I'm reviewing this on maybe my third reading of this book? My only "official GR" read is this, the most recent one. But, this book is one of those that is so good that I have the ebook and still bought the hardback for my book shelf. That, to me, is the ultimate decision on whether or not a book is brilliant:

Is it shelf-worthy?

Simon is 100% shelf-worthy. This book is such a great representation, not only of being LGTBQ in high school, but just being in high school. I'll admit it's been years since I've walked the halls of high school, and times are definitely not the same as then. But the messages in this book ring true for most of us who maybe struggled finding where we belong.

What I love about Simon is that he didn't struggle as much with being gay as he did with how being gay would change everything around him. He knew who he was, and he had accepted it. He was certain his family would support him. (Side Note: Simon's family is awesome. I take it as quite a compliment that my own kiddo told me that they saw a lot of me in Simon's mom). Even knowing that his family would always love him, he still had this feeling of not wanting things to change. He was comfortable with who he always was. He worried that coming out would change the way others saw him. And, of course there was this little voice in his head thinking "What if I'm wrong? What if they can't accept me?" It's that voice inside of him that I think resonates with pretty much everyone. And it rings true for so many aspects of being a teenager. That is why I think this book is so special.

I don't want to downplay the LGTBQ aspect of this story. And I think books that showcase the struggles of teens (and even adults) coming out or even just accepting themselves are super important. We need that content. We also need this content. A book that shows us acceptance, but that sometimes that acceptance is still a scary thing.

The "voice" of Simon is refreshingly honest, vulnerable and smart. And I enjoyed every minute of the story he told.