August Pullman, or Auggie, is about to start his first year in "real school" as a fifth grader. Early in Wonder, he clarifies his reasons for never attending school before. Since his birth, Auggie has had twenty-seven surgeries. While most people believe he has been home-schooled because of his facial abnormalities, it is actually the number of surgeries that has impeded his ability to attend school. Auggie shares that he was sick often when he was younger. Since it has been eight months since his last surgery, and since he is not as medically fragile as he once was, Auggie is able to attend school with his peers. Auggie wants to go to school like his other friends. However, he wants to be seen as just a "normal" kid.

August Pullman, the protagonist of Wonder, written by R.J. Palacio, was born with significant facial abnormalities. Even though he is only ten years old, he has had twenty-seven surgeries to try and correct his craniofacial structure. Because August has required so many surgeries, he has been homeschooled for most of his life. Now that he is about to enter the fifth grade, and he wont need another surgery for some time, he is preparing to attend mainstream school for the very first time. August is worried that beginning mainstream school will entice his classmates to tease him and call him mean names. Even though he's had so much surgery, his face still does not look entirely "normal," and he fears it will prevent other kids from getting to know the real August.