<P> Palacio wrote Wonder after an incident in which she and her three - year - old son were waiting in line to buy ice cream . Her son noticed a girl with a severe facial deformity and started to cry . Fearing he would react badly, Palacio attempted to remove her son from the situation so as not to upset the girl and her family but ended up worsening the situation . Natalie Merchant's song "Wonder" made her realize that the incident could illustrate a valuable lesson . Palacio was inspired by Merchant's lyrics and she began writing . She named the book directly after the song, and used the song's chorus as the prologue of the first chapter . </P> <P> Several spin - offs, including the calendar book 365 Days of Wonder: Mr. Browne's Book of Precepts and Auggie and Me have been published . A film adaptation was released in 2017 . </P> <P> August Pullman is a homeschooled fifth - grader living in North River Heights in Upper Manhattan with his parents . He has a medical condition, often equated with Treacher Collins syndrome, which has left his face disfigured . Due to his condition, August has been homeschooled by his mother; however, wanting him to experience a larger world, his parents enroll him into Beecher Middle School for the start of fifth grade . August has a sister, Olivia, who is older than him often puts her brother's needs before her own . </P> <P> On his first day of school, August tries not to draw attention to himself . His efforts are in vain, and Julian, the student whom the principal has asked to help August at school, immediately bullies him for his appearance, comparing him to Darth Sidious . August's hopes for the school year are later raised slightly when he forms friendships with classmates Jack and Summer, both of whom defend him from Julian's taunts . </P>

What was the name of the school in wonder