by Erin Bow
Simon O'Keefe and his family have just moved to Grin and Bear It, Nebraska, which is a National Quiet Zone in America. There is no Internet, no WiFi, no cell phones, and no microwaves. The town is the location of a giant satellite dish that is studying sounds an phenomena from space.
Where most people might struggle with this type of drastic change in lifestyle, Simon finally feels like he will be OK. Simon has spent the last two years dealing with the looks, the stares, the pity, and more from everyone who sees him.
Simon was the only survivor from his 5th grade class after a mass shooting. Even though the school and the people in it did everything right to keep themselves safe, Simon's class was the one the shooter found and Simon was found later buried under the bodies of his classmates.
So getting away from all that infamy is exactly what Simon needs.
Finding friends and learning how to be a kid again may now be possible. Or maybe not. His new friends have their own quirks and plans that might bring him attention all over again.
Final thoughts: I hate that this book had to be written at all, but it seems to do a decent job dealing the aftermath for a survivor of something so horrible. No one can ever really know what it's like for these survivors, but this does help develop a little empathy and understanding.
Rating: 3.5/5
