A beautifully written book about healing from trauma and the friends that you meet along the way. Simon is dealing with the aftermath of a school shooting in which he was the only survivor. Trying to get away from all the media attention, him and his parents move to Grin and Bear It, Nebraska--a National Quiet Zone where the internet is banned. Here, Simon is determined to not let anyone know about his past.

The tone of the book fits perfectly for a middle grade audience, despite the slightly darker undertone of trauma. Simon and his friends get up to some ridiculous hijinks (some of them include emus), and I think it works so well for the target audience.

All of the characters are also fully developed, including Simon's parents. Their interactions are just lovely, and it's clear that Simon's parents care a lot for him. 

I can definitely see why this was one of the longlist books for the National Book Award!