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Wonder

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Wonder by R. J. Palacio

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By R. J. Palacio

avg rating

890 reviews

Born with a severe facial difference, Auggie has been home-schooled by his parents his whole life.

Now, for the first time, he’s being sent to a real school – and he’s dreading it. All he wants is to be accepted – but can he convince his new classmates that he’s just like them, underneath it all?

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Reviews

27 Jul 2026

very uplifting and inspiring book

26 Jul 2026

This book was really good and August and summer were my favorite characters. I liked how the author made the chapters not chapter 1 and chapter 2 she made it so the main characters had there own things to say

22 Jul 2026

I really enjoyed this book as it is an interesting read about diversity and difference. I like the way the story is told from different characters perspectives.

21 Jul 2026

A great book for upper key stage 2. Engaging and deals with real life!

17 Jul 2026

It’s shows how it feels to be different and unique and I like it science it is about life

16 Jul 2026

I really enjoyed reading wonder because it is kind and inspiring. The characters are realistic and I liked seeing the story from different points of view. It made me feel that everyone deserves kindness and respect , no matter how they look. Thoughtful, emotional and enjoyable to read.

13 Jul 2026

A good book with lots of important messages, a test of true friendship and how to never judge a book by its cover
Remember:
You can’t blend in when you are born to stand out

22 Jun 2026

It was a beautiful story with a meaning I’ll never forget

17 Jun 2026

All about a boy who is going to high school and is different from the other children...he was truly born to stand out! love this book!

13 Jun 2026

A heartwarming story about kindness, friendship, and being different.

10 Nov 2025

eiko1

Wonder was so moving. It teaches us about kindness, courage, and accepting others for who they are.

09 Nov 2025

Donna May

St Just Thursday Evening Reading Group 2nd October 2025.

Wonder. R J Palacio.

Was this a children’s book, or not? We decided it might possibly be aimed at older children, but we all found it highly interesting and liked it a lot. (One reader commented that the cover made the book look more like a comic rather than one that dealt with the serious issues it contained). An easy read, quite short, with highly engaging characters, and very realistically written.

A clever plot, another reader thought, and the narrative being written from the point of view of various different characters enhanced the ideas of the book. Auggie’s disfigurement was dealt with sensitively and realistically, without sensationalism. ‘At heart a simple story of coping with life dealt Auggie’.

We talked about facial appearance and those who do not conform to physical norms, and about Treacher-Collins syndrome in particular. It was a brave act on Auggie’s part, we thought, to attend a mainstream school and face all the reactions to his appearance. These varied from a parent who wanted Auggie excluded from the school because she said he was mentally deficient, to the honest questions of children who merely wanted to know what was the matter with Auggie. We discussed why people react in this way, and how ignorance about and lack of association with ‘different’ people makes all this harder to deal with.

One reader noted that the point of view of Julian, Auggie’s principal critic and opponent, was not included, and wondered what Julian might have thought about it all.

The ‘kindness’ aspect of the story was much admired. However several people did not much like the ending, which was thought to be overly sentimental and triumphalist. A comparison was drawn with Patrick Gale’s Sweet Obscurity, and it was suggested that the ending was aimed at the American market. The title was also not thought very appropriate.

A book which needed to be written, we concluded.

08 Oct 2025

Lovely story about diversity, knowing that it's ok to be different and perseverance.

26 Sep 2025

Yes it is a wonderful book on the boy and his journey

31 Aug 2025

I really enjoyed this book because it was so heartfelt. It also really put me in the main character's perspective, and I loved the fact that each new chapter was in someone else's perspective and writing style. I think I liked August's [The main character's] sister Via the most because she was so kind and thoughtful. I would reccomend this book to all people looking for a book that would impact the way they look at life.

26 Aug 2025

Wonder is about Auggie, a boy with a different face who goes to school for the first time. Some kids are mean, but he also finds real friends. It is a kind, funny, and sad story that teaches us to be brave and always choose kindness. I loved it because it made me feel happy and thoughtful.

26 Aug 2025

In this book I can feel how Auggie felt being teased, stared and laughed at. I was quite sorry for him. After reading this book I felt that I have to be better to people like Auggie.

25 Aug 2025

I didn't enjoy it as much because some parts were inappropriate, but overall the book was okay.

21 Aug 2025

I liked this book and it made me think reading parts of the story from Augusts' perspective.

11 Aug 2025

This book, is by far one of my favourite books I've ever read. My favourite character was probably Jack Will (or Via).I would obviously recommend this wonder full book to someone else

01 Aug 2025

I loved it.
It teaches people to be content with who they are and I hope everyone does just that.
I would recommend it to my friend.

29 Jul 2025

It was a powerful story about a boy with facial differences who overcame his bullies with a few friends! I would recommend it to my brother, and my favourite character was Summer!

28 Jul 2025

k

27 Jul 2025

A heartwarming story of acceptance and dejection, WONDER has the power to change minds in a matter of pages.

20 Jul 2025

I loved it because it made me emotional and because I loved how different people we’re talking in different times of the book

07 Jul 2025

i like this because it show all different perceptive and it really good i would recommend Lottie brooks

03 Jul 2025

Auggie is a fantastic character who, despite his difficulties, finds friends and independence in a wonderful story.

29 Jan 2025

Brilliant story of Auggie's inspiring experiences.
Altho it may be fiction, it is inspiring, and emotional...

25 Jan 2025

I feel like it talks about real life but in an interesting way.

17 Jan 2025

I read this book more than 5 years ago but I vividly remember how easy it was to get into the story and the sympathy I felt not just for the main characters but also for those around him. It was especially interesting to see how some of them grew in their perspective and how getting to really know Auggie made them realise that appearances can be deceptive and that "what is essential is invisible to the eye".

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