When I first heard about this book several months ago, I thought, "Nope, nope, nope. I don't want to read about a school shooting." But I kept hearing about it - and then I snagged an e-ARC (thanks NetGalley and publisher!) and I read glowing reviews... so I read it. And I am so glad I did! It is so, so funny in parts and so terribly tragic in others. But it is very, very hopeful in the sense of Simon's ability to make new friends and begin to rebuild a life.
Simon O'Keeffe is the lone survivor of a school shooting in a suburb of Omaha, Nebraska. His parents homeschool him for a year (6th grade) but the media circus just does not quit. So his family decides to relocate to Grin and Bear It, Nebraska. Which is surrounded by radio telescopes and so internet, anything with Wifi, microwaves - all forbidden. Because they might interfere with the messages from outer space that the scientists are waiting to receive. His mom is an undertaker and his dad is a Catholic deacon. Fortunately, Grin and Bear It needs both of those positions filled. And so Simon begins 7th grade trying to not reveal a past that - of course - refuses to be pushed down. His new teacher immediately recognizes him but does not make a big deal out of it. None of his classmates know his past - so he makes new friends. Agate, who is autistic and lives with her large family on a goat ranch outside of town. And Kevin who is Filipino American and lives with his scientist mom and former scientist now chef dad. The town is split into Team Farm and Team Science.
And they are awesome friends. Agate introduces herself by asking Simon for a disgusting detail - and when your mom is an undertaker, you have a LOT of material to work with. She also gives Simon a puppy to train as a therapy dog - which helps him immensely. And they hatch a plan to pretend to be aliens sending a message to the telescopes to give the scientists hope to keep listening.
Slowly, in bits and pieces throughout the book, Simon explains what happened during the shooting. But in between we learn about how Simon and his family learn to process their trauma - and that, no matter where you go, the past will catch up with you. And that there are dangerous situations everywhere but with supportive friends and family, there is also hope.
And crazy peacocks, escaping emus, stolen microwaves, a Jesus squirrel, and a missing body.
Remember Holes by Sachar? It was such a funny book - but it also dealt with super serious issues. This book is like that - somehow Erin Bow has managed to take the most traumatic experience and find humor in the aftermath.
There are a couple of notes at the end of the book that explain the whys of writing the story -- and also lots of resources for anyone dealing with trauma, PTSD, and other challenges.

I did like this book and its narrator a lot. One of my friends recommended it to me because she knows I like books about grief. But truly, this was more of a "rebuilding after trauma" book than one just about working through grief.
Simon survived a school shooting, the only student in his classroom to survive--truly something life-changing and horrific. The author chose not to have the reader relive this with him, except for a few small mentions. (Just enough, I say.) The reader does get to follow Simon through his first foray back into school, after his parents homeschooled him for a year and then moved to a new town, a town without Internet, TV, microwaves, etc. We get to meet Simon's little troupe of misfit friends and see how they help him in various situations that are anxiety-inducing.
This book would be great for middle schools.

We'd expect this to be a real heavy story but it is surprisingly light hearted. The deep moments, where characters face their trauma or express their needs even though it's hard, are rare. Their scarcity makes them all the more impactful given that the bulk of the book is goat births, rampaging emus, a dog that helps himself to beer, and a plot to fake an alien signal. Tying the whole thing together is a cast of characters who feel real. Sure their interests are weirdly specific and obscure (like playing the sackbut) but their interactions are dynamic and their voices distinct and honest. The details are a bit intense (we are talking about the trauma of surviving a school shooting after all) so exercise caution but know that it's worth the read.

This book is perfect for middle grade children. As a third grade teacher, I would read this book aloud to my class to help teach character traits, setting (show not tell) type of way. It’s also told in first person POV which students may be able to relate to. Loved this book!

What a serious, yet funny book. A hard topic done very well. I laughed and cry. Sometimes at the same time! Definitely will be reading this one with my daughter when she’s older.

Thank you to the publisher and NetGalley for allowing me to read and review this book.

Why is no one else on social talking about the Jesus squirrel?! That alone is a selling point for this book! I can't describe this book beyond just perfect. I want recommend it to all the kiddos.

Funny and charming, Simon Sort of Says hides a surprising emotional (and, honestly, trigger-warning worthy) plot twist. Simon and his parents move to a remote part of Nebraska that, due to local SETI-funded science experiments, has no tv, no internet, and no radio. While some kids would hate this new locale, Simon has very personal reasons for preferring to live in this type of a community. Simon makes friends and his parents face a series of ridiculous workplace mishaps but their position in the community is troubled when Simon's hidden past becomes common knowledge. TW for trauma, school shootings, and reference to lethal violence.

This was a fun but also serious middle grades read. Simon moves to a new town without internet or TV or anything with a signal due to the radio telescopes there. His mom runs the funeral home and his dad works at the Catholic church. Simon is glad to start over again and meet some new friends, and the reason for that soon becomes clear. Somehow this book is both funny and heartbreaking. Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for the ARC.

Thank you to NetGalley and Disney Hyperion for the ARC review copy.

I laughed and cried while reading the story of Simon, a twelve-year-old survivor of a school shooting. While the story of Simon's survival was brief, as a teacher, it really hit me in the feels. His experience and healing include real techniques and strategies to help children and adults manage PTSD. While the background of Simon's story is very serious, the characters and events in Simon's current timeline are delightfully and humorously written. From his parents (a funeral director mother and preacher father) to his friends (an autistic girl with a penchant for science) to the supporting cast of animals (emus, llamas, peacocks, and goats) - Simon's life is full of adventure and misadventure.

This book has a lot of heart as it deals with the very tough topic of a child being the sole-survivor of a school shooting in his class.

This was a fun, quirky book. It is a positive upbeat book - which is a bit surprising since it deals with the aftermath of a school shooting. The author has excellent pacing and good characters. I can't imagine writing a humorous and enjoyable book on this topic, but Erin Bow does it with grace and ease. I highly recommend reading this book and having your children read it too

Thank you, NetGalley, for an audio-ARC of Simon Sort of Says by Erin Bow, narrated by Will Collyer.
Simon Sort of Says is a story that makes you laugh, cry, and cheer for good guys. A story of true friendship that is found when needed most. Will Collyer is the perfect voice for Simon. This book will be an easy recommendation for middle grade students.

I received a copy of this book from NetGalley.

I really enjoyed this book. I love the depth of the characters and their humanity, and how their individual perspectives are reflected.

I also really like how Simon's past is handled, and the balance of grief and humor.

Simon and his parents are new residents in the town of Grin and Bear It, Nebraska. Recently having moved there, for a fresh start, Simon's mother is the local mortician and his father runs the Catholic church. Simon's family is recovering from trauma and PTSD, but this is only alluded to the first quarter of the book. As Simon settles into a new school and routine, he befriends Agate and Kevin, two vastly different kids who quickly become his closest friends. The story focuses on Simon's healing from a tragic event in his former school, packs of emus, goat births, a violent peacock, and many other humorous happenings. Told in a light-hearted and authentic voice, this book is appropriate for older middle school readers, because of the content. It is also an accessible book because the language is readable without being too complex. This book should come with a trigger warning for readers, and teachers should pre-read the text.

Simon has a secret - he has a trauma in his past that he doesn't want to talk about, so his family moves to Grin and Bear It, New Mexico, the home of the Very Large Array, and very powerful (and large!) radio telescope. Because of the Very Large Array, devices that can generate electromagnetic waves - including microwave ovens, internet, TV, and anything that uses WiFi - is banned from the area, so Simon and his parents are hoping that the publicity surrounding the trauma-causing event won't reach the town.

Because of the trauma Simon is fleeing, he's not very open to new friends or experiences - but that's no problem for Agate Van der Zwaan, who befriends Simon before he finds out just how unusual her family is, and by the time he knows, it's too late, they've become friends. Agate has a plan, and she needs help - and Simon is volunteered to help with her plan. Simon also becomes friends with Kevin, whose mother is one of the scientists working on the Very Large Array, and over time, Simon tells Kevin Agate's plan, and recruits him to help. Over the course of 7th grade, the three tweens, along Hercules, a service dog in training, create a way to carry out Agate's plan, with a lot of missteps along the way.

There are some dark points in this story, as the cause of Simon's trauma is revealed, but there's also a lot of fun. If you have a child who has trauma, you might want to read the book before giving it to the child - but be aware that the trauma was not abuse, and it did not happen in his home; I won't say more about it, because the trauma being discovered and explained is a significant portion of the book. Recommended for middle school and up.

I cannot count the ways in which I love this book. It was pure delightful magic that made me laugh, cry, and want to hug all of the characters in one big group hug. It was an important book and I think it's a book that middle grade readers will fall in love with and relate to.

Simon and his parents are attempting to escape Omaha, Nebraska after a church incident involving emus. At least, that's what he tells everyone. Moving to Grin and Bear It, NE, where microwaves, the internet, and TVs aren't allowed due to their electromagnetic interference with important science happening in the town, Simon believes this is his chance to start over.

Because he needs a fresh start. In reality, Simon is dealing with a much heavier problem: he is the sole survivor of a school shooting. Everyone else in his fifth grade class was killed, and Simon survived by playing dead. He has a lot of trauma to live with, but as he discovers new friends in Kevin and Agate (who is on the autism spectrum), he realizes that there is a lot to love about life.

In a book centered around surviving a school shooting, there is a lot of laughter. Agate is one of the best literary characters I've come across in a long time and I long to be her friend. She understands Simon in a way that nobody else can, and she is instrumental in his healing. She is a powerhouse. I loved her. Simon's parents were also amazing: his father is an unconventional deacon of the Catholic church, while his mother is a mortician and funeral home director. I think this book is a really special blend of heavy hitting topics that probably really do need to be discussed among families, while also including a lot of laughs. This book is one of my favorite reads of 2023 and I think it will be hard to top.

Simon Sort of Says is a great book about middle schoolers Simon, Agate, and Kevin. They all live in Grin and Bear It, Nebraska where there is no internet, no computers, no radios, no microwaves. This is because Grin and Bear It is home to several radio telescopes listening for signs from outer space. From aliens. Simon is grateful for a fresh start where no one can Google him. He finds great friends in Agate and Kevin, who let him deal with his anxiety and PTSD in his own way. This is a great look at middle school, friendship, and how sometimes it’s ok to not be ok. I loved this book and the friendships that were formed!

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for the advance copy.

Simon Sort of Says by Erin Bow is a charming YA book about Simon O'Keeffe. Simon was the sole survivor of a school shooting, but he just wants to forget that it ever happened. He and his parents move to a new city, and he makes new friends there. Simon and his new friends try to find signs of life in space, which is such a fun side story. But the best part of this book is the relationships between Simon and his parents and Simon and his new friends. This is such a lovely book, and I highly recommend it. Thanks to NetGalley for the free digital review copy. All opinions are my own.

Erin Bow has done an excellent job writing a story that deals with the trauma of surviving a school shooting in a sensitive, thoughtful manner. She grabs your attention from the start with humor and adeptly introduces the trauma Simon and his parents are learning to navigate.
After an incident that includes llamas, a tortoise, and an owl during the Feast of Saint Francis blessing of the animals, Simon and his family are forced out of Omaha. The family moves to the little town of Grin and Bear It where there is no internet, no cell phones, no TV and no radio. Why would anyone want to move to a community that is completely off the grid? The O’Keeffe family happily moves to the community seeking refuge, and anonymity.
You will simultaneously laugh and cry, as you follow Simon and his new friends Agate and Kevin as they navigate life in middle school and life in a small town where it is difficult to remain anonymous. As the story progresses you learn more about the trauma the O’Keeffe family is dealing with. Will Simon always been defined by one terrible day, or can he redefine his image in the world?
A beautiful, heart healing book that adeptly tackles a tough topic that has become all too common. Highly recommend for middle grades.

This is a quirky, funny book about a heavy topic. Simon and his family move from a suburban area to a small rural town in Nebraska in the middle of the National Quiet Zone, where there is no internet or even microwave ovens! The main character's PTSD from a school shooting event is never watered down, but handled in a realistic and gentle way. The writing is excellent and the cast of unique supporting characters make this a memorable read.