R.J. Palacio is the author of the well-known book WONDER. In her graphic novel debut, she continues the story of Julian, a character many will remember as the bully who torments Auggie Pullman. WHITE BIRD sheds new light on Julian and lets readers know that his outlook on life and his understanding of his role as a human being has changed.
Julian has a school project that requires a report about a person he knows. He decides to ask his grandmother to share the story of her experience as a young, Jewish girl during WW II. Through a Facetime communication, Julian's grandmother remembers her childhood and the years she spent hiding from the Nazis in wartime France.
A major focus of Sara's story is the young boy, who despite being crippled by polio, risks his life to help her survive and avoid capture during the Holocaust. She learns to value kindness and sacrifice while hiding in a barn on the his family's property. Her story also explains the significance of the name Julian that she later gave her own son, and that he in turn passed on to her grandson.
Before hearing his grandmother's story, Julian admits that he regrets his past actions toward Auggie, and after learning about her experiences, Julian recognizes that kindness can have an even more important impact than he imagined.
WHITE BIRD should be placed proudly on bookshelves next to memorable books such as THE DIARY OF A YOUNG GIRL, NIGHT, and NUMBER THE STARS. R.J. Palacio illustrates that understanding the role of kindness in history must serve as an example to humanity today.
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