Lauren Ducommun

A World Wonder by Laura Wifler, and with beautiful illustrations by Janna Mattia, is a delightful picture book about a young girl named Cora who dreams of turning the house on the hill into a world wonder. She grows up to be an architect and designs impressive stadiums, museums, and more—all declared to be world wonders. But to Cora, they were “not wonderful enough to be called a world wonder.”

Cora moves back to her hometown and buys the abandoned house on the hill. She slowly renovates it, befriends some local children, becomes part of the community, and discovers that she likes the old house just the way it is. When asked by a reporter about what her greatest world wonder is, she responds by saying it wasn’t a building and shows him the people in her life are the true world wonders.

Wifler’s new picture book is delightfully told and illustrated with a touch of nostalgia. Underneath the story of Cora is the theme of imago dei—how people are more valuable than anything in one’s life. Readers are reminded that it isn’t our career or what we have that is important, but our friendships and relationships. It is people who are truly world wonders.

This is a book I will definitely add to my bookshelf! If you are a fan of Barbara Cooney, then you may enjoy this book!

A World Wonder
by Laura Wifler
Ten Peaks Press, 2024
32 pages