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Features

10 quotes from Wonder that will inspire you to always choose kind

A selection of children's books that include themes of empathy. They sit on a light red background with a large red shape which features a star pattern inside it.

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Children's reading lists

17 books that demonstrate empathy

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The best children’s books about the Second World War

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Best children’s books that celebrate difference

An illustration from R. J. Palacio’s Wonder of Auggie and his dog flying off into the sky on a rocket ship

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6 lessons R. J. Palacio’s Wonder can teach us about bullying

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Extracts

Extract | Wonder by R. J. Palacio

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10 inspiring books to teach tots about empathy

The Haunted Playground

This nocturnal treat seems likely to earn a regular bedtime summoning

R J Palacio (Author) R. J. Palacio was born and raised in New York City. She attended the High School of Art and Design and the Parsons School of Design, where she majored in illustration. She was a graphic designer and an art director for many years before writing her critically acclaimed debut novel, Wonder, which has been on the New York Times bestseller list since March 2012, and has sold over 20 million copies worldwide. 
 
In addition to Wonder, R. J. has written Auggie &amp; Me: Three Wonder Stories, 365 Days of Wonder, We're All Wonders, White Bird: A Wonder Story, and Pony. She lives in Brooklyn, New York, with her husband, two sons and two dogs (Bear and Beau). Learn more about her at www.wonderthebook.com or at @RJPalacio. Brett Helquist (Illustrator) Brett Helquist is the illustrator of many books, including A Series of Unfortunate Events by Lemony Snicket, Chasing Vermeer by Blue Balliett, The Mona Lisa Vanishes by Nicholas Day, Guitar Genius by Kim Tomsic, and Cezanne’s Parrot by Amy Guglielmo. He is also the author of Bedtime for Bear, Grumpy Goat, and Roger the Jolly Pirate. He grew up in Utah and now lives in Brooklyn, New York, with his wife and two kids. When he’s not working, he’s usually trying to play his guitar.

From the bestselling author of Wonder comes a spine-tingling Halloween picture book adventure! 
 
I cast the spell that brings to life this playground of the night. 
Here my phantoms come—but not to spook or fright. 
 
They’re here because they want to laugh, to frolic and be merry. 
They’re here because they need to take a break from being scary. 
 
When all the trick-or-treating is done and children are tucked in, ghosts are drawn to one special place: the Haunted Playground! Ruled by Rex Magnificus, ghosts arrive not to haunt but to play. But will the appearance of two human children interrupt their revelry? 
 
From two master storytellers, this Halloween story is a modern classic!

The award-winning, multi-million-copy bestselling phenomenon

Wonder

Celebrating 85 years of Sparking Imaginations 
 
A beautiful clothbound edition of the much-loved modern classic Wonder. Bound in real cloth with two coloured foils and sprayed coloured edges, this deluxe edition is a perfect gift or collector’s item. Part of an eight book set published to mark the 85th anniversary of Puffin Books. With a brand-new foreword from Tom Fletcher. 
 
'My name is August. I won't describe what I look like. Whatever you're thinking, it's probably worse.' 
 
Auggie wants to be an ordinary ten-year-old. He does ordinary things - eating ice cream, playing on his Xbox. He feels ordinary - inside. But ordinary kids don't make other ordinary kids run away screaming in playgrounds. Ordinary kids aren't stared at wherever they go. 
 
Born with a facial difference, Auggie has been home-schooled by his parents his whole life. Now, for the first time, he's being sent to a real school. All he wants is to be accepted - but can he convince his new classmates that he's just like them, underneath it all? 
 
Astonishingly powerful, WONDER is a read you'll never forget. 
 
 
Collect all eight titles in the Puffin Clothbound 85th Anniversary Collection<ul><li>THE STORY OF TRACY BEAKER by Jacqueline Wilson with a foreword by Beth Lincoln</li><li>DIARY OF A WIMPY KID by Jeff Kinney with a foreword by Dapo Adeola</li><li>CHARLOTTE’S WEB by E.B. White with a foreword by Jordan Lees</li><li>MATILDA by Roald Dahl with a foreword by Robin Stevens</li><li>THE EXTREMELY EMBARRASSING LIFE OF LOTTIE BROOKS by Katie Kirby with a foreword by Nadia Shireen</li><li>PERCY JACKSON AND THE OLYMPIANS: THE LIGHTNING THIEF by Rick Riordan with a foreword by Nazneen Ahmed Pathak</li><li>PIG-HEART BOY by Malorie Blackman with a foreword by Adam Kay</li><li>WONDER by R.J. Palacio with a foreword by Tom Fletcher</li></ul>

Remarkable . . . It has the power to move hearts and change minds

Incredibly charming, brutal and brilliant

It wreaks emotional havoc . . . To finish it with a firm resolve to be a better person - well, you can't ask much more of any book than that

When the kids have finished with this, the adults will want to read it. Everybody should

What a gem of a story. Moving and heart-warming. This book made me laugh, made me angry, made me cry

R. J. Palacio was born and raised in New York City. She attended the High School of Art and Design and the Parsons School of Design, where she majored in illustration. She was a graphic designer and an art director for many years before writing her critically acclaimed debut novel, Wonder, which has been on the New York Times bestseller list since March 2012, sold over 16 million copies worldwide and been adapted into a movie. 
 
In addition to Wonder, R. J. has written Auggie & Me: Three Wonder Stories, 365 Days of Wonder, We're All Wonders and White Bird: A Wonder Story, which is soon to be a major motion picture. She lives in Brooklyn, New York with her husband, two sons and two dogs (Bear and Beau). 
 
Follow her on Twitter: @RJPalacio

Celebrating 85 years of Sparking Imaginations 
 
A beautiful clothbound edition of the much-loved modern classic Wonder. Bound in real cloth with two coloured foils and sprayed coloured edges, this deluxe edition is a perfect gift or collector’s item. Part of an eight book set published to mark the 85th anniversary of Puffin Books. With a brand-new foreword from Tom Fletcher. 
 
'My name is August. I won't describe what I look like. Whatever you're thinking, it's probably worse.' 
 
Auggie wants to be an ordinary ten-year-old. He does ordinary things - eating ice cream, playing on his Xbox. He feels ordinary - inside. But ordinary kids don't make other ordinary kids run away screaming in playgrounds. Ordinary kids aren't stared at wherever they go. 
 
Born with a facial difference, Auggie has been home-schooled by his parents his whole life. Now, for the first time, he's being sent to a real school. All he wants is to be accepted - but can he convince his new classmates that he's just like them, underneath it all? 
 
Astonishingly powerful, WONDER is a read you'll never forget. 
 
Collect all eight titles in the Puffin Clothbound 85th Anniversary Collection 
 
THE STORY OF TRACY BEAKER by Jacqueline Wilson with a foreword by Beth Lincoln 
DIARY OF A WIMPY KID by Jeff Kinney with a foreword by Dapo Adeola 
CHARLOTTE’S WEB by E.B. White with a foreword by Jordan Lees 
MATILDA by Roald Dahl with a foreword by Robin Stevens 
THE EXTREMELY EMBARRASSING LIFE OF LOTTIE BROOKS by Katie Kirby with a foreword by Nadia Shireen 
PERCY JACKSON AND THE OLYMPIANS: THE LIGHTNING THIEF by Rick Riordan with a foreword by Nazneen Ahmed Pathak 
PIG-HEART BOY by Malorie Blackman with a foreword by Adam Kay 
WONDER by R.J. Palacio with a foreword by Tom Fletcher

A Wonder Story

White Bird

From the bestselling author of Wonder comes White Bird: now a major film starring Ariella Glaser, Orlando Schwerdt, Bryce Gheisar, Helen Mirren and Gillian Anderson. 
 
Sara Blum lives an idyllic life. But her world comes crashing down when the Nazi occupation arrives in her small French town, separating her from her parents and forcing the young Jewish girl into hiding. Sara's classmate Julien and his family will risk everything to ensure her survival, and together, Sara and Julien manage to find beauty in a secret world of their creation. 
 
Originally published as a graphic novel, and featuring characters from the multi-million-copy-bestselling phenomenon Wonder, Sara and Julien's powerful, heartbreaking and timeless story is told here for the first time as a novel, and shows the power of kindness to change hearts, build bridges, and even save lives in the darkest of times. 
 
Discover more from the World of Wonder: 
 
White Bird, the original graphic novel 
Auggie & Me 
365 Days of Wonder 
We're All Wonders 
 
And read more from R. J. Palacio with Pony, an unforgettable new story!

A must-read graphic novel that is both heart-rending and beautifully hopeful

A story of resistance, bravery, and survival . . . Compelling

R. J. Palacio was born and raised in New York City. She attended the High School of Art and Design and the Parsons School of Design, where she majored in illustration. She was a graphic designer and an art director for many years before writing her critically acclaimed debut novel, Wonder, which has been on the New York Times bestseller list since March 2012, and has sold over 20 million copies worldwide. 
 
In addition to Wonder, R. J. has written Auggie &amp; Me: Three Wonder Stories, 365 Days of Wonder, We're All Wonders, White Bird: A Wonder Story, and Pony. She lives in Brooklyn, New York, with her husband, two sons and two dogs (Bear and Beau). Learn more about her at www.wonderthebook.com or at @RJPalacio.

From the bestselling author of Wonder comes White Bird: now a major film starring Ariella Glaser, Orlando Schwerdt, Bryce Gheisar, Helen Mirren and Gillian Anderson. 
 
Sara Blum lives an idyllic life. But her world comes crashing down when the Nazi occupation arrives in her small French town, separating her from her parents and forcing the young Jewish girl into hiding. Sara's classmate Julien and his family will risk everything to ensure her survival, and together, Sara and Julien manage to find beauty in a secret world of their creation. 
 
Originally published as a graphic novel, and featuring characters from the multi-million-copy-selling phenomenon Wonder, Sara and Julien's powerful, heartbreaking and timeless story is told here for the first time as a novel, and shows the power of kindness to change hearts, build bridges, and even save lives in the darkest of times.

Pony

The highly anticipated, unforgettable new story from the internationally bestselling, multi-award-winning author of WONDER. 
 
'Thrillingly told . . . Palacio is a fantastic writer' The Times 
 
'Perfection . . . A beautiful, funny, heart-twisting wonder of a book . . . A brilliant story of love and courage' Wall Street Journal 
 
When Silas Bird wakes in the dead of night, he watches powerlessly as three strangers take his father away. Silas is left shaken, scared and alone, except for the presence of his companion, Mittenwool . . . who happens to be a ghost. 
 
But then a mysterious pony shows up at his door, and Silas knows what he has to do. 
 
So begins a perilous journey to find his father - a journey that will connect him with his past, his future, and the unknowable world around him. 
 
PONY is a breathtaking and powerful read, perfect for fans of Michael Morpurgo and Hannah Gold and destined to become a future classic.

Perfection . . . A beautiful, funny, heart-twisting wonder of a book . . . A brilliant story of love and courage

Well worth the wait . . . Palacio is a fantastic writer . . . Thrillingly told . . . A story that will take many children on the ride of their literary lives

Tremendous . . . Such a blend of adventure, thoughtfulness, magic, intelligence and deep feeling is very special and rare

A magical story . . . Pony is pure delight

R J Palacio, author of a modern classic children's book of our era, has somehow crafted what feels like an entirely different breed of classic: page-turning and heart expanding, elegiac and adventurous . . . timeless and utterly necessary to our current moment

A brilliant adventure and a heartfelt story about love and loss. Young readers will be entranced . . . A book that feels like a classic after just a few pages

When Silas Bird wakes in the dead of night, he watches powerlessly as three strangers take his father away. Silas is left shaken, scared and alone, except for the presence of his companion, Mittenwool . . . who happens to be a ghost. But then a mysterious pony shows up at his door, and Silas knows what he has to do. So begins a perilous journey to find his father - a journey that will connect him with his past, his future, and the unknowable world around him. 
 
PONY is destined to become a future classic.

A graphic novel from the world of WONDER – soon to be a major film

From the bestselling author of Wonder comes the graphic novel White Bird: soon to be a major film starring Ariella Glaser, Orlando Schwerdt, Bryce Gheisar, Helen Mirren and Gillian Anderson. 
 
To the millions of readers who fell in love with R J Palacio's Wonder, Julian is best-known as Auggie Pullman's classroom bully. White Bird reveals a new side to Julian's story, as Julian discovers the moving and powerful tale of his grandmother, who was hidden from the Nazis as a young Jewish girl in occupied France during the Second World War. 
 
An unforgettable, unputdownable story about strength, courage and the power of kindness to change hearts, build bridges, and even save lives, from the globally bestselling author of Wonder. 
 
A full-colour graphic novel, brilliantly illustrated throughout by R. J. Palacio

Abridged Edition

Penguin Readers Level 3: Wonder (ELT Graded Reader)

This ELT Graded Reader is made for people learning English as an additional language. The short, simple text is also perfect for anyone looking for an easier read. It is an adapted version of the original story. 
 
In this story, August "Auggie" Pullman has been home-schooled all his life. Now he is starting fifth grade at a school in New York City. He doesn't want other students to look at him, but that isn't easy when he looks like he does. 
 
 Our Penguin Readers books include: 
<ul><li> Simple text (CEFR-levelled)</li><li> Pictures to help you understand the story</li><li> Fun exercises to help you learn and practise English</li></ul> 
 With the print book, you can get even more help online: 
<ul><li> Read the book online</li><li> Listen to the book being read out loud</li><li> Get lesson plans for teachers</li><li> Find answers to check your understanding</li></ul> 
 Note: online resources not available with the eBook.

Choose Kind Journal

Choose kind every day with this beautiful journal, based on the global bestseller Wonder. 
 
With over 14 million copies sold worldwide, Wonder has inspired countless readers to change the way they think about others - and to Choose Kind. This beautiful journal is filled with suggestions and activities for spreading kindness: one for every day of the year. 
 
With quotes from the book and questions that are fun and insightful, this journal is the perfect gift for Wonder fans and for any person who is looking to be a little kinder.

So authentic you'll swear a kid wrote the book

Funny, touching, honest, and uplifting - though there's plenty of opportunity for tears, too

Tremendously uplifting and a novel of all-too-rare power . . . an unforgettable, deeply moving character

[A] beautiful, funny and sometimes sob-making story of quiet transformation

[A] glorious exploration of the nature of friendship, tenacity, fear, and most importantly, kindness

D[estined to go the way of Mark Haddon's The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night-Time and then some . . . It is dark, funny, touching

An amazing book . . . I cried my eyes out

What a gem of a story . . . This book made me laugh, made me angry, made me cry

Wonder is essentially . . . a wonder. [It] touches the heart in the most life-affirming, unexpected ways

Every page is honest, brave and delightful

A funny, emotional, brilliantly observed story

It's one of those rare books with almost universal appeal: it will make you laugh, cry and break your heart

With over 14 million copies sold worldwide, Wonder has inspired countless readers to change the way they think about others - and to Choose Kind. This beautiful journal is filled with suggestions and activities for spreading kindness: one for every day of the year. With quotes from the book and questions that are fun and insightful, this journal is the perfect gift for Wonder fans and for any person who is looking to be a little kinder.

We're All Wonders

I know I can't change the way I look. But maybe, just maybe, people can change the way they see... 
 
 For younger readers, the unforgettable story of August Pullman and Wonder reimagined in this gorgeous picture book. 
 
 With spare, powerful text and richly-imagined illustrations, We're All Wonders shows readers what it's like to live in Auggie's world - a world in which he feels like any other kid, but he's not always seen that way. 
 
 We're All Wonders taps into every child's longing to belong, and to be seen for who they truly are. It's the perfect way for families and teachers to talk about empathy, difference and kindness with young children.

Encourages us to treat everyone with a little more tolerance and kindness, however they may look

Ideal for younger readers . . . Perfect for helping them understand differences

R J Palacio (Author, Illustrator) R. J. Palacio was born and raised in New York City. She attended the High School of Art and Design and the Parsons School of Design, where she majored in illustration. She was a graphic designer and an art director for many years before writing her critically acclaimed debut novel, Wonder, which has been on the New York Times bestseller list since March 2012, and has sold over 20 million copies worldwide. 
 
In addition to Wonder, R. J. has written Auggie &amp; Me: Three Wonder Stories, 365 Days of Wonder, We're All Wonders, White Bird: A Wonder Story, and Pony. She lives in Brooklyn, New York, with her husband, two sons and two dogs (Bear and Beau). Learn more about her at www.wonderthebook.com or at @RJPalacio.

I know I can't change the way I look. But maybe, just maybe, people can change the way they see . . . 
 
Wonder is the unforgettable story of August Pullman, an ordinary boy with an extraordinary face. With over 5 million copies sold, Wonder is a true modern classic, a life-changing read, and has inspired kindness and acceptance in countless readers. Now younger readers can discover the Wonder message with this gorgeous picture book, starring Auggie and his dog Daisy on an original adventure, written and illustrated by R.J. Palacio. 
 
With spare, powerful text and richly-imagined illustrations, We're All Wonders shows readers what it's like to live in Auggie's world - a world in which he feels like any other kid, but he's not always seen that way. 
 
We're All Wonders taps into every child's longing to belong, and to be seen for who they truly are. It's the perfect way for families and teachers to talk about empathy, difference and kindness with young children.

Auggie & Me: Three Wonder Stories

A collection of three new chapters from the internationally bestselling, award-winning WONDER story.

The multi-million-copy bestseller WONDER showed how choosing kindness and empathy can change the lives of those around you. 
 
Now, in AUGGIE & ME, you can discover a new side to the WONDER story in three new chapters from three different characters: 
 
Julian: Auggie's classroom bully 
Christopher: Auggie's oldest friend 
Charlotte: Auggie's classmate 
 
These three stories are heartbreaking, surprising, funny and hopeful. Just like WONDER, AUGGIE & ME will make you laugh, cry and try to choose kind. 
 
Praise for WONDER: 
"Remarkable . . . It has the power to move hearts and change minds" (Guardian) 
 
"Incredibly charming, brutal and brilliant" (Observer) 
 
"It wreaks emotional havoc . . . To finish it with a firm resolve to be a better person - well, you can't ask much more of any book than that" (Independent) 
 
"When the kids have finished with this, the adults will want to read it. Everybody should" (Financial Times) 
 
"Awesome . . . So authentic you'll swear a kid wrote the book. And yes, that's a good thing" (Glamour) 
 
Discover more from the World of Wonder: 
Wonder 
White Bird, a graphic novel *Soon to be a motion picture!* 
365 Days of Wonder 
We're All Wonders 
 
And read more from R. J. Palacio with Pony, an unforgettable new story!

Wonder Journal

A beautiful journal for use throughout the year, packed with quotes and words of wisdom from the phenomenally bestelling novel WONDER.

R. J. Palacio was born and raised in New York City. She attended the High School of Art and Design and the Parsons School of Design, where she majored in illustration. She was a graphic designer and an art director for many years before writing her critically acclaimed debut novel, Wonder, which has been on the New York Times bestseller list since March 2012, sold over 16 million copies worldwide and been adapted into a movie. 
 
In addition to Wonder, R. J. has written Auggie &amp; Me: Three Wonder Stories, 365 Days of Wonder, We're All Wonders and White Bird: A Wonder Story, which is soon to be a major motion picture. She lives in Brooklyn, New York with her husband, two sons and two dogs (Bear and Beau). 
 
Follow her on Twitter: @RJPalacio

A beautiful journal for use throughout the year, packed with quotes, inspiration and words of wisdom from the much-loved, bestelling and award-winning novel WONDER.

Shingaling: A Wonder Story

A brand-new story about friendship and kindness from the world of WONDER.

Insightful and humane, it packed so much emotion and understanding into so few pages . . . Beautifully written

Everyone - young or old - should read Wonder. The Julian Chapter adds so much more to the Wonder story. It reminds us of the importance of compassion in everyday life

A genius idea which will be a treat for fans of Wonder

WONDER told the story of August Pullman: an ordinary kid with an extraordinary face, whose first year at school changed the lives and the perspectives of everyone around him. 
 
SHINGALING looks at that year through the eyes of Auggie's classmate, Charlotte: smart, kind, and desperate for acceptance from the popular crowd. Thought-provoking, surprising, poignant and heartwarming, this is a must-read for the thousands of readers who loved WONDER.

Pluto: A Wonder Story

A brand-new story from the world of WONDER.

WONDER told the story of August Pullman: an ordinary kid with an extraordinary face, whose first year at school changed the lives and the perspectives of everyone around him. 
 
PLUTO looks at Auggie's story through the eyes of his best and oldest friend, Christopher: who has been with Auggie right from the start, shares his love of space, Star Wars and the planets, and knows better than most that being part of Auggie's life comes with its challenges. 
 
Poignant, surprising and utterly heartwarming, this is a must-read for the thousands of readers who loved WONDER.

365 Days of Wonder

A stunning collection of quotes, thoughts and wise words from the bestselling author of WONDER.

The perfect companion to Wonder, the #1 New York Times bestseller! Choose Kind with 365 Days Of Wonder. 
 
In Wonder, readers were introduced to memorable English teacher Mr. Browne and his love of precepts. Join Mr. Browne, Auggie, Julian, Summer and Jack in this collection of essays, quotes and words of wisdom. 
 
With a precept for each day of the year-drawn from popular songs to children's books to inscriptions on Egyptian tombstones to fortune cookies! 
 
Packed with words of wisdom from such noteworthy people as Anne Frank, Martin Luther King Jr., Confucius, Goethe, Sappho-and over 100 readers of Wonder who sent R. J. Palacio their own precepts-this book is the perfect celebration of everyday wonder and hope! 
 
Praise for 356 Days Of Wonder: 
 
Palacio has an uncanny grasp of the minds and hearts of 8- to 12-year-olds, and the people who used to be them - New York Times 
 
I love this beautiful little book so much that I want to carry it around with me every day . . . I really can't say enough good things about it! - Wondrous Reads

A big collection of inspiring words that will appeal to the legions of fans awaiting more wonder in their lives

This is a companion book to the incredible Wonder, and its thoughtful collection of sayings reflects the feel of the book. It's an eclectic selection of quotes and words of wisdom, one for every day of the year

Palacio has an uncanny grasp of the minds and hearts of 8- to 12-year-olds, and the people who used to be them

I love this beautiful little book so much that I want to carry it around with me every day . . . Without a doubt, one of my favourite publications of 2014 and the best non-fiction book to appear in my post box. I really can't say enough good things about it!

365 Days of Wonder is a wonderful book that is the perfect gift or keepsake for fans of Wonder, collectors of precepts and, actually, just everyone

August Pullman stole the hearts of over a million readers in the bestselling, award-winning WONDER. 365 DAYS OF WONDER is a beautiful companion to the novel: a collection of quotes and wise words, one for every day of the year. It includes funny, insightful, inspiring thoughts from WONDER's fans, famous authors and personalities - from Roald Dahl and Paul McCartney to Anne Frank, Tolkien and Popeye - and from the novel itself. It's the perfect gift for anyone who loved WONDER, and it's a book to be treasured and enjoyed again and again.

Wonder: The Julian Chapter

From the bestselling author of WONDER comes a brand-new chapter from Auggie Pullman's award-winning story.

I know it can’t be easy for him to look in the mirror every day, or walk down the street. But that’s not my problem. My problem is that everything’s different since he’s been coming to my school. The kids are different. I’m different. And it sucks big-time. 
 
WONDER told the story of August Pullman: an ordinary kid with an extraordinary face, whose first year at school changed the lives and the perspectives of everyone around him. 
 
Now read THE JULIAN CHAPTER: classroom bully Julian’s side of the story, and an insight into his own feelings about Auggie. Thought-provoking, infuriating, surprising, heartbreaking and heartwarming, this is a must-read for the thousands of readers who loved WONDER.

Adult edition

The story of ten-year-old August Pullman, an ordinary boy with an extraordinary face, perfect for CURIOUS INCIDENT fans.

The breakout sensation of 2012... Wonder is destined to go the way of The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night Time... dark, funny, touching. No Tube carriage will be without a copy this year

Emotionally rewarding... funny, touching, honest

Gripping - I'd really recommend it to anybody. It's a young adult book book about a little boy who's born with a disfigured face, written from his point of view... charming, brutal and brilliant

I'd defy anyone not to well up when he cries: "Why do I have to be so ugly, Mommy?", and as for the climax, it wreaks emotional havoc. There is a message running through the book, most clearly voiced by an inspirational teacher, that if we were all a little kinder to one another the benefit would be incalculable. To finish it with a firm resolve to be a better person - well, you can't ask much more of any book than that

Tremendously uplifting and a novel of all-too-rare power

If you read one book this year, make it this one... a funny, emotional, brilliantly observed story... We loved it

For anyone who has ever worried about their child's vulnerabilities, Wonder will strike at your heart

In its assured simplicity and boldness (reminiscent of To Kill a Mockingbird), it also has the power to move hearts and change minds

When the kids have finished with this, the adults will want to read it

'My name is August. 
I won't describe to you what I look like. 
Whatever you're thinking, it's probably worse.' 
 
Ten-year-old August Pullman wants to be ordinary. He does ordinary things. He eats ice-cream. He plays on his Xbox. He feels ordinary - inside. 
 
But Auggie is far from ordinary. Born with a terrible facial abnormality, he has been home-schooled by his parents his entire life, in an attempt to protect him from the cruelty of the outside world. Now, Auggie's parents are sending him to a real school. Can he convince his new classmates that he's just like them, underneath it all? 
 
Narrated by Auggie and the people around him whose lives he touches, Wonder is a frank, funny, astonishingly moving debut to be read in one sitting, pass on to others, and remember long after the final page.

R J Palacio

The Complete Collection

Wonder was first published in 2012. Since then it has become a critically acclaimed, multi-million global bestseller, and been transformed into a major motion picture starring Julia Roberts, Owen Wilson and Jacob Tremblay. Its simple message of asking children and adults to #ChooseKind has sparked a global movement, and its status as a modern classic is assured. 
 
This beautiful special edition contains the original text of Wonder, and also its companion novel, Auggie &amp; Me, which follows the stories of Julian, Charlotte and Christopher, and their relationships with the unforgettable Auggie Pullman.

R J Palacio

Books by R J Palacio

Series by R J Palacio

Wonder

Articles featuring R J Palacio

10 quotes from Wonder that will inspire you to always choose kind

17 books that demonstrate empathy

The best children’s books about the Second World War

Best children’s books that celebrate difference

6 lessons R. J. Palacio’s Wonder can teach us about bullying

Extract | Wonder by R. J. Palacio

10 inspiring books to teach tots about empathy

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