8 hours and 33 minutes. Time spent listening to this gem. Here is the plot in a very small squirrel sized nutshell: Simon is a pre-teen that has experienced something traumatizing: a school shooting. His parents move him to a new town to help him move past it all. He meets new friends and has new adventures all which help him to embrace who he is.
There are also demented squirrels and emus, obsessed space scientists, and a town without the internet and microwaves. Oh and hilarious anecdotes mixed in. The author, Erin Bow, uses humor and quirky real characters to soften this sad and scary subject. The kids in the story deal with PTSD and autism and are super bright. They show how they deal with these issues courageously with parents who love them and support them. All around inspiring. This quote sums it up well, "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." (Summary on Libby app)
Recommend: Yes
Junior Fiction, trauma, PTSD, autism, astronomy, friendship, humor
