At a glance
Pages304
First published2015
Settingcontemporary suburban New York, Beecher Prep
AudienceMiddle grade (8-12)
ISBN1101934859
LuvemBooks Verdict
Best for: Devoted fans of Wonder who finished the original novel and want to spend more time in Auggie's world through the eyes of the people around him — particularly readers aged 9–11 and teachers looking for flexible, classroom-ready companion material.
Worth it? Skip it? Read the full verdict →Ask LuvemBooks
Was this helpful?
Auggie & Me: Three Wonder Stories is a companion anthology to R. J. Palacio's beloved middle-grade novel Wonder, offering three self-contained first-person narratives from Julian, Christopher, and Charlotte — three of Auggie Pullman's schoolmates — each shaped by their relationship with the boy at the center of it all. The Julian story, in particular, delivers genuine moral complexity by placing readers inside the perspective of a bully confronting his own cruelty and his parents' enabling role. Best understood as a gift to existing fans of the Wonder universe rather than a standalone entry point, the collection rewards readers who already know Beecher Prep and won't mind shorter, more episodic narratives in place of Wonder's sustained arc.
- Is it worth reading?
- For readers who finished Wonder and weren't ready to say goodbye to Beecher Prep, Auggie & Me delivers exactly what they're looking for: three distinct first-person narrators who give Auggie's story genuine new dimensions without simply rehashing the original novel. The Julian story stands out for its moral complexity — his inner voice simmers with resentment ("I wish Auggie Pullman had never come to Beecher Prep in the first place!") and the story confronts how his parents enabled his cruelty, going well beyond a simple bully portrait. Common Sense Media describes the collection as offering "thought-provoking stories of kindness and friendship," consistent with the Choose Kind spirit that made Wonder a cultural phenomenon. Readers new to Auggie's world, however, will lack the emotional context that makes each narrator's relationship with him meaningful — this is a companion, not an entry point.
- Similar books
- Readers who love Auggie & Me will want to start — or revisit — Wonder by R. J. Palacio, the original novel that gives every story in this companion its emotional foundation. Gordon Korman's Restart offers another middle-grade exploration of a former bully's reckoning with his own behavior, told with similarly shifting perspectives. Katherine Paterson's Bridge to Terabithia and Roald Dahl's Matilda are perennial middle-grade favorites that explore friendship, difference, and resilience in emotionally resonant ways. Erin Entrada Kelly's The First State of Being rounds out the list with the kind of thoughtful, character-driven middle-grade storytelling that fans of Palacio's universe tend to gravitate toward.
- Who should read this?
- Auggie & Me is aimed squarely at existing fans of Wonder — readers in roughly grades 3–7 (ages 9–11) who finished the original novel and want to spend more time in Auggie Pullman's world. The collection's flexible, self-contained structure also makes it a strong pick for teachers and librarians looking for classroom read-alouds or independent reading options that prompt discussion about empathy, bullying, and belonging. Readers who haven't yet encountered Wonder should start there first, as this companion's emotional stakes rely entirely on prior knowledge of Auggie and Beecher Prep.
- What age is it for?
- Best for ages 9 and up — the book is aimed at readers in grades 3–7, roughly ages 9–11, and the three self-contained narratives suit confident independent readers in that range. Julian's story introduces the perspective of a bully confronting his own cruelty and his parents' enabling role, which adds a layer of moral complexity that older readers in the range will engage with more deeply. Common Sense Media describes the collection as offering thought-provoking stories of kindness and friendship, consistent with the Choose Kind spirit of the original Wonder.
- About R. J. Palacio
- R. J. Palacio — full name Raquel Jaramillo Palacio — is an American author and graphic designer.
- How does it compare to Wonder?
- Where Wonder gives Auggie Pullman the full narrative stage — a sustained, single-arc novel told largely from his perspective — Auggie & Me deliberately sidelines him, letting Julian, Christopher, and Charlotte each take the spotlight in shorter, self-contained stories. This shift in perspective is the collection's greatest strength: placing readers inside the perspective of a bully like Julian, or tracing Christopher's struggle with friendship across distance, adds dimensions the original novel couldn't explore. The trade-off, however, is narrative space — no single story in this anthology has the room to breathe as fully as Wonder did, and readers expecting the same sustained arc may find the episodic structure feels compressed by comparison.
- What is Charlotte's story about?
- Charlotte's narrative, "Shingaling," rounds out the triptych with a quieter perspective on belonging. As one of Auggie's new allies at Beecher Prep, Charlotte's story offers a counterpoint to the heavier moral weight of Julian's chapter and the friendship-across-distance themes of Christopher's, focusing instead on what it means to find one's place in a middle school social world that Auggie's presence has quietly rearranged. Commentary cited in the review notes that each story showcases not only personal challenges but also meaningful lessons about growth — Charlotte's is no exception.
Summarize this book
Is it worth reading?
Who should read this?
What age is it for?
About R. J. Palacio
How does it compare to Wonder?
What is Charlotte's story about?
Summarize this book
Auggie & Me: Three Wonder Stories is a companion volume to R. J. Palacio's Wonder, collecting three originally separate ebook stories — "The Julian Chapter," "Pluto" (Christopher's story), and "Shingaling" (Charlotte's story) — into a single illustrated hardcover published by Knopf Books for Young Readers on August 18, 2015. Each story is narrated by a different Beecher Prep character and places Auggie Pullman in the background, exploring what his presence and absence mean to the people around him. The structural gambit is a bold one: the boy who commanded all of Wonder is here a supporting character, yet he continues to transform every narrator he touches. The collection holds a Goodreads rating of 4.28 from nearly 39,000 readers, reflecting the sustained affection of the Wonder fanbase.
Follow up
Who narrates each story?
Were these stories published before?
Can each story be read on its own?
Synthesized from verified book data & published reviews · How we review
Press Enter to ask. Answers come from our editorial Q&A — start typing to see related questions.
Age & Reading Level
Recommended age
Ages 8–12
Reading level
Middle grade
Content to know about
bullying and peer cruelty
parental enabling of bullying
Best for: Ages 9+ — three distinct narrative voices and moderately complex moral themes (including a bully's interior reckoning) suit confident readers in the middle-grade range
Skip if you're looking for a standalone story with a full sustained arc rather than a short companion to a book you've already read
Editorial Review
Auggie & Me: Three Wonder Stories is a companion volume to R. J.…
Read the Full ReviewBooks like Auggie & Me
Curated picks for readers who enjoyed Auggie & Me, with our reasoning for each match.
If you liked Auggie & Me
