They taunt, they hurt, they steal his confidence. Auggie, or August Pullman, in the award-winning novel Wonder by RJ Palacio, is a child going to school for the very first time. August happens to have a facial deformity and school ends up being a place where he gets bullied. The novel brilliantly depicts all of the hate, discrimination and hardship that comes with Auggie’s “different” face along with the importance of kindness and love.
        The novel follows dynamic August, his doting sister Via, his close and kind friends Summer and Jack, Justin ,Via’s sweet boyfriend, and Miranda, Via’s fun-loving friend through a year in Auggie’s life. In each chapter a new narrator explains what they learn from Auggie each day with a plot interwoven into the lessons. Some are first impressions, some lifelong memories and some characters explain how they learned to look past his facial features. The dynamic characters learn the importance of tolerance and thoughtfulness as well as looking past what someone looks like on the outside and to appreciate who they are on the inside.
        The book is even more relevant today than when it was originally published in 2012, as bullying has been more in the spotlight. It was specifically written for children, but the themes presented can really be applied to people of all ages and all walks of life. The underlying messages are important for everyone to learn, especially in our society.
        This realistic fiction book really touched me. Auggie’s experiences of being the “different” kid spoke to me and the overall message inspired me to go out into the world and make a change in someone’s life; to be kind. I felt more compelled to “choose kind” and administer “random acts of kindness.” It also left me with a feeling of accomplishment and hope. Maybe our society really is getting somewhere. The author wrote the book to express the importance of kindness and most certainly got that across to all readers.
RJ Palacio did a great job of developing many characters and their ideas, keeping them separate yet intertwined. As the point of view switched, so did the opinions of the characters and Palacio mastered that. Not only this, Palacio captivated readers by her profound dialogue as well as by her craft in creating strong character voices.
        Not only is Wonder a great book for all ages, as it provides important messages that everyone should learn, it can also be particularly beneficial to teens at a time in our lives when we are figuring out who we want to be. The book also brilliantly weaves dialogue and thought into the writing. Everyone, especially teens, can learn and grow from Wonder’s strong morals and great writing.