I haven’t reviewed middle-grade fiction in a while. So let’s get back to it with a title that was recently long-listed for the National Book Award for Young People’s Literature.
Erin Bow’s novel, “Simon Sort of Says,” is the story of 12-year-old Simon O’Keeffe. Simon’s family moves to fictional Grin and Bear It, Nebraska, a town known as the National Quiet Zone because the internet — and all electronic devices — are banned. It’s so radio astronomers can listen for signs of life in space.
And that’s perfect for Simon, who is trying to escape an experience he desperately wants to forget: Back in his hometown outside of Omaha, Simon was the only survivor of a school shooting.
So you’re likely not expecting this novel to be a comedy. But this Canadian author turns a tragic topic on its head, imbuing her story with hilarious, hopeful, even laugh-out-loud moments that illustrate the power of friendship and the importance of finding joy in a violent world. Like when Simon’s church-deacon dad accidentally gives a squirrel the holy sacrament. Or when his mortician mom loses a body. Or when Simon and his friend Agate have to wrangle emus. And I just have to give a shout-out to portions of the novel that talk about the therapeutic powers of Lego.
This novel is aimed at 10-and-older readers, who unfortunately live in a world of mass shootings and lockdown drills. But Bow’s deft treatment of the subject matter proves that middle-grade fiction isn’t just for kids. We all need lessons on kindness, empathy, and the redemptive power of humor.
