Simon Sort of Says by Erin Bow

Simon Sort of Says by Erin Bow

Publish date: Jan. 31, 2023

Can you imagine living without our modern comforts: internet, television, cell phones, radio? Erin Bow deftly creates this realistic town where our main character, Simon O’Keeffe, is thrust. Simon and his family are also recovering from a traumatic episode that is all too real to anyone who watches or reads the news, as well as school-age children who practice emergency drills every month.

Simon and his family are desperately trying to cope, while restarting life in this small, unusual town. Simon wants to fly under the radar, which seems easy in this small town without internet. But Simon is also in need of friendship. Simon bonds with Kevin, a Team Science kid who has some “forbidden” gadgets at home and Agate, a Team Farm kid whose home is preceded by the sign that reads “Van der Zwaan Angora Et Cetera.”

This book includes the humor and tribulations of a seventh grader entering a new town and new school. As if that isn’t hard enough for a ‘tween, throw in the PTSD Simon is trying to put behind him and you’ve got a great story of family, friendship, and resilience.