No Monsters in This Fairy Tale: Wonder and the New Children’s Literature

Twenty-first century children’s books stage a revolution in the portrayal of kids with disabilities and their communities. R.J. Palacio’s bestselling novel Wonder (2012) captures a middle school experiencing its first disability inclusion and presents an important vision of social change. The new kid in school faces down staring and monster stereotypes. Granted, Wonder oversimplifies political and physical realities. While Wonder is in many ways a fairy tale, it also works a counter-spell, turning the monster back into an ordinary boy.