ALA Booklist (Tue Feb 28 00:00:00 CST 2023)

Thompson's follow-up to The Best Liars in Riverview (2022) is just as heartfelt as we follow Simon, a young boy who nobody yet knows is a boy, and how he deals with big changes, big secrets, and the both real and imagined ghosts that haunt us. While their parents have a "reset," the Bradley siblings Simon often has to correct people in his mind when they say "the Bradley sisters" e off to spend the week with their grandmother. As much as he loves spending time with her, Simon can't help feeling that everything about this visit is off. His older sister no longer has time for him, his beloved grandmother's mind is slipping, and he's a he, but nobody knows it yet. And, of course, there's the ghost. Readers exploring their own gender identities will find a friend in Simon, who knows who he is but is adamant that it's nobody else's business and that if/when you come out, it is something you choose, not something you owe anyone. Highly recommended for fans of Kyle Lukoff.

Kirkus Reviews

Three siblings unravel family mysteries.Simon is not the name that everyone calls the middle Bradley sibling, but it's the name he picked for himself. Ever since he realized he was trans or maybe nonbinary or something else, he's been mentally fixing the name and pronouns others use for him. Simon, big sister Talia, and little sister Rose are staying with their maternal grandmother, Nanaleen, for a week in a creepy old family home bordering the Appalachians while their parents figure out how to repair their marriage. Simon becomes convinced the house is haunted and wonders if it's related to the decades-old disappearance of his Great-Aunt Brie, a butch growing up in unforgiving times. Likely to appeal to fans of Tae Keller's When You Trap a Tiger and Kyle Lukoff's Too Bright To See, this story is at times unsettlingly creepy, at other moments heartwarming. Talia's suddenly shifty behavior and Nanaleen's apparent memory loss add to the challenging family dynamics. The solid haunted-house buildup shifts gears in the denouement of the final climactic scene. Many moments are overly direct, with characters (mostly cued as White) explaining to Simon, and by proxy the reader, important lessons in emotional development. Still, this is an interesting examination of how to deal with some difficult elements of growth and change.Gentle, calm, and reassuring. (Fiction. 9-13)

Publishers Weekly (Fri Oct 06 00:00:00 CDT 2023)

While their parents take “time to talk,” trans sixth grader Simon Bradley and sisters Rose, eight, and Thalia, 13, stay with their maternal grandmother, Nanaleen, in Misty Valley, Ky. Simon is a “secret name” that feels new and tender, like “a baby bird that’s not ready to fly out of the nest yet,” but Simon’s been mentally employing it when people address him otherwise. Nanaleen’s house is different than Simon remembers: the town is quiet in the off-season, Simon keeps seeing a ghostly figure in the family home, and Nanaleen exhibits significant memory lapses during the siblings’ stay. Unsettled by these occurrences and changing dynamics, and wondering if the ghost is to blame, Simon investigates the family’s history, looking into a great-aunt who mysteriously left home as a teen. Though the novel’s ending is hastily resolved, Thompson (The Best Liars in Riverview) punctuates a gentle story of bonding with genuinely scary moments and lovely descriptions of gender euphoria (“This warm feeling would start in my chest, like I was carrying around a little glowing light”). Reminiscent of Kyle Lukoff’s Too Bright to See, it’s an intriguing, warmhearted exploration of beauty and change. Simon’s family reads as white. Ages 8–12. Agent: Beth Phelan, Gallt & Zacker Literary. (Feb.)

School Library Journal (Sat Apr 01 00:00:00 CDT 2023)

Gr 4–7 —A light mystery for middle grade readers. Simon's parents need a "reset" and decide to take him and his siblings to Nanaleen's house for fall break. Everything feels off to Simon. It's colder, since they usually visit in the summer; the house smells funny; and the water stain on the ceiling seems to keep growing. After an incident in which Simon feels he was pushed down the stairs, he starts to believe a ghost is to blame for all the odd changes around Nanaleen's house. On top of dealing with ghosts and worrying about his parents, Simon is also struggling with his identity. Simon is only his "secret name," and he's getting tired of correcting his name in his head, but he also doesn't want to be another thing his family must worry about. Digging into family history proves to be a good distraction from everything, but will Simon have to face his troubles in the end? Thompson's sophomore novel is a blend of mystery, light horror, and a coming-of-age tale. There are creepy moments in Simon's hunt for ghosts, but most of the story revolves around Simon's feelings about his parents, his sister leaving him for a friend, and struggling with who he knows he is. The story moves slowly, which may deter some readers, but wraps up in a satisfying way. Race of characters is not mentioned. VERDICT Recommended for purchase where there is high demand for stories focused on identity for younger readers.—Lisa Buffi