If you’ve been living under a rock—or perhaps just haven't had a child in the 4th through 6th grade range in the last decade—Wonder is the story of August "Auggie" Pullman. Auggie was born with a severe facial difference (mandibulofacial dysostosis, often associated with Treacher Collins syndrome). After years of homeschooling and surgeries, he’s starting 5th grade at Beecher Prep.

It’s a "fish out of water" story, but the water is full of sharks, and the fish has a face that makes people look away. The book isn't just about Auggie, though. It famously shifts perspectives to show how Auggie’s existence affects his sister Via, his friend Jack Will, and even the "mean kid" orbit.

We spend a lot of time worrying about our kids’ digital footprints, their Roblox habits, or whether they’re rotting their brains with Skibidi Toilet memes. But the biggest challenge of the middle school transition isn't the tech—it's the sudden, brutal shift in social dynamics.

Middle school is when kids stop being "default nice" and start performing for their peers. It’s the era of "Ohio" jokes (where anything weird is "only in Ohio") and "Sigma" posturing. In this sea of irony and brain rot, Wonder acts as a necessary emotional anchor. It gives kids a vocabulary for kindness that isn't cringey or "uncool."

Learn more about navigating middle school social dynamics

Kids usually hate "message" books. If a book feels like a lecture from a guidance counselor, they’ll tune out faster than you can say "screen time limit."

Palacio avoids this by making Auggie a real kid. He likes Star Wars, he’s funny, and he’s observant. The book doesn't treat him like a saint; it treats him like a human who wants to play Minecraft and eat ice cream without being stared at.

The POV switching is the secret sauce. Kids love getting the "inside scoop" on what other characters are thinking. Seeing Jack Will struggle with the pressure to be "cool" while actually liking Auggie is a scenario every 11-year-old recognizes. It validates their own internal conflicts.

Let’s be real: Wonder can be a little saccharine. The ending—where Auggie gets a standing ovation—is pure Hollywood. In a real middle school, the "Julians" of the world don't always have a change of heart; they usually just move their bullying to a private Discord server or a "no-adults-allowed" group chat.

The book has also faced some criticism from the disability community for being "inspiration porn"—the idea that a disabled person's primary purpose in a story is to teach non-disabled people how to be better humans. It’s a valid critique. If you want to balance this out, I highly recommend following it up with El Deafo or Real by Sara Wahhedi, which offer different nuances on the lived experience of disability.

That said, as a tool for teaching empathy to a 10-year-old who is currently obsessed with "mewing" and "looksmaxxing," it’s incredibly effective. It hits them right in the feels before they’ve fully hardened their middle-school shell.

This is the perfect age for a family read-aloud. The chapters are short (some are literally half a page), which is great for kids with shorter attention spans. You can use it to talk about "the look"—that moment you see someone who looks different and your instinct is to stare or look away.

Most kids will read this in school. If they do, don't just ask "Did you like it?" Ask them about the "Julian" in their school. Ask them if they’ve seen someone get "the plague" (the book's version of the "cooties" game played at Auggie's expense). This is the age where the digital crossover happens.

Ask our chatbot for discussion questions about Wonder and cyberbullying

Julian, the primary antagonist, isn't a cartoon villain. He’s the kind of bully parents love—polite to adults, wealthy, and popular. He uses "social engineering" to isolate Auggie. It’s a great opening to talk to your kids about how bullying isn't always a punch in the face; often, it’s an invitation that never comes or a whisper in the hallway.

You’ll see the "Choose Kind" slogan everywhere. It’s become a bit of a brand, but the core message—that kindness is a choice you make every day—is a solid one. In the digital world, "choosing kind" means not hitting "send" on a snarky comment in a YouTube thread.

The Wonder movie starring Julia Roberts and Owen Wilson is actually quite good. It stays very faithful to the book. However, the book's internal monologues are much more powerful. Read the book first, then do a movie night.

If you want to have a real conversation with your kid about Wonder, try these prompts:

If your child was moved by Wonder, don't stop there. There are some fantastic "companion" pieces that keep the empathy train rolling:

Wonder is more than just a school assignment. It’s a social roadmap. In an era where our kids' social lives are increasingly mediated by algorithms and "brain rot" humor, Auggie Pullman’s story reminds them that there is a human on the other side of the screen (or the hallway).

It’s not a perfect book, and it won't magically turn your child into a saint, but it will give them a "Precept" to live by. And in the messy, chaotic transition to middle school, that’s about as much as we can hope for.

Check out our full guide on books that build empathy

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