Wonder by R. J. Palacio Series: Wonder #1
Published by Alfred A. Knopf on March 23, 2026
Genres: Juvenile Fiction / Disability, Juvenile Fiction / Family / General, Juvenile Fiction / Media Tie-In, Juvenile Fiction / School & Education, Juvenile Fiction / Social Themes / Self-Esteem & Self-Reliance
Pages: 341
Format: eBook
Amazon|Barnes&Noble|Goodreads
A special movie tie-in edition of R.J. Palacio's #1 New York Times bestseller.
Over 8 million people have fallen in love with Wonder and Auggie Pullman, the ordinary boy with the extraordinary face, who inspired a movement to Choose Kind and an upcoming graphic novel White Bird - on sale 10/1/2019!This special movie tie-in edition features an eight-page full-color insert with photos from the film, a foreword by the director Stephen Chbosky, an afterword by R.J. Palacio, a behind-the-scenes look at the making of the movie with anecdotes from the cast and crew, and a family discussion guide.
August Pullman was born with a facial difference that, up until now, has prevented him from going to a mainstream school. Starting 5th grade at Beecher Prep, he wants nothing more than to be treated as an ordinary kid--but his new classmates can't get past Auggie's extraordinary face. WONDER, now a #1 New York Times bestseller and included on the Texas Bluebonnet Award master list, begins from Auggie's point of view, but soon switches to include his classmates, his sister, her boyfriend, and others. These perspectives converge in a portrait of one community's struggle with empathy, compassion, and acceptance.
"Wonder is the best kids' book of the year," said Emily Bazelon, senior editor at Slate.com and author of Sticks and Stones: Defeating the Culture of Bullying and Rediscovering the Power of Character and Empathy. In a world where bullying among young people is an epidemic, this is a refreshing new narrative full of heart and hope. R.J. Palacio has called her debut novel "a meditation on kindness" --indeed, every reader will come away with a greater appreciation for the simple courage of friendship. Auggie is a hero to root for, a diamond in the rough who proves that you can't blend in when you were born to stand out.
Join the conversation: #thewonderofwonder, #choosekind
Let’s be honest, I have no idea how this book hit my radar all these years (over a decade!?!) after it was released. I’m also not quite the target audience, though this book has been adopted into almost every readership that exists. And while Wonder is an amazing book and I absolutely adored the audio format with the change up of every character’s voice, I did have some issues. Perhaps because I’m old, perhaps because I’m cranky, or just perhaps because I listened with a different ear.
On the surface, Wonder is a feel-good book about a young man who literally lost the genetic lottery. I do love the way the science and genetics were written into the story without overwhelming the greater theme. I also loved the way that while the book was about his looks, it wasn’t about his looks. Yes, they matter, yes, they are the catalyst of how Auggie’s life played out in the before time, but also how they played out in 5th grade, in public(ish) school for the first time, and how he navigated this year of his life. But they aren’t the entire theme of the book. They are Auggie, and Auggie is well . . . Auggie.
Here’s where being AARP and not the target middle-grade audience impacts my feels. In some ways, it felt too simple. I mean, let’s be clear that there were some deep emotions that were hinted at as things happened, as they do with kids, and hurtful things were said/done. I missed out on fully getting the impact of those emotions and instead felt like they were glossed over a bit too much, and we overcame to simply. There was a great story arc introduced on the difference between inclusion (think more learning differences) and just looking different that I felt went nowhere and reached no resolution. I loved the premise of that arc. Ultimately, though, we have an amazing and well put together story of a young man who faces a world of challenges for life because he lost the genetic lottery and looks different. It’s a feel-good, heartwarming story that I think every person should read. Should understand, take to heart, and literally remember that we are all different with different challenges. And from a young age until somewhere (hopefully) along the way, we struggle with and then let go of the focus on how we look. We can change a lot of things, but how we look is a part of who we are, and that needs to be embraced. The earlier the better to save years of self-conscious heartache.
About R. J. Palacio
R. J. Palacio is the author of the #1 New York Times bestseller Wonder, which has sold over 15 million copies worldwide. The book’s message inspired the Choose Kind movement and has been embraced by readers around the world, with the book published in over 55 languages. Wonder was made into a blockbuster movie starring Julia Roberts, Owen Wilson, and Jacob Tremblay. Palacio’s other bestselling books include 365 Days of Wonder: Mr. Browne’s Book of Precepts, Auggie & Me: Three Wonder Stories, the picture book We’re All Wonders, and the graphic novel White Bird, which is currently being filmed as a major motion picture starring Gillian Anderson and Helen Mirren. Palacio lives in Brooklyn with her husband, two sons, and two dogs.
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