If you liked
Books like Wonder
by R. J. Palacio
Wonder follows Auggie Pullman, a boy with a facial difference, through his first year at a mainstream school, told from enough points of view that you understand everyone in the hallway. R. J. Palacio wrote a kindness phenomenon. If you want more books that make you a slightly better person, read on.
The shortlist
What to read next
The House in the Cerulean Seaby TJ Klune
“The House in the Cerulean Sea by TJ Klune 2020 review. A caseworker is sent to evaluate a remote orphanage that may contain the Antichrist. The Mythopoeic Award winning cozy fantasy.”
A Man Called Oveby Fredrik Backman
“A Man Called Ove by Fredrik Backman 2012 review. A fifty-nine-year-old Swedish curmudgeon plans his suicide until a young family moves in across the courtyard. Backman's debut.”
Eleanor Oliphant Is Completely Fineby Gail Honeyman
“Eleanor Oliphant Is Completely Fine by Gail Honeyman 2017 review. A thirty-year-old Glasgow office worker develops her first adult friendship. British Book Award Book of the Year 2018.”
The Storied Life of A. J. Fikryby Gabrielle Zevin
“The Storied Life of A. J. Fikry by Gabrielle Zevin 2014 review. A curmudgeonly bookstore owner finds a two-year-old left in his shop. Zevin's literary commercial breakout before Tomorrow x3.”
Lessons in Chemistryby Bonnie Garmus
“Lessons in Chemistry by Bonnie Garmus 2022 review. Elizabeth Zott, a chemist pushed out of academic research in the early 1960s, becomes the unlikely host of a hit cooking show. A debut novel that became the basis for the Apple TV+ adaptation with Brie Larson.”
Dear Edwardby Ann Napolitano
“Dear Edward by Ann Napolitano 2020 review. A twelve-year-old is the sole survivor of an airline crash. Basis for the 2023 Apple TV+ limited series.”
FAQ
Common questions about Wonder read-alikes
- I want the same warmth for a grown-up reader.
- A Man Called Ove by Fredrik Backman and Eleanor Oliphant Is Completely Fine by Gail Honeyman both center outsiders the world underestimates, and both make you cry the good way. They are Wonder's message aimed at adults.
- I want a cozy, hopeful book about belonging.
- The House in the Cerulean Sea by TJ Klune is pure comfort, a found-family story about accepting the kids everyone else fears. It shares Wonder's fundamental faith that kindness is the whole point.
- I want a book about grief and starting over.
- Dear Edward by Ann Napolitano follows the sole child survivor of a plane crash and the community that carries him. The Storied Life of A. J. Fikry by Gabrielle Zevin does something similar through a grumpy bookseller and an unexpected child. Both are tender and life-affirming.
- I want a smart, uplifting novel with an underdog.
- Lessons in Chemistry by Bonnie Garmus follows a brilliant woman refusing to be diminished, funny and warm at once. A grown-up cousin to Wonder's root-for-the-good-one appeal.
The original