Auggie Pullman is the typical 10-year-old boy.  He loves his dog Daisy.  He loves Star Wars and enjoys pretending to be an astronaut.  Probably the only thing not typical for Auggie is the fact that he was born with mandibulofacial dysostosis, also known as Treacher Collins Syndrome, a facial deformity.

Auggie is the main character in “Wonder”, the movie based on the best-selling novel by R. J. Palacio.  Auggie is about to enter the fifth grade.  The only problem is, up until now he has never been educated outside the home.  His parents (played by Owen Wilson and Julia Roberts) decide it’s time for him to enter the real world and experience school at Beecher Prep.  That’s when Auggie really learns the true meaning of kindness and friendship.

The first peers he meets are Julian, Charlotte and Jack Will, three students selected to give him a tour of the school.  Right away we are made aware of the kind of children they are through Auggie’s perspective of their shoes.

As the movie evolves we sense Julian is not impressed with Auggie and his vast knowledge of science.  However, Jack Will senses he could use Auggie’s help in the subject and the two begin hanging out together.  Another person who befriends Auggie is Summer, a girl who takes it upon herself to sit at the same lunch table as Auggie, where he is always sitting alone.

On Halloween, Auggie’s favorite holiday because it’s the one day he can be anything he wants and nobody will care, he goes to school wearing a “Ghost Face” mask and overhears Jack Will tell Julian that he’s only pretending to like Auggie.  Jack can’t figure out why Auggie won’t speak to him until Summer reveals the reason.  Jack then defends Auggie by punching Julian after Julian refers to Auggie as a “freak”.  As a result, Julian is expelled and Jack and Auggie renew their friendship.

During a school trip to a nature reserve, Auggie and Jack are threatened by kids from another school.  We learn just how much Auggie has grown on his classmates when some boys who had been friends with Julian come to their rescue.

The movie concludes with an end-of-year school ceremony where Auggie wins the Henry Ward Beecher Medal for standing out.

“Wonder” is a movie that will make you cry, laugh and laugh and cry at the same time.  It is full of emotion and truth and leaves you with a joyous feeling in your heart.