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Simon Sort of Says

Simon Sort of Says

Erin Bow (Author) See More (5)
CELA Library
JUVENILE FICTION
Social Themes
Friendship
Scholastic Canada Ltd
4 - 7
9 - 12
CELAAmazonIndigo
Paperback
9781039708778
$12.99 CAD
English
06/04/2024
EPUB [reflow]
9781443193146
$21.99 CAD
English
02/07/2023
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Description

A Newbery Honor Book written by Erin Bow, winner of the Governor General’s and TD Children’s Literature Awards.

Simon O’Keeffe tells a lot of stories: like how his family was driven out of Omaha by alpacas. And how his church-deacon dad accidentally gave a squirrel a holy sacrament. And how his undertaker mom occasionally has to wrangle emus.But the story Simon doesn’t tell is the one he’d do anything to forget: Simon is the only survivor of a school shooting. That story has followed him everywhere — everywhere except his new home in the National Quiet Zone, where the internet is banned so radio astronomers can listen for signs of life in space.Then Simon meets a kid who wants to give the astronomers what they’ve been looking for . . . and he finally gets the chance to tell a new story about himself.This is that story.Hilarious, heart-wrenching and ultimately hopeful, this story is about finding your friends, healing your heart and speaking your truth.
Erin Bow

Author Bio

ERIN BOW was born in the Midwest and studied particle physics in college, eventually working at the CERN laboratory near Geneva, Switzerland. She then decided to leave science in order to concentrate on her love of writing. Her debut novel, Plain Kate, won the TD Canadian Children’s Literature Award. Erin also received the Governor General’s Award for Young People’s Literature – Text for Stand on the Sky. She lives in Kitchener, Ontario, with her husband James and their two children. Erin Bow can be visited online at www.erinbow.com.

Prizes

  • IBBY Canada, Outstanding Books for Young People with DisabilitiesShort-listed 2025
  • Schneider Family Book Award, Honor BookCommended 2024
  • National Book Award for Young People's LiteratureLong-listed 2023
  • OLA Best BetsCommended 2024
  • OLA Red Maple Award, FictionShort-listed 2024
  • TD Canadian Children's Literature AwardShort-listed 2024
  • Snow Willow Award (Saskatchewan Young Readers' Choice)Nominated 2025
  • Cybils (Children's and Young Adults Bloggers' Literary Awards), Middle-Grade FictionWinner 2023
  • Newbery Honor BookCommended 2024
  • Best Books for Kids and Teens, Canadian Children's Book Centre, Starred SelectionCommended 2023

Review Quotes

"An uproarious small-town comedy with a devastating tragedy at its core, played out by a cast as memorable for its animals as its people. Adroit, sensitive, horrifying, yet hilarious." — Kirkus Reviews

"Bow cloaks a story of very real, tragic anxiety in a compassionate, funny, inventive tangle of characters, wacky incidents and physics. With a quick wit and imaginative exuberance, she offers a tale that’s heartwarming, comic and quite unpredictable." — Toronto Star

*“Original and sometimes disturbing, Plain Kate is a compelling story of dark magic and a remarkable debut by a talented writer.” (Plain Kate) — Quill & Quire, starred review

“… a story of strength, courage, and resilience that will resonate with anyone who has ever felt abandoned, alone, or doubted themselves and their place in the world. Bow delivers a jubilant tale that celebrates the power of family, love, and young women.” (Stand on the Sky) — Quill & Quire