It’s rated PG, it stars a fifth-grader and it’s based on a children’s book. Well, you know what? The entire Harry Potter franchise was based on children’s books and I’d say it worked out pretty well for everyone involved.

The thing about classifying movies like that is that it throws some potential gems under the door. I didn’t manage to watch "Wonder" until a few weekends ago, but I’m glad I did and glad I forced my entire family to sit down and watch it with me. For the record, every one of them is still appreciating me for that bit of kindness.

As someone who’s read the book, I knew what I was going into with the movie. My real concern was that it wouldn’t be Percy Jackson-ed and that they wouldn’t make scrambled eggs out of a perfectly loving and touching book. If you’re not familiar with the storyline, it’s about a boy named August (Auggie) who was born with severe facial deformities and his struggles as he shifts into his first year at public school for fifth grade.

I won’t lie; the movie made me cry in some places, scream in frustration at others but at the end of it, it’s a feel-good movie. A lot of critics bashed it on that point, claiming it needed more realism, but in my opinion, Auggie’s story has enough realism in it that it requires that feel-good sentiment.

What I really love is that while it may seem like a unique issue to explore, it really does connect back to each of us personally. We all face stressors in life and Auggie’s story is a testament to these challenges, and to the power or overcoming them with good friends and a heaping of character. I’m glad the movie followed the book in showcasing the story not only from Auggie’s perspective but from others like his friend Jack and sister Via. My dad pointed it out as we sat watching the movie, watching Via suffer from feeling ignored and overlooked and yet doing her best to bear with it: “We only know our side of the story.” And there is never just our side or only one side — a story has as many sides as it has people touching roles in it.

With a shining cast of actors, including Julia Roberts and Owen Wilson, there’s no need to fear that the acting will ruin the movie and the cast actually outdo themselves. The acting is realistic and heartfelt; the costumes and makeup are authentic and intricate. Child actor Jacob Tremblay makes an amazing Auggie and I felt myself going through the vicissitudes of life with him, hiding from the world in his astronaut helmet and dreaming of being accepted.

Does any of that sound like a kid’s movie? Because, if so, maybe we should all take a break from binge-watching our Netflix specials for a time and work in some good kid’s movies. Who knows? Maybe they’ll actually teach us something useful; at any rate, Wonder is a film I will shamelessly advertise if you want to have your heartstrings touched and see a movie that will leave you with that sense of “This is life.”