R. J. Palacio facts for kids

Quick facts for kids R. J. Palacio
Palacio at the 2023 National Book Festival
Born	Raquel Jaramillo (1963-07-13) July 13, 1963 (age 62) New York City, U.S.
Occupation	Author

Raquel Jaramillo Palacio (born July 13, 1963) is an American author and graphic designer. She is famous for writing many books for children. Her most well-known book is Wonder. This book was so popular that it was made into a movie in 2017. Famous actors like Julia Roberts and Owen Wilson starred in the film.

Becoming a Writer

R.J. Palacio started her career as an illustrator. This means she drew pictures for books. She designed the covers for many books, both fiction and non-fiction. She even illustrated some children's books that she wrote herself.

For about 20 years, she worked as a designer during the day. Then, she would write her own books at night. Her first books were board books for young children. She published these early books using her birth name, Raquel Jaramillo.

The Wonder Universe

After Wonder became a huge success around the world, Palacio wrote more books connected to it. These books help readers learn even more about the characters and their world.

Companion Books

• 365 Days of Wonder (published in 2014) is a collection of inspiring quotes. It also includes letters and emails from the characters in Wonder. These messages teach about kindness and being good.
• Auggie & Me (published in 2015) has three short stories. These stories are told from the viewpoints of Auggie's friends, Christopher and Charlotte. It also includes a story from Julian, who was Auggie's classmate.
• We’re All Wonders (published in 2017) is a picture book. It is for younger readers and tells Auggie’s story from his own perspective.

White Bird

White Bird (published in 2019) is a graphic novel. A graphic novel is like a comic book but tells a longer story. This book tells the story of Julian's grandmother, Grandmère. When she was a young Jewish girl, she was hidden from the Nazis during World War II. A kind family in France helped keep her safe.

The White Bird graphic novel was also made into a movie. The film, also called White Bird, was released in October 2024. It stars actors like Ariella Glaser, Orlando Schwerdt, Gillian Anderson, and Helen Mirren. Bryce Gheisar, who played Julian in the Wonder film, also appeared in White Bird.

New Stories

In 2021, a publishing company called Random House announced a new novel by R.J. Palacio. This book is called Pony. It was a big release, with 500,000 copies printed first. Pony is her first novel that does not feature characters from the Wonder universe.

About Her Life

Raquel Jaramillo Palacio was born in New York City. Her parents were immigrants from Colombia. She went to the High School of Art & Design in Manhattan. Then, she studied design at the Parsons School of Design.

She spent a year studying in Paris, France, at the American University of Paris. During this time, she traveled a lot around Europe. After her travels, she returned to New York. Today, she lives in North Carolina. She lives there with her husband, Russell Gordon, and their two sons, Caleb and Joseph. Russell Gordon also works in children's books.

Awards and Recognition

R.J. Palacio has received many awards for her books, especially for Wonder.

Awards for Wonder

• In 2013, she won the Christopher Award.
• In 2014, she received the Dorothy Canfield Fisher Children's Book Award.
• Also in 2014, she won the German Children's Book Award (Youth Jury).
• Wonder was on The New York Times Best Seller list.
• It was also on the Texas Bluebonnet Award master list.
• In 2014, it won both the Bluestem and Caudill Awards in Illinois.
• In 2015, it won the Maine Student Book Award.
• It also won Vermont's Dorothy Canfield Fisher Children's Book Award.
• The book received the 2015 Mark Twain Award.
• It won Hawaii's 2015 Nene Award.
• It was the winner of the 2015 Young Hoosier Book Award.
• It also won the Junior Young Reader's Choice Award for 2015.

In 2018, the organization Kids for Peace named her their 'Peace Hero' of the year. This honor recognized her work in promoting kindness and understanding.

See also

In Spanish: Raquel Palacio para niños