How do you get others to accept you when you’re different? How do you make friends as a child or teenager when you don’t look like everyone else? The film *Wonder* starts with an extreme situation—a child suffering from a very rare disease that disfigures his face—to explore themes of exclusion, how others perceive us, and the perception of what is considered abnormal. The director portrays the empathy that allows Auggie to make friends. His humor, intelligence, and kindness make him so likable that they overshadow his physical appearance.