# Simon Sort of Says

**Author:** Erin Bow
**Grade range:** Grades 6–8
**Age range:** 11–14
**First published:** 2023
**Page count:** 365
**Genre:** Middle Grade Fiction
**ISBN-13:** `9781368082853`
**ISBN-10:** `1368082858`
**Canonical URL:** https://readinglist.school/book/simon-sort-of-says
**License:** [CC BY 4.0](https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/) — please credit ReadingList.school when citing.

## About this book

Two years after surviving school gun violence, Simon O'Keeffe moves with his family to the National Quiet Zone — the one place in America where the internet is banned — and gets a chance to spin a brand-new story for the world to tell about him. Erin Bow's grades 6-8 novel was a 2024 Newbery Honor book and a 2025-2026 Sunshine State Young Readers Award (Florida) nominee.

## Themes

- friendship
- humor
- courage

## Where this book is assigned

### Garden State Children's Book Award

- **recommended** · 6th grade · New Jersey — [source: New Jersey Library Association — Garden State Children's Book Award selections (statewide children's-choice program; students vote, since 1977)](https://njla.org/garden-state-childrens-book-award)
- **recommended** · 7th grade · New Jersey — [source: New Jersey Library Association — Garden State Children's Book Award selections (statewide children's-choice program; students vote, since 1977)](https://njla.org/garden-state-childrens-book-award)
- **recommended** · 8th grade · New Jersey — [source: New Jersey Library Association — Garden State Children's Book Award selections (statewide children's-choice program; students vote, since 1977)](https://njla.org/garden-state-childrens-book-award)

### Great Lakes Great Books Award

- **recommended** · 6th grade · Michigan — [source: Michigan Reading Association — Great Lakes Great Books Award (student-choice, grade-band shortlists; annual, since 1989). Winner/honor/nominee rolls Grades 4-5, 6-8, 9-12.](https://michiganreading.org/Great-Lakes-Great-Books)
- **recommended** · 7th grade · Michigan — [source: Michigan Reading Association — Great Lakes Great Books Award (student-choice, grade-band shortlists; annual, since 1989). Winner/honor/nominee rolls Grades 4-5, 6-8, 9-12.](https://michiganreading.org/Great-Lakes-Great-Books)
- **recommended** · 8th grade · Michigan — [source: Michigan Reading Association — Great Lakes Great Books Award (student-choice, grade-band shortlists; annual, since 1989). Winner/honor/nominee rolls Grades 4-5, 6-8, 9-12.](https://michiganreading.org/Great-Lakes-Great-Books)

### Great Stone Face Book Award

- **recommended** · 6th grade · New Hampshire — [source: Children's Librarians of New Hampshire / NH Library Association — Great Stone Face Book Award (student-choice, grades 4-6; 20 nominees/year, annual since 1980). Winner + nominee rolls via the LibraryThing award/757 mirror of the official sponsor records.](https://www.librarything.com/award/757/Great-Stone-Face-Book-Award)
- **recommended** · 7th grade · New Hampshire — [source: Children's Librarians of New Hampshire / NH Library Association — Great Stone Face Book Award (student-choice, grades 4-6; 20 nominees/year, annual since 1980). Winner + nominee rolls via the LibraryThing award/757 mirror of the official sponsor records.](https://www.librarything.com/award/757/Great-Stone-Face-Book-Award)
- **recommended** · 8th grade · New Hampshire — [source: Children's Librarians of New Hampshire / NH Library Association — Great Stone Face Book Award (student-choice, grades 4-6; 20 nominees/year, annual since 1980). Winner + nominee rolls via the LibraryThing award/757 mirror of the official sponsor records.](https://www.librarything.com/award/757/Great-Stone-Face-Book-Award)

### Sunshine State Young Readers Award

- **recommended** · 6th grade · Florida — [source: Sunshine State Young Readers Award 2025-2026 Master List (Grades 6-8)](https://www.floridamediaed.org/ssyra-6-8.html)
- **recommended** · 7th grade · Florida — [source: Sunshine State Young Readers Award 2025-2026 Master List (Grades 6-8)](https://www.floridamediaed.org/ssyra-6-8.html)
- **recommended** · 8th grade · Florida — [source: Sunshine State Young Readers Award 2025-2026 Master List (Grades 6-8)](https://www.floridamediaed.org/ssyra-6-8.html)

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