Wonder (R.J. Palacio) - Deep Lessons | Book review

Beauty. It is what everyone wants. They want to look beautiful. They want to wear the next big thing. They want to be famous. But beauty is utterly useless without a kind character. Without a caring personality. Without giving kindness to others. Wonder, a bestselling book, is a fantastic example of this. Outer beauty is insignificant; what matters is who you are on the inside.

R. J. Palacio wrote Wonder in 2012, and Alfred A. Knopf was her publisher. Since then, the book has become a massive hit around the world, eventually getting its film adaptation in 2017. The book Wonder is set in Upper Manhattan, and it is about a 10-year-old boy named August Pullman, aka Auggie. He was born with a rare, very severe disease called Treacher Collins syndrome. The syndrome made him look different from the other kids, and the people he encountered would look and disrespectfully react to his face. But beneath the appearance was a kind boy and a regular kid who does everything a usual kid may do.

Auggie had also had multiple plastic surgeries, but unfortunately, nothing worked for him. That is why his parents homeschooled him for most of his life. One day, his parents decided that it was time for him to go to a public school and get an education there. It was a painful decision for the Pullmans; people with Treacher Collins syndrome usually homeschool. But because his mother loved him so much, she decided it would be best for her child to study at a public school called Beecher Prep. Auggie meets a lot of new people and learns many, often painful, life lessons along the way. The poor boy deals with bullying and name-calling because of his looks, but he meets a lot of good people as well. August's new friends show him that his features don't matter to them; what matters is the person Auggie is on the inside.

Although Auggie wasn't lucky in terms of appearance, he was still blessed with a very supportive family who would empower him. His new friends were also really encouraging and stood up for the boy when necessary. August was surrounded by thoughtful people who wished the best for him. The boy had bullies, but with his friends, the scoundrels couldn't hurt him.

R.J. Palacio, whose real name is Raquel Jaramillo, wrote the book after an incident involving her son. She saw her son crying after he saw a girl with facial deformities. Palacio worsened the situation and upset the family of the girl by leaving with her son. This accident was the moment when it clicked in her: she and other people had much to learn about real beauty.

This book is one of a kind. Wonder displays and teaches that it doesn't matter how you seem; inner beauty is way more important and valuable. It's impossible not to fall in love with the characters in this book. This book is an eye-opener, and it makes you sit down and think. Think about the kind of person that you are and the kind that you are not. Think long and hard about your behavior and reflect on how beautiful you actually are. If you are interested in reading a book about kindness, inner beauty, and loving yourself, this is the book for you.