Wonder

Wonder is a children's novel written R.J. Palacio, published in February 2012.

Palacio wrote Wonder after an incident where her son noticed a girl with a severe facial difference and started to cry. Fearing he would react badly, Palacio attempted to remove her son from the situation so as not to upset the girl and her family but ended up worsening the situation. Natalie Merchant's song of the same name made her realize that the incident could illustrate a valuable lesson. Palacio was inspired by Merchant's lyrics and began writing. She named the book directly after the song and used the song's chorus as the prologue of the first chapter.

Several spin-offs, including the calendar book 365 Days of Wonder: Mr. Browne's Book of Precepts and Auggie and Me have been published.

Plot
The book tells the story of August "Auggie" Pullman, who was born with a severe facial disorder that prevented him from going to a mainstream school - until now. He's about to enter the fifth grade at Beecher Prep, and if you've ever been the new, then you know how hard that is. The thing is, Auggie's just an ordinary kid, with an extraordinary face. But can he convince his new classmates that he's just like them, despite appearances?

Why It's Considered a Wonder

 * 1) It is a beautiful story of kindness and how it isn't always easy to step outside of our comfort zones, but it is worth it.
 * 2) Along with kindness, the book is rich with other themes such as anti-bullying and having compassion, acceptance, and empathy for others. You'll be able to relate to these themes and how Auggie desires to want to fit in, not stand out.
 * 3) Auggie is a likable, and relatable protagonist.
 * 4) The book is also told in the perspectives of other characters. When you read the story from their perspectives, it helps you better understand Auggie himself, his impact on those around him, and his place in the world.
 * 5) This story has also adapted into a movie in late 2017, which is positively received by critics.

The Only Bad Quality

 * 1) The chracters can be a bit mean-spirited, especially Julian, who was universally hated by readers.
 * 2) * However, he is a bit more likable in The Julian Chapter, which explains his perspective of the story.

Reception
The book received critical acclaim from critics. Entertainment Weekly said: "In a wonder of a debut, Palacio has written a crackling page-turner filled with characters you can't help but root for." The New York Times called it, "Rich and memorable [...] It's Auggie and the rest of the children who are the real heart of Wonder, and Palacio captures the voices of girls and boys, fifth graders, and teenagers, with equal skill."

Wonder was on the New York Times Best Seller list and was also on the Texas Bluebonnet Award master list. The book was the winner of the 2014 Maine Student Book Award, Vermont's Dorothy Canfield Fisher Children's Book Award, the 2015 Mark Twain Award, Hawaii's 2015 Nene Award, and the Junior Young Reader's Choice Award for 2015. In Illinois, it won both the Bluestem and Caudill Awards in 2014.

The novel was still a top seller for the firm in 2017, when it sold 5 million copies in combined book and e-book units in the United States alone.