

"How many things are looked upon as quite impossible until they have actually been effected?"

—Pliny the Elder, June 28

"You can never cross the ocean unless you have the courage to lose sight of the shore."

—André Gide, August 8

"If you can't change your fate, change your attitude."

—Amy Tan, October 10

"All our dreams can come true—if we have the courage to pursue them."

—Walt Disney, December 11

"You are never too old to set another goal or to dream a new dream."

—C.S. Lewis, December 13

"The greatest danger for most of us is not that our aim is too high and we miss it, but that it is too low and we reach it."

—Michelangelo Buonarroti, June 21

"I've always thought that good teaching is about illumination. Sure, we teach things kids might not know, but a lot of the time, we're just shedding light on the stuff they already know."

—Mr. Browne

For all who loved Wonder, 365 Days of Wonder is an indispensable companion volume, and not just for its hundreds of wise proverbs casting light on every nuance of the human condition. It's a blessing to have access to Mr. Browne's ponderous collection of precepts, precepts that directly impacted the Wonder narrative by causing characters to be more thoughtful of their everyday actions and how they affect others. Auggie and his classmates demonstrated their emotional growth by the end of Wonder in large part through the precepts they sent Mr. Browne as expressions of who they were becoming, and several of those precepts pop up in 365 Days of Wonder amidst other sage advice imparted throughout human history. But the significance of this book extends further to fans of Wonder, filling in minor gaps in the story and providing a second chance at redemptive conclusion for those who declined their happy ending in Wonder. If you felt only burning anger toward Julian until reading his chapter in Auggie & Me: Three Wonder Stories, here's your opportunity to view him in a softer light, as he contacts Mr. Browne by email to earnestly explain his troubling initial reaction to Auggie and try setting things right as best he can. 365 Days of Wonder chronicles email conversations between Mr. Browne and several of his students, and their unique life experiences influence each other to enhance their positive presence in the world. And that's what this book emphasizes most.

"I personally don't buy this notion that all kids go through a 'mean phase.' In fact, I think it's a lot of malarkey! Not to mention a little insulting to kids. When I talk to parents who tell me, as a way of justifying something unkind their child has done, 'What can I do? Kids will be kids,' It's all I can do not to bop them on their heads with a friendship bracelet."

—Mr. Browne

A few more favorite 365 Days of Wonder precepts:

"We carry within us the wonders we seek around us."

—Sir Thomas Browne, January 1

"When it's dark, be the one who turns on the light."

—Joseph, Age 9, Brooklyn, New York, November 29

"I'm not afraid of storms, for I'm learning how to sail my ship."

—Louisa May Alcott, December 4

"There is no shame in not knowing. The shame lies in not finding out."

—Assyrian Proverb, January 23

"The secret of getting things done is to act!"

—Dante Alighieri, September 6

"Wherever there is a human being there is an opportunity for a kindness."

—Seneca, January 27

"What wisdom can you find that is greater than kindness?"

—Jean-Jacques Rousseau, March 23

"You were born an original. don't become a copy."

—Dustin, May 14

"How wonderful is it that nobody need wait a single moment before starting to improve the world."

—Anne Frank, January 12

"Never doubt that a small group of thoughtful, committed citizens can change the world. Indeed, it's the only thing that ever has."

—Margaret Mead, March 2

"The man who moves a mountain must start by moving small stones."

—Chinese Proverb, March 24

"Very little is needed to make a happy life."

—Marcus Aurelius, August 30

"Even the darkest hour has only sixty minutes."

—Morris Mandel, October 27

"Everything you can imagine is real."

—Pablo Picasso, February 8

"The chief happiness for a man is to be what he is."

—Desiderius Erasmus, May 25

R.J. Palacio doesn't rely solely on the sagacity of adulthood for this book's wisdom; some of the most thoughtful sayings were donated to her by kids as young as nine, all of whom are specifically credited in the Contributors section at the back. After reading to the end of 365 Days of Wonder on December 31, I flipped for a long while between the Contributors section and the precepts sent in by kids, amazed at their insight. Kids across the United States and around the world did their part to create 365 Days of Wonder, and this, perhaps, is the true beauty of the book: that a beloved children's author could collaborate with her young readers in piecing together a work of literary art neither could have made on their own. That inspiration stretches on immeasurably through the dozens of hopeful kids who have now caused their own ripple in the pond of juvenile literature, a ripple expanding outward with no limit to how far it can reach.

"This is why I love using precepts in my classroom. You throw them out there, and you never know what you're getting back, what's going to strike a chord with a kid, or what's going to make them think a little deeper, a little bigger, than if they were just trying to answer a question from a book. It's one of the things I love most about precepts: the sentiments they voice are usually about things that human beings have been grappling with since the dawn of time."

—Mr. Browne

Let's see another fifteen of the book's most meaningful proverbs:

"Always be on the lookout for the presence of wonder."

—E.B. White, August 11

"It's not what happens to you, but how you react that matters."

—Epictetus, February 27

"Start by doing the necessary, then the possible, and suddenly you are doing the impossible."

—St. Francis of Assisi, June 3

"I cannot do all the good that the world needs, but the world needs all the good that I can do."

—Jana Stanfield, August 13

"The only person you are destined to become is the person you decide to be."

—Ralph Waldo Emerson, June 8

"To succeed in life, you need three things: a wishbone, a backbone and a funny bone."

—Reba McEntire, November 16

"Life is not meant to be easy, my child; but take courage: it can be delightful."

—George Bernard Shaw, August 12

"It's not the load that breaks you down. It's the way you carry it."

—C.S. Lewis, May 8

"Accept what you have and treat it well."

—Brody, Age 10, Forked River, New Jersey, December 15

"Do not go where the path may lead, go instead where there is no path and leave a trail."

—Ralph Waldo Emerson, March 7

"Be kind, for everyone you meet is fighting a hard battle."

—Ian Maclaren, October 23

"Ideals are like stars; you will not succeed in touching them with your hands. But like the seafaring man on the desert of waters, you choose them as your guides, and following them you will reach your destiny."

—Carl Schurz, April 22

"A tree is known by its fruit; a man by his deeds. A good deed is never lost; he who sows courtesy reaps friendship, and he who plants kindness gathers love."

—St. Basil, March 6

"To love another person is to see the face of God."

—Les Misérables, The Musical (Alain Boublil), November 21

"Whether you believe you can or believe you can't, you're absolutely right."

—Henry Ford, June 10

In addition to one precept per day covering an entire year, essays composed by Mr. Browne are inserted at the beginning of each month, drawing on his teaching experience to guide us in learning about ourselves, our friends, and even our enemies. Some of the book's most indispensable concepts come from Mr. Browne's essays, such as his April installment, where he tells of taking his three-year-old son to the pediatrician for a routine checkup. After Mr. Browne confesses that his son is going through a stage of refusing to eat healthy foods in favor of sweets and carbs, the doctor has an illuminating response: "Well, you can't really force him to eat the veggies...but your job is to make sure they're on his plate. He can't eat them if they're not even on his plate." That hit home with Mr. Browne, who compares the daily mandate of presenting his son with nutritious meal options to the responsibility he bears as a fifth-grade teacher. "My students can't learn what I don't teach them. Kindness. Empathy. Compassion. It's not part of the curriculum, I know, but I still have to keep dishing it onto their plates every day. Maybe they'll eat it; maybe they won't. Either way, my job is to keep on serving it to them. Hopefully, a little mouthful of kindness today may make them hungry for a bigger taste of it tomorrow." The effectiveness of any lesson is contingent upon the listener's willingness to receive it; as much as we might wish wisdom could be transferred without a receptive attitude, it takes a ready heart to accept the good our words and deeds can do for our students in any arena of life. But as long as we keep offering those lessons even when it appears they fall on deaf ears, it isn't so important that they be assimilated today. Someday they may be, when the student is ready.

"(P)laying nice is something that doesn't end when you start middle school. It's something you need to remember every day as you walk through the school hallways on your way to becoming adults."

—Mr. Browne

Here's another set of the most substantive maxims in 365 Days of Wonder:

"Be the person who can smile on the worst day."

—Cate, Age 10, Nashville, Tennessee, March 18

"We make our world significant by the courage of our questions and the depth of our answers."

—Carl Sagan, October 21

"You miss 100 percent of the shots you don't take."

—Wayne Gretzky, July 21

"Ignorance is not saying, I don't know. Ignorance is saying, I don't want to know."

—Unknown, June 2

"If you want to go quickly, go alone. If you want to go far, go together."

—African proverb, August 21

"Great works are performed not by strength but by perseverance."

—Samuel Johnson, July 4

"The sage has one advantage: He is immortal. If this is not his century, many others will be."

—Baltasar Gracián, August 16

"We must be willing to let go of the life we have planned, so as to have the life that is waiting for us."

—E.M. Forster, July 31

"Your actions are all you can own."

—Flynn, Age 10, Bowdoinham, Maine, May 27

"Let us be grateful to people who make us happy. They are the charming gardeners who make our souls blossom."

—Marcel Proust, November 24

"Find things that shine and move toward them."

—Mia Farrow, May 15

"To the world, you are one person. But to one person, you may be the WORLD!"

—Unknown, July 12

"A bit of fragrance clings to the hand that gives flowers."

—Chinese Proverb, June 5

"The future belongs to those who believe in the beauty of their dreams."

—Eleanor Roosevelt, January 30

"I agree, sometimes it's good to start over. A fresh start gives us the chance to reflect on the past, weigh the things we've done, and apply what we've learned from those things to the way we move forward. If we don't examine the past, we don't learn from it."

—Mr. Browne

I've read other quote-a-day books, but 365 Days of Wonder is easily the best, a textbook example of how to write something that's going to take readers a year to finish. The daily interaction has to be pithy, or we'll bore of it. The precepts must be philosophically sound, or the book won't do any good. The everyday pattern has to be deviated from now and then, or the read becomes tedious. R.J. Palacio succeeds in all of that while infusing the story with the same affectionate warmth as Wonder, the unmistakable awareness that she loves and wishes the best for each of us as we venture into the world and begin seeing what it's all about for ourselves. R.J. Palacio can't transplant her wisdom into our brains, but through her writing she can give us all we need to flourish in life. Thank you for the privilege of knowing Auggie, Jack Will, and all the other kids at their school, Ms. Palacio. You've bettered us in ways we can't yet express. We're ready to become the wonders we seek around us.

"Just goes to show, everyone really does have a story to tell. And most people, at least in my experience, are a little more noble than they think they are."

—Mr. Browne

"The two most important days in your life are the day you are born and the day you find out why."

—Mark Twain, January 7

"What makes night within us may leave stars."

—Victor Hugo, October 16

"However long the night...the dawn will break."

—African proverb, January 13

"Courage doesn't always roar. Sometimes courage is the quiet voice at the end of the day saying, 'I will try again tomorrow.'"

—Mary Anne Radmacher, August 6

"Keep a green tree in your heart and a singing bird may come."

—Chinese Proverb, February 24

"If you ever feel lost, let your heart be your compass."

—Emily, Age 11, Port Jefferson Station, New York, February 7

"Hope is like the Sun. When it's behind the clouds, it's not gone. You just have to find it!"

—Matthew, Age 11, Lanoka Harbor, New Jersey, March 21

"The supreme happiness of life is the conviction that we are loved."

—Victor Hugo, February 3

"Is it so small a thing
To have enjoyed the sun,
To have lived light in the spring,
To have loved, to have thought, to have done;
To have advanced true friends, and beat down baffling foes?"

—Matthew Arnold, May 30

"Good friends are like stars. You don't always see them, but you always know they're there."

—Unknown, November 7

"What is a friend? A single soul dwelling in two bodies."

—Aristotle, September 17

"Don't choose the one who is beautiful to the world. But rather, choose the one who makes your world beautiful."

—Harry Styles, October 19

"You are braver than you believe, stronger than you seem, and smarter than you think."

—Christopher Robin (A.A. Milne), January 19

"Don't cry because it's over, smile because it happened."

—Dr. Seuss, October 5

"I've learned that life is like a book. Sometimes we must close a chapter and begin the next one."

—Hanz, Age 13, Regina, Saskatchewan, Canada, December 8

[Lauren · Rating 5 out of 5]

A beautiful book full with amazing quotes and precepts to live by. A must read all year long.

[Flor Méndez · Rating 5 out of 5]

Gracias a Penguin Random House por el ejemplar.

Reseña disponible en el blog desde el 4/3

Otro libro de esta autora que va directamente a mis favoritos. Es rápido y muy fluido, lleno de preceptos y frases que todos tendríamos que leer antes de salir a enfrentar al mundo cada mañana. Es prácticamente un canto al optimismo y a las buenas vibras. Es hermoso.

Lo empecé a la madrugada y lo terminé hace un ratito, y sólo porque tenía que dormir entre medio.

Precioso <3

[Amna (semi-hiatus, I come on when I feel like it)]

I plan to read one chapter everyday in 2025 :)

[Diogo Fonseca · Rating 5 out of 5]

Sempre que eu fico sabendo que alguém leu Extraordinário eu fico muito feliz, e sempre que posso eu indico o livro.
Hoje eu tive a oportunidade de matar um pouco a saudade do livro lendo 365 dias extraordinário, que por mais que o foco não seja no Auggie me fez lembrar dele. Gostei muito de boa parte dos preceitos e a visão do Sr. Browne sobre os seus alunos e a educação.
Objetivo do livro e trazer um preceito por dia, mas eu achei melhor lê-lo em uma única sentada, até por que no final de cada mês tem um pequeno texto do Sr. Browne comentando sobre o englobado de preceitos do mês e outros assuntos que tem referência com o livro extraordinário.

[Sophie Crane · Rating 5 out of 5]

I love this book of 'Precepts' as the author calls them, little quotes one per day to promote well-being, some very thought provoking, I will read this book year after year after year, the only thing missing is February 29th which is a shame because even though most years it would get skipped, it would be nice to have a precept for that day, on the one in four years that we have a 29th. A nice tie-in to Wonder by R J Palacio.

[William · Rating 5 out of 5]

<3 <3 <3 my little brother gave this as a gift to me <3 <3 <3