* Her son's experience: One day, when her son was five years old, he came home from school upset because he saw a girl with facial differences being bullied. He was so concerned about this girl that he wanted to bring her home and make her feel better. This experience deeply affected Palacio and became the seed for the story of August Pullman.
* The power of empathy: Palacio believes that stories can help us develop empathy and understand the world from different perspectives. She wanted to create a book that would encourage readers to think about how they treat others and to recognize that everyone deserves to be treated with kindness.
* Challenging stereotypes: Palacio was also inspired to write Wonder because she wanted to challenge the stereotypes and misconceptions that often surround people with differences. She wanted to show that everyone is unique and special, and that differences are something to be celebrated, not feared.
While these are the most frequently cited inspirations, she has also mentioned:
* Her childhood love of reading: She grew up surrounded by books and always loved reading.
* Her own experiences with being different: While not as drastic as Auggie's, Palacio has mentioned feeling "different" in her childhood and wanting to create a character that would resonate with others who felt the same way.
It's important to remember that the inspiration for a book can be complex and multi-layered. These are just some of the things that R.J. Palacio has spoken about as influencing her decision to write Wonder.