Simon Sort of Says by Erin Bow

Simon O’Keeffe’s biggest claim to fame should be the time his dad accidentally gave a squirrel a holy sacrament. Or maybe the alpaca disaster that went viral on YouTube. But the story the whole world wants to tell about Simon is the one he’d do anything to forget: the story in which he’s the only kid in his class who survived a school shooting.

Two years after the infamous event, twelve-year-old Simon and his family move to the National Quiet Zone—the only place in America where the internet is banned. Instead of talking about Simon, the astronomers who flock to the area are busy listening for signs of life in space. And when Simon makes a friend who’s determined to give the scientists what they’re looking for, he’ll finally have the chance to spin a new story for the world to tell.

From award-winning author Erin Bow, Simon Sort of Says is a breathtaking testament to the lasting echoes of trauma, the redemptive power of humor, and the courage it takes to move forward without forgetting the past.

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Erin Bow has never failed to make me cry with her books, and this one is no exception. At ten years old, Simon was the only survivor in his class during a shooting event - and that only because he was hidden under the bodies of his classmates. Life as the unwilling face of school tragedy ate away at his family until they fled to the only part of America with no internet, hoping their infamy would not follow them.

Erin has done an amazing job at bringing this sadly too common tragedy to life. The details are released to us slowly; at first, all we know is that it happened, that Simon doesn't like small spaces, that he wants to be unobserved. Gradually we learn more about the attack and how it's affected him. (Very badly, as you might expect.)

But there are also moments of joy and friendship and laughter, lightening this story considerably. (And I learned some things about radio telescopes!)  Agate and her family are amazing and I would love to learn more about them. Erin does beautifully at balancing out the two modes, considering how claustrophobic and panicked Simon (understandably) can get.

I really enjoyed this. It's a fantastic look at a really important topic. I envision all kinds of awards for it, and it deserves every one of them. Amazing.

Simon Sort of Says publishes on the 31st January, 2023. I received a free copy and am giving an honest review.