Synopses & Reviews
Longlisted for the National Book Award for Young People's Literature
"Funny, poignant and — most important — hopeful." —New York Times
For fans of Kate DiCamillo and Jack Gantos, a hilarious, wrenching, hopeful novel about finding your friends, healing your heart, and speaking your truth.
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 one starring Simon as a famous survivor of gun violence at school.
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.
Review
“An uproarious small-town comedy with a devastating tragedy at its core.” Kirkus (Starred Review)
Review
“Bow imbues this sincere story with levity by employing madcap plot points, including several animal-centered shenanigans featuring squirrels, dogs, and emus.”
Publishers Weekly (Starred Review)
Review
Bow delivers another middle-grade page turner....A tale of healing that serves as an excellent reminder to never assume we know what plights another friend is going through.
Booklist
Review
“Despite the weighty premise, Bow's storytelling brims with vitality, featuring many hilarious, outlandish scenes….The scientific plotline is thematically compelling, and the character-driven narratives thrive in its context.”
The Bulletin of the Center for Children's Books (Starred Review)
Synopsis
A Newbery Honor Winner
Longlisted for the National Book Award for Young People's Literature "Funny, poignant and--most important--hopeful." --New York Times
For fans of Kate DiCamillo and Jack Gantos, a hilarious, wrenching, hopeful novel about finding your friends, healing your heart, and speaking your truth.
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 one starring Simon as a famous survivor of gun violence at school.
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.
Synopsis
NEWBERY HONOR AWARD - LONGLISTED FOR THE NATIONAL BOOK AWARD - SCHNEIDER FAMILY BOOK AWARD HONOR "Funny, poignant and--most important--hopeful." --New York Times
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 one starring Simon as a famous survivor of gun violence at school.
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.
Simon Sort of Says, the Newbery Honor-winning novel by Erin Bow, 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.
About the Author
Erin Bow was born and raised in Iowa and trained as a physicist, so naturally she now spends her days writing children's fiction in a tiny (heated) garden shed in Ontario, Canada. Her books have won a fistful of awards. Erin lives with her husband, two teenage kids, a tabby named after a rock, a black cat named after a black hole, and an empty-headed, big-hearted dog named after the moon. Visit her online at ErinBow.com and @ErinBowBooks.