Center for Children's Literature Blog

Children’s Book Committee – September 2023 Pick

Simon Sort of Says
Author: Erin Bow
Publisher: Disney-Hyperion/Buena Vista Books

Our Young Reviewer Says:
Simon Sort of Says

“I liked how the author slowly alluded to the horror that Simon endured, and that when it was finally revealed it wasn’t at the very end of the book so we still got to see what plot came with the surprise … I think that the way that the setting is described, the way both farmer and techie sides are brought together is a subtle way of trying to wrap the book up nicely.

The characters in the book were very well written, I felt myself being mad/sad/happy for or at them, which is the marking of a clever book. The main character, Simon, went from a lonely, traumatized boy, to a happy, sociable, traumatized boy. His struggles were not ignored, he didn’t magically wake up and not feel upset at the passing of all his friends, but he was able to grow past it while still acknowledging all he had gone through.”

–Allison, age 16, Demarest, NJ.

Young people who are interested in reviewing are invited to do so as we welcome the individual perspective of our age appropriate readers. If you are interested in being a reviewer, contact youngreviewers@bankstreet.edu.

See our Monthly Picks Archive 2012–2018, and our Monthly Picks 2019–present.