Escaping the memories of a traumatic event may be impossible, but in this poignant and remarkably funny National Book Award finalist and Kids Indie Next List title, Simon and his family hope to at least escape public attention.
Twelve-year-old Simon, his undertaker mom, and liturgical director dad move to Grin and Bear It, Nebr., a National Quiet Zone with "no internet and no cell phones." While Simon says that his family was "driven out [of their last town] by alpacas," the truth is that two years earlier, Simon was the only survivor of a shooting in his fifth-grade class. After a year of homeschooling, and--it's true--an unfortunate alpaca incident, Simon and his family seek a fresh start.
Simon Sort of Says is a droll coming-of-age story with hilarity and slapstick, gross-out facts, misunderstandings, and sweet friendships. It's also a literary feat accomplished with grace and sensitivity by author Erin Bow (The Scorpion Rules; Plain Kate). Readers are likely to fall hard for Simon, his friends and his family, every one of whom is worthy of a novel of their own. Simply put: Simon Sort of Says is extraordinary. --Emilie Coulter, freelance writer and editor