R. J. Palacio is the bestselling author of ‘Wonder,’ and has also published several other works in the young adult books category. Her books center around the ‘Wonder’ universe, with few exceptions like her most recent work ‘Pony.’ Here is a list of her most famous works, from the least to the most popular.
5. Pony
‘Pony‘ is a novel by R. J. Palacio that tells the story of a twelve-year-old boy named Silas Bird. The story occurs just before the American Civil War in Bonneville. The narrative is a first-person account of Silas’s journey to find his father.
At the story’s beginning, Silas lives with his father and a ghost named Mittenwool. His life is peaceful, filled with reading mythology and conversations with his father and Mittenwool. However, this idyllic childhood is shattered when a group of ruffians led by Rufe Jones abducts his father. The following day, an Arabian pony appears on their lawn, and Silas interprets this as a sign to pursue the ruffians and rescue his father, and he goes into the woods after the strange men. In the forest, Silas meets Enoch Farmer, a U.S. federal marshal pursuing a band of counterfeiters. Believing that the marshal is looking for the same men who took his father, Silas joins the marshal’s quest. Their journey takes them to the top of a canyon, where they discover a cave they believe to be the counterfeiters’ lair.
However, when Marshal Farmer tries to get closer to the cave, he slips and injures himself. Silas then travels to Rosasharon to find the sheriff and rally a posse. Despite initial skepticism from the law enforcement officers, they help the injured marshal.
The story is a moving tale of a boy growing up, his courage, and the friendship he makes on his quest to rescue his father.
4. White Bird: A Wonder Story
‘White Bird‘ by R. J. Palacio is a historical fiction graphic novel set in Nazi-occupied France during World War II. The story revolves around Sara Blum, a Jewish girl who is in hiding in Nazi-occupied France during World War II.
Sara, the grandmother of Julian Albans from Palacio’s ‘Wonder’ and ‘Auggie & Me’, recounts her experiences to Julian. Despite the painful memories, she agrees to share her story, emphasizing not the darkness of those times but the light.
In the 1930s, Sara lived a comfortable life with her parents, Max and Rose Blum, in the village of Aubervilliers-aux-Bois, surrounded by the Mernuit forest. She was an excellent student, except in math, where she daydreamed and doodled in her sketchbook.
Sara’s life as it takes a dramatic turn when the Nazis invade France. A troop of Nazi soldiers rounded up Jewish schoolchildren at their school, who were hidden away in the woods, and sent them away. Because Sara hides in the bell tower rather than the woods, she escapes detection. A boy named Julien, a person with a disability who was discriminated against in school, finds her and hides her with his family, even though this brings great danger to them.
The book explores themes such as the importance of learning from the past, how kindness is a form of bravery, and the myriad ways in which the personal and the political can influence each other.
3. Auggie & Me: Three Wonder Stories
R. J. Palacio wrote this as a companion novel to ‘Wonder’. It was published in 2015 and comprises three stories, each offering a unique perspective on characters from the original book. The first story, The Julian Chapter, tells about Julian’s expulsion and his visit to his grandmother, who narrates to him a story about her youth as a Jewish girl in Nazi-occupied France and how a bullied kid with a disability saves her life at the risk of his. This changes Julian’s views on discrimination. In Pluto, Auggie’s oldest friend, Christopher, is mean to his mother and yells at her. Christopher wonders if he is partly responsible when she runs into an accident. He understands that being unkind and inconsiderate may have dire consequences for others. The final story, Shingaling, centers on Charlotte, one of Auggie’s classmates. In a conversation with Summer and Ximena, she is forced to reexamine her impression of friendships and kindness and to appreciate the difference between doing kind deeds because one wants to and doing them to gain social points. Together, these stories provide a more comprehensive understanding of the supporting characters in ‘Wonder’.
2. 365 Days of Wonder: Mr. Browne’s Book of Precepts
Inspired by the character Mr. Browne, the English teacher in ‘Wonder’, R. J. Palacio wrote this collection of precepts—short, inspirational quotes or principles. Each precept encourages kindness, empathy, determination, and positive thinking. The compilation was published in 2014 as a companion piece to ‘Wonder,’ providing readers with 365 reflections and insights from such diverse figures as Dustin Hoffman, Anne Frank, and Martin Luther King Jr. Characters that appeared in ‘Wonder’ like Summer, Julian, and Jack also feature here. With a precept printed on a single page accompanied by beautiful artwork, the book is designed to give readers an uplifting quote to get through a day for each day of the year.
1. Wonder
R. J. Palacio’s ‘Wonder‘ introduces readers to August Pullman, a ten-year-old boy with facial deformities. Born with a genetic condition, Auggie has undergone numerous surgeries. The novel follows Auggie as he enters fifth grade, attending public school for the first time. Despite his intelligence and good humor, Auggie is bullied, teased, and avoided because of his looks. The narrative is told through multiple points of view, including Auggie, his sister Via, and his classmates Summer and Jack. Themes of kindness, empathy, and acceptance are central as Auggie navigates the complexities of school life, forms unexpected friendships, and teaches those around him valuable lessons about seeing beyond physical differences.
Published in 2012, this is R. J. Palacio’s most famous book, selling over 16 million copies, spawning several companion books, and bagging several awards and critical acclaim.
