Simon and his parents have just moved to Grin and Bear It Nebraska, near the large radio telescope. The town is a national radio quiet zone but Simon is glad none of his class mates have internet. If they did and if they googled his name, Simon's biggest secret would be out and people would start acting all weird around him. Simon makes friends with a girl named Agate who wants to fool the scientists at the radio telescope into thinking they are receiving a message from outer space. Simon goes along with her just because it is so nice to have a friends who doesn't know his secret. Simon is still dealing with trauma but Agate seems to understand that some things act as triggers for him and tries to support him when he has a panic attack. How far is Simon willing to go to keep his secret and make Agate happy, and what will it cost him?
This was one of the Newbery Honor books this year, and the award was well earned. The books is a hearty mix of both humor and tenderness. Bow does a great job of portraying two vulnerable kids who are trying to get through life, and find it is better to do it together. She also writes some really funny scenes that break up the heaviness of the topic of dealing with trauma. I also liked that fact that both Agate and Simon has two supportive parents. That is so rare in middle grade fiction. She also shows how Simon's near death experience traumatized his parents as well as him. I will be recommending this to kids who like stories like Wonder and Fish in a Tree. (2023, 320 p)
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