Raquel J. Palacio
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Raquel J. Palacio is the pseudonym of the American publisher, writer and book cover designer Raquel Jaramillo (born July 13, 1963 in New York City ).
Palacio is the author of the novel Wonder (2012, German Wunder , 2013). Wonder was on the New York Times' weekly bestseller list from December 2012 to August 2013 . The book was recognized by the international and German-language press as “rich and memorable” (New York Times), “brilliant debut” ( Süddeutsche Zeitung ), “a miracle from a novel” ( Die Zeit ) and “literary event” (Deutschlandradio Culture). He has also been awarded the Spiegel bestseller price (Spiegel). With That was the River was published in 2015, the second novel by Palacio.
Life and family
Raquel Jaramillo's parents are immigrants from Colombia . Jaramillo worked for many years as an art director , photo illustrator and book cover designer, the latter for over twenty years. Until 2012, she published her books under her real name, Raquel Jaramillo. In her books Dream, Baby, Dream (1998), Ride, Baby, Ride (1998) and Last Summer - A Little Book for Dads (2004), she mainly works with photographs, cautiously underlaid with text. In addition to these three books, she also illustrated the books of other authors: The Notebooks of Frank Herbert's Dune (1998) by Frank Herbert , Peter Pan - The Original Tale of Neverland, Complete and Unabridged (2000) by J. M. Barrie , The Nights Before Christmas (2001 ) by Clement Clarke Moore and The Handiest Things In the World (2010) by Andrew Clements.
Palacio has been with New York publisher Workman since 2006. Until October 2013 she was Director of Children's Publishing there , and from February 2014 she was also employed as Editor-at-large at Workman. As Workman announced, Palacio justified the change of occupation with wanting more time for writing.
In 2013 she was a member of the jury for The Extraordinary Book of the Children and Youth Program of the Berlin International Literature Festival .
Palacio lives in Brooklyn , New York with her husband Russell and their two sons Caleb and Joseph .
Debut novel Wonder
Palacio had long wanted to work as a writer, but only dared to make her debut as the author of a book without pictures relatively late. Wonder is her first book that she published under her pseudonym. The idea for the book came to her in 2007 because of a real experience. Together with her children, on an excursion outside of New York, she met a girl with facial anomalies and found herself and her two children confronted with their own helplessness as to how to react appropriately in such a situation. On the way back to New York, the song Wonder by Natalie Merchant was on the radio , which Raquel J. Palacio inspired to the title of the book. Wonder received impressive press coverage in the United States . The rights have so far been sold in eight non-English speaking countries. Wonder was published in German translation under the title Wunder bei Hanser . All other books by Raquel J. Palacio and Raquel Jaramillo have not yet been published in Germany.
At the center of Wonder is ten-year-old August Pullman, whom everyone calls Auggie. Auggie has had a facial deformity since birth and had to endure 27 operations. All his life he was homeschooled by his mother. He started school when he was ten, in the fifth grade. With Wonder, RJ Palacio has taken on a very difficult topic for a children's book. What is literarily interesting is that the narrator of the book changes from section to section. The first part is told by Auggie himself, the second part by Auggie's 15-year-old sister Olivia, the third part by Auggie's classmate Summer Dawson, the fourth part by Auggie's classmate Jack Will, the fifth part by Olivia's boyfriend Justin, the sixth part of August, the seventh part of Olivia's classmate Miranda and the eighth and final part of Auggie. The action period is primarily the fifth year of school and the events in this period.
The first edition of Wonder was just 22,500 copies in February 2012. To date, more than a million copies of the book have been sold. In addition to English, Wonder is now available in seven other languages (Chinese, German, French, Catalan, Korean, Dutch, Spanish). The rights were sold in 36 countries. Wunder was shortlisted for the 2013 Carnegie Medal and was named Lynx of the Month in May 2013. In October 2013, Random House announced that the novel had sold a million copies in North America in print and digital since its February 2012 release.
In 2017 the film version Wunder , directed by Stephen Chbosky , was released. Julia Roberts , Jacob Tremblay and Owen Wilson can be seen in leading roles .
Press review
Wonder (2012) / Wonder (2013)
“Stories about unusual children who long to fit in can be particularly wrenching. At their core lurks a kind of loneliness that stirs primal fears of abandonment and isolation. But Palacio gives Auggie a counterweight to his problems: He has the kind of warm and loving family many 'normal' children lack. Among their - and the book's - many strengths, the Pullmans share the, um, earthy sense of humor that all kids love. […] It's somehow weirdly satisfying to see what happens when something actually alarming enters this zone of needless anxiety. Palacio carves a wise and refreshing path, suggesting that while even a kid like August has to be set free to experience the struggles of life, the right type of closeness between parents and children is a transformative force for good. "
“It won't do to give away too much of the plot but Wonder builds to a sweeping, uplifting finale. The book undoubtedly, and skilfully, manipulates the emotions of readers […] but it will delight children and adults because it's a terrific story and Palacio is exploring some fundamental truths about how humans behave. And how they should behave. "
“It is curious how the gravity of serious subjects can be best expressed through humor. Comedy humanises: the light touch gives weight. It's a tactic RJ Palacio has used to great effect in her remarkable story of a year in the life of 10-year-old August Pullman, a boy without a 'normal' face. [...] Palacio has a great ear for dialogue, a sharp eye for detail and an instinctive sense of comedy. All this makes her an expert chronicler of ordinariness - and this, paradoxically, is what makes her story of an extraordinary boy so wonderful. [...] Wonder certainly delivers what it promises - an emotional roller-coaster ride in which tears, laughter and triumphant fist-pumping are mandatory. But it is better than that. In its assured simplicity and boldness (reminiscent - it seemed to me - of To Kill a Mockingbird ), it also has the power to move hearts and change minds. "
“There is a message running through the book, most clearly voiced by an inspirational teacher, that if we were all a little kinder to one another the benefit would be incalculable. To finish it with a firm resolve to be a better person - well, you can't ask much more of any book than that. "
“Told using multiple voices, this debut novel is beautifully written with the chorus of characters around Auggie helping to reveal him to the reader. With a sly and insidious bully on the periphery, Auggie's strong and stoic voice sings out. This hugely moving story is full of empathy and kindness without ever feeling anything other than authentic. "
“Palacio mostly composes human reactions, from good-hearted to nasty and threatening. Uses an ingenious mix of family saga and self-irony, New York life and childish quirks to not only let Auggie grow, but also allow him to grow beyond himself - and his surroundings with them. The gradual change of the classmates, but also deep love and situation comedy , everyday tragedies and losses, injustices, helplessness and then again unlimited sympathies make the reader cry and laugh and, as if by a miracle, emerge strengthened from this book. Because the human size of little Auggie touches generations. "
"An incredibly heartfelt, wonderfully written book that opens your eyes to what being different actually means without the need for an educational index finger."
“Children's and young people's books tell more and more often about taboo topics, about illness and death, for example. They don't skimp on drastic details either. Raquel J. Palacio's Miracle is a literary event similar to Sally Nicholls ' How to Immortal . Because it portrays a child in an absolutely exceptional situation that cannot be changed, but also releases a lot of strength - in August, his parents, his friends and also in his readers. Wunder inspires courage and hope to be more friendly with outsiders of all kinds. "
“What the author Raquel J. Palacio […] builds here can be described using the scientific term of the experimental arrangement: What does a foreign body do in a functioning system? How do children react to such a different classmate? Children can be cruel, you know that. This is how Palacio brings her characters to a borderline experience. And the reader too. "
“Outwardly, Raquel J. Palacio's debut is a book for children, but behind the plot is the real theme: the courage to be different and the longing to belong. Palacio effectively switches between different perspectives and thus stimulates thought about the multifaceted figures and their relationship to August. "
“Palacio tells convincingly from the point of view and in the language of children and young people. [...] For weeks, Wunder was on the New York Times children's bestseller list , a book that you want to read in one go and that even brings tears to the eyes of critics (including the LUCHS jury). What a success for a debut! [...] It is wonderful when literature triggers things in us and makes us rethink or even change our behavior. Miracles provide many impulses [...]. "
“Raquel J. Palacio is a godsend and her debut novel Wunder is a composition of emotions that threaten to break the reader's heart. There is no doubt: This book is a stroke of genius, which shows a lot of feeling, but also subtle humor - a masterpiece of the very high art of writing and a wonderful experience for all the senses. The American is a godsend for children's literature! "
“It is told simply and truthfully and with great mastery. A miracle of a book. "
Wonder (2012) / Wunder (2013) - Audiobook
"The direction has created a touching audio book that more than does justice to the original with its subtle polyphony."
bibliography
| Original English language edition | German-language first edition | Remarks |
|---|---|---|
| 1988: The Notebooks of Frank Herbert's Dune , text: Frank Herbert , illustration / photographs: Raquel Jaramillo, publisher: Perigee Trade (New York), ISBN 978-0-399-51466-1 | not translated | |
| 1998: Dream, Baby, Dream , text: Raquel Jaramillo, illustration / photographs: Raquel Jaramillo, publisher: Little Simon (New York), ISBN 978-0-689-82028-1 | Picture book
not translated |
|
| 1998: Ride, Baby, Ride , text: Raquel Jaramillo, illustration / photographs: Raquel Jaramillo, publisher: Little Simon (New York), ISBN 978-0-689-82027-4 | Picture book
not translated |
|
| 2000: Peter Pan - The Original Tale of Neverland, Complete and Unabridged , text: JM Barrie , illustration / photographs: Raquel Jaramillo, publisher: Simon & Schuster (New York), ISBN 978-0-7432-1449-0 | not translated | |
| 2001: The Nights Before Christmas , text: Clement Clarke Moore, illustration / photographs: Raquel Jaramillo, publisher: Atheneum / Anne Schwartz (New York), ISBN 978-0-689-84053-1 | not translated | |
| 2004: Last Summer - A Little Book for Dads , text: Raquel Jaramillo, illustration / photography: Raquel Jaramillo, publisher: Andrews McMeel (Philadelphia), ISBN 978-0-7407-4186-9 | Picture book
not translated |
|
| 2010: The Handiest Things In the World , text: Andrew Clements, illustration / photographs: Raquel Jaramillo, publisher: Atheneum (New York), ISBN 978-1-4169-6166-6 | not translated | |
| 2012: Wonder , Text: Raquel J. Palacio, Publisher: Alfred A. Knopf (New York), ISBN 978-0-375-86902-0 | 2013: Wunder , Hanser ( Munich ), ISBN 978-3-446-24175-6 , translation: André Mumot | novel
in the UK Wonder appeared in a children's edition and an adult edition |
| 2015: That was the River , text: Raquel J. Palacio, publisher: The Bodley Head (London), ISBN 978-0-370-33232-1 | novel |
Works in German translation
-
Wonder . New York: Raquel J. Palacio, 2012 ISBN 978-0-375-86902-0
- Miracle . Translation by André Mumot. Munich: Carl Hanser, 2013
-
Auggie & me: three wonder stories . New York: Alfred A. Knopf, 2015
- Wonder. Julian, Christopher and Charlotte tell . Translation by André Mumot. Munich: Carl Hanser, 2017
literature
Kraus, Tanja / Riegger-Kuhn, Eva: Materials and templates for Raquel J. Palacio Wunder. Munich: Rabbit and Hedgehog, 2019 ISBN 978-3-86760-926-5
Nominations and Awards
| year | book | Award |
|---|---|---|
| 2013 | Wonder / wonder | Donkey of the month from dog-ear magazine in March |
| 2013 | Wonder / wonder | Carnegie Medal shortlist |
| 2013 | Wonder / wonder | 3rd place on the audio book best list from Hessischer Rundfunk , Börsenblatt , BuchJournal and Hits für Kids for the audio book by Wunder in April |
| 2013 | Wonder / wonder | Lynx of the month in May |
| 2013 | Wonder / wonder | German children's audio book award BEO in the categories 7-11 years and children's jury |
| March 2014 | Wonder / wonder | Recommendation list of the Catholic Children's and Young People's Book Prize 2014 |
| 2014 | Wonder / wonder | German Youth Literature Prize 2014, Youth Jury Prize |
Festival participation
- 2013: Children's and youth program at the 13th Berlin International Literature Festival in September
Web links
- Literature by and about Raquel J. Palacio in the catalog of the German National Library
- Literature by and about Raquel J. Palacio in the WorldCat bibliographic database
- Raquel J. Palacio in the Internet Movie Database (English)
- Raquel J. Palacio , at the international literature festival berlin (ilb), 2013
-
Wonder / wonder
- Further reviews: letteraturen.de - Mitteldeutsche Zeitung - WDR 2: Audio and Text ( Memento from April 3, 2013 in the Internet Archive )
- Interviews with Palacio: Huffington Post - NPR (radio interview) - The Telegraph - rjpalacio.com - Random Books (video interview) - Deutschlandradio
- Other: Website for the book (English) - Facebook page for the book (in English) - Trailer for the book (English) - Fan trailer for the book (English) - Teaching material for the book (PDF; 901 kB) - Suggestions for school lessons (English) - radio report
Individual evidence
- ^ RJ Palacio , short biography at wonder the book
- ↑ nytimes.com
- ↑ Hilde Elisabeth Menzel: Indescribable face - the touching novel of a difficult childhood . In: Süddeutsche Zeitung , March 19, 2013, p. V2 / 2
- ↑ Katrin Hörnlein: Show your face? D rather not! In: Die Zeit , No. 20/2013
- ↑ dradio.de
- ↑ online.wsj.com
- ↑ zeit-verlagsgruppe.de
- ↑ publishersweekly.com
- ↑ nytimes.com
- ↑ telegraph.co.uk
- ↑ guardian.co.uk
- ↑ independent.co.uk
- ↑ carnegiegreenaway.org.uk ( Memento of the original from July 11, 2015 in the Internet Archive ) Info: The archive link was automatically inserted and not yet checked. Please check the original and archive link according to the instructions and then remove this notice.
- ↑ Miracle upon miracle . In: eselsohr , March 2013, p. 29, eselsohr-leseablebnis.de
- ↑ August is different - and very special . ( Memento from March 4, 2013 in the Internet Archive ) NDR.de, March 2, 2013
- ↑ Favorite day Halloween . Deutschlandradio Kultur , January 30, 2013
- ↑ Cornelia Geissler: The terrible child . In: Berliner Zeitung , April 2, 2013
- ↑ KulturSPIEGEL, Issue 4, April 2013, p. 51
- ↑ Katrin Hörnlein: Show your face? D rather not! In: Die Zeit , No. 20/2013, p. 40
- ↑ A novel full of small miracles . literaturmarkt.info, May 6, 2013
- ↑ badische-zeitung.de
- ↑ Raquel J. Palacio - "Miracles" .
- ↑ publishersweekly.com
- ↑ eselsohr-leseablebnis.de
- ↑ carnegiegreenaway.org.uk ( Memento of the original from July 11, 2015 in the Internet Archive ) Info: The archive link was automatically inserted and not yet checked. Please check the original and archive link according to the instructions and then remove this notice.
- ↑ zeit-verlagsgruppe.de
- ↑ kinderhoerbuchpreis.de
- ↑ dbk.de ( Memento of the original from March 6, 2014 in the Internet Archive ) Info: The archive link was inserted automatically and has not yet been checked. Please check the original and archive link according to the instructions and then remove this notice.
- ↑ djlp.jugendliteratur.org
| personal data | |
|---|---|
| SURNAME | Palacio, Raquel J. |
| ALTERNATIVE NAMES | Palacio, Raquel Jaramillo (maiden name) |
| BRIEF DESCRIPTION | American photographer, illustrator, and writer |
| DATE OF BIRTH | July 13, 1963 |
| PLACE OF BIRTH | New York City |