by Erin Bow
First published 2023
Simon O'Keeffe remembers when his biggest worry was his father giving communion to a squirrel or the family alpaca becoming a YouTube sensation. Now the twelve-year-old carries a heavier burden. He survived a school shooting that killed his classmates two years ago. The world knows his story, but Simon wants to forget it. His family relocates to the National Quiet Zone, where internet access is forbidden and radio telescopes scan the cosmos for alien signals. Here, astronomers focus on listening for extraterrestrial life instead of discussing Simon's past. Simon befriends someone determined to help the scientists find what they seek in space. This partnership gives Simon his first real chance to create a new narrative about himself. Erin Bow crafts a story about a boy learning that moving forward doesn't require erasing painful memories, discovering that laughter can coexist with grief.
Genres: science-fiction, coming-of-age, contemporary, family-drama
Vibes: emotional, intimate, thought-provoking
Tropes: found-family, moving-on
Setting: National Quiet Zone
Period: 2 years ago
320 pages · Hardcover · Disney Hyperion
Content warnings: mental-illness