The following version of this novel was used in the creation of this study guide: Bow, Erin. Simon Sort of Says. Disney Hyperion. 2023. First Edition. Hardcover.

The novel starts as Simon and his parents, Martin and Isobel, move to the town of Grin and Bear It (GNB). He explains that they were driven out by an alpaca incident at the church where his father worked, but implies that there is something much worse he is not willing to share. His mother, a mortician, was given a position at a funeral home named Slaughter and Sons that is attached to a home the family will live in. Furthermore, the town is home to a group of astrophysicists working on the “Search for Extraterrestrial Intelligence” (SETI) project. This means that they have a collection of telescopes that are very sensitive to radio signals, so most modern technology is not allowed. For Simon, however, this isolation is perfect.

Eventually, Simon develops a close friendship with Agate and Kevin, two students at GNB upper. Agate, in particular, wants Simon to help her fake a signal from space so that the astrophysics will not abandon the project. Simon is torn on whether or not he wants to help, and worries that the signal would actually attract more news crews, as it would be interpreted as signs of alien life.

However, everything starts to fall apart when Kevin accidentally stumbles upon the truth of why Simon moved to GNB. Two years prior, a shooting took place at Simon’s old school, Eagle Crest. He was the only survivor of his class, and has had pictures of police cam footage from the moment they found him all over the internet. This is why Simon suffers from extreme anxiety and just wants to be left alone. Unfortunately, Kevin’s mother decides to tell everyone against Simon’s wishes, and he has a brutal panic attack during a tornado warning, which spreads the word further.

So, Simon and Agate recruit Kevin for their plan and set up a microwave that can be used to falsify a signal. Unfortunately, they are caught and chased by an angry neighbor, which triggers Simon’s PTSD, causing him to jump out of the treehouse with Agate. Both are injured and taken to the hospital, but the doctors promise they will heal with plenty of rest. As the media surrounds the hospital looking for a scope on Simon and their project, he decides to face them head on, finally ready to share his own story.