I believe it was because of the raw violence and just oddity that was seen in the book, back then it was not common to go see a movie that had so much killing, much less read a book where you get chosen and stoned to death. That age was a little more innocent. Hope this helps.
What I know of that it Scrooge is visited as the bell tolls at one o'clock by the first of three ghosts, as promised by Marley's ghost: the Ghost of Christmas Past. The apparition is a curious figure' that both an old man and a child appear to be.
Answer:
looked like as if she was nervous and anxious.
an effort she put to avoid making August feel insecure and judged.
Explanation:
In the book "Wonder", Mrs. Gracia ‘shiny smile' looked like as if she was nervous and anxious not to offend or act differently in front of August.
Though she had been working and taking care of all sorts of children in the school for so many years, August was quite different and extraordinary.
Mrs. Gracia smile could be understood as an effort she tried to make in order to avoid making August feel insecure and judged. She already knew August's circumstances, therefore, she put up with a ‘shiny smile'.