Have you ever been singled out and bullied for something you couldn’t control? Have you ever had to face a task so daunting that your family worried about how you would handle it?
These are topics that come up in the new film Wonder, which hit screens on November 17. Based on the best-selling novel by Raquel J. Palacio, the story revolves around a little boy named Auggie (August) Pullman, played by Jacob Tremblay, who wants to start going to public school. While this might be normal to most people, Auggie suffers from a facial deformity that is often met with uncomfortable looks and reactions from people.

Throughout his life, Auggie’s mother Isabel, played by Julia Roberts, father Nate, played by Owen Wilson, and sister Via (Olivia), played by Izabela Vidovic, love him for the strength he shows in the face of many challenges. These challenges include many visits to the hospital for surgeries to help him be able to breathe, see, and eat properly.

Home-schooled for the first five years of his education, Auggie’s mother decides he should go to go to public school, and he agrees even if he is scared at first. School with other children his age is a new milestone. In school, he meets some great and not so great people. On the first day, school principal Mr. Tushman, played by Mandy Patinkin, picks three kids to show Auggie around school and get him acquainted to the setting. Two out of three of the guides are very helpful and, while initially hesitant, remain respectful. However, the third student, Julian, played by Bryce Gheisar, is very blunt in asking about Auggie’s face and even goes as far as asking if he can even talk. This doesn’t get by Auggie, who is ready with a sassy answer back to the boy, which automatically warms him up to another boy named Jack Will, played by Noah Jupe. The two become friends and, while Jack and Auggie have their ups and downs in the friendship area, they ultimately help make each other better and make other friends that will protect them both from bullying in the end.

At the very end of this film, we are left with a message that we should already know, which is to not judge someone on their looks. However, this film also shows us that the journey to any lesson – like Auggie’s journey – is largely dependant on the people that surround him. In Auggie’s case his forgiving and fun nature attracted people that aren’t scared of him and his face.