Wonder

A moving tale of a distinctive 10-year-old boy who longs for acceptance. In his own words, 'whatever you’re thinking, it’s probably worse'.

The wonder series tells the story of August 'Auggie' Pullman. Born with a significant facial deformity, Auggie has been home-schooled his entire life, until now. Entering Beecher Prep, a private middle school, Auggie negotiates the rollercoaster of school life, dealing with friends, bullies and his older sister. Heartwarming characters draw the listener into an uplifting and memorable narrative of an extraordinary boy who just wants to be ordinary. The series develops to tell the story of Auggie’s arrival at school through the eyes of different characters, including Julian, the bully.

The rich storytelling is complemented by the talented cast of narrators, including Diana Steele, Nick Podehl, Kate Rudd, Michael Chamberlain and Scott Merriman. Their warm and empathetic delivery allows the listener to befriend Auggie and enter his world. Likewise, their compelling performances capture the emotional highs and lows of the story.

Written by Raquel Jaramillo, as R.J. Palacio, Wonder is based on her own experience. After an incident when her son encountered a girl with a severe facial deformity and started to cry, Palacio tried to help but made the situation worse. This event inspired the story, drawing on the title and emotional themes from Natalie Merchant’s song, 'Wonder'.

Released in 2012, Wonder has an enduring appeal, with listeners captivated by the warmth of the characters and the depth of the storytelling. A 2017 film adaptation starred Julia Roberts and Owen Wilson as the Pullman parents and Jacob Tremblay as Auggie himself. Start listening today and find yourself lost in Wonder.