Wonder, R.J. Palacio, 2012

Wonder Review

About

Published in 2012, R.J. Palacio’s Wonder is a children’s novel with a moral gravity that transcends its age group. It tells the story of August Pullman, a boy born with a severe facial difference, and his first year attending school after years of homeschooling. It’s a book about kindness, perception, and how courage can be quiet. Palacio writes with empathy and balance, giving voice not only to Auggie but to those around him, showing how compassion ripples outward.

Overview

The story unfolds through multiple perspectives—Auggie, his sister Via, and his classmates—each revealing how they see and are changed by him. What begins as a story about bullying becomes a study of how people learn to see others fully. The structure itself becomes part of the message: empathy is perspective. The novel’s simplicity is deceptive—it’s layered with emotional intelligence that speaks as deeply to adults as to children.

Summary

(light spoilers) When Auggie enters Beecher Prep, his new classmates react with fear, fascination, and cruelty. Over time, kindness—first hesitant, then real—begins to transform both him and his peers. His friendship with Jack Will and Summer becomes a small act of rebellion against cruelty. Parallel to Auggie’s story runs Via’s quiet frustration at living in his shadow, adding complexity rather than resentment. The climax, at a school camp, turns into a moment of collective empathy when Auggie’s classmates defend him. The novel ends not with a miracle but with recognition—a standing ovation earned not by perfection, but by decency.

Key Themes / Main Ideas

• Kindness — the most radical form of courage.
• Identity — being seen beyond appearances.
• Empathy — understanding others without pity.
• Family — love that demands patience, not perfection.
• Growth — small choices shaping character.

Strengths and Weaknesses

• Strengths — Emotional clarity, believable characters, and moral warmth without preaching.
• Strengths — The multiple narrators deepen empathy rather than dilute focus.
• Weaknesses — The dialogue occasionally veers into idealism.
• Weaknesses — The neat resolution may feel too tidy for some readers, but the sincerity sustains it.

Reviewed with focus on themes, audience, and takeaways — R.J. Palacio