Booktalks Quick and Simple

	Albertalli, Becky. SIMON VS. THE HOMO SAPIENS AGENDA New York : Balzer +Bray, 2015 IL YA ISBN 0062348671 (6 booktalks)
Click on the book to read Amazon reviews	Booktalk #1 When high school junior Simon Spier accidentally forgets to log off his email account at school, his classmate Martin Addison discovers a secret. Taking full advantage of the situation, Martin decides to blackmail Simon. Now Simon finds himself in a complicated situation where he must help Martin or risk having his sexual identity become public knowledge, something for which Simon is not quite ready. You will fall in love with the funny and vulnerable Simon as he navigates friendships, family, and his growing online romance with the mysterious Blue. Grab some Oreos and read this charming, hilarious, and thought provoking book! (Pennsylvania Young Reader's Choice Award Program, 2017) Booktalk #2 High school junior Simon knows he likes guys but he’s not quite ready to come out of the closet. Through Tumblr, he comes across another closeted classmate, “Blue,” and they strike up an email correspondence. Simon accidentally leaves his email open one day at school and his classmate Martin reads Simon’s emails with Blue. Since Martin has a crush on Simon’s friend Abby, he blackmails Simon into being his wingman to help get a date with her. As he deals with the annoying Martin, Simon is intent on finding out Blue’s identity while also coming to terms with his own. With well-developed, relatable characters this debut novel is a funny, touching story about coming out and coming-of-age. (Oklahoma Sequoyah Award, 2017) Booktalk #3 Simon is a sixteen-year-old boy who is gay, but not quite ready to tell the whole world. When an email falls into the wrong hands he worries his secret may not remain a secret for long. Now Simon has to find a way to step out of his comfort zone and tell the truth before he alienates himself from friends or loses his shot with his mysterious crush. (Connecticut Nutmeg Book Award nominee, 2018) Booktalk #4 Sixteen-year-old and not-soopenly gay Simon Spier prefers to save his drama for the school musical. But when an email falls into the wrong hands, his secret is at risk of being thrust into the spotlight. Now change-averse Simon has to find a way to step out of his comfort zone before he's pushed out— without alienating his friends, compromising himself, or fumbling a shot at happiness with the most confusing, adorable guy he's never met. Incredibly funny and poignant, this twenty-firstcentury coming-of-age, coming out story— wrapped in a geek romance—is a knockout of a debut novel by Becky Albertalli. (New Hampshire Flume Teen Award, 2018) Booktalk #5 “Don’t you think everyone should have to come out? Why is straight the default?” questions Simon Spier of his anonymous crush “Blue” in one of their secret emails. Simon and Blue begin their anonymous correspondence after Blue’s intriguing post on the school’s unofficial Tumblr and, as their flirtation heats up and Simon tries to figure out who his mysterious romantic classmate is, Blue continues to be hesitant to reveal himself. Simon isn’t exactly nervous about coming out to his family and friends, but he’s not ready for the possible changes in the relationships he has. However, when Simon forgets to logout of his account on a school computer, and a problematic classmate, Martin, takes a screenshot of Simon’s correspondence, Simon must decide what is truly important to him. Martin threatens to expose Simon if he doesn’t get him into the good graces of the new girl, Abby, but (of course) Abby isn’t into Martin at all. What should Simon do? Will Martin follow through on his threat? Will Blue turn out to be as wonderful as he sounds in his emails? (Elizabeth Metcalf, NBCT, Teacher-Librarian Redmond Middle School, Redmond, WA , Evergreen Teen Book Award 2017-18) Booktalk #6 Simon is a sixteen-year-old high school junior who isn’t quite ready to come out as gay to his friends and family. He’s been anonymously emailing a fellow gay student with the pen name Blue, and they are beginning to develop romantic feelings for one another. When class clown Martin discovers Simon’s emails, he threatens to expose Simon and Blue’s secret. Simon has to deal with Martin’s demands while learning how to navigate the changing dynamics of his friendships, his budding relationship with Blue, and his complicated feelings about coming out. (Eliot Rosewater Indiana High School Book Award, Rosie Award, 2018)
	SUBJECTS: Extortion -- Fiction. Friendship -- Fiction. Gays -- Fiction. High schools -- Fiction. Pen pals -- Fiction. Schools -- Fiction. Secrets -- Fiction.

Albertalli, Becky.
SIMON VS. THE HOMO SAPIENS AGENDA
New York : Balzer +Bray, 2015
IL YA
ISBN 0062348671

(6 booktalks)

Click on the book to read Amazon reviews

Booktalk #1

When high school junior Simon Spier accidentally forgets to log off his email account at school, his classmate Martin Addison discovers a secret. Taking full advantage of the situation, Martin decides to blackmail Simon. Now Simon finds himself in a complicated situation where he must help Martin or risk having his sexual identity become public knowledge, something for which Simon is not quite ready. You will fall in love with the funny and vulnerable Simon as he navigates friendships, family, and his growing online romance with the mysterious Blue. Grab some Oreos and read this charming, hilarious, and thought provoking book! (Pennsylvania Young Reader's Choice Award Program, 2017)

Booktalk #2

High school junior Simon knows he likes guys but he’s not quite ready to come out of the closet. Through Tumblr, he comes across another closeted classmate, “Blue,” and they strike up an email correspondence. Simon accidentally leaves his email open one day at school and his classmate Martin reads Simon’s emails with Blue. Since Martin has a crush on Simon’s friend Abby, he blackmails Simon into being his wingman to help get a date with her. As he deals with the annoying Martin, Simon is intent on finding out Blue’s identity while also coming to terms with his own. With well-developed, relatable characters this debut novel is a funny, touching story about coming out and coming-of-age. (Oklahoma Sequoyah Award, 2017)

Booktalk #3

Simon is a sixteen-year-old boy who is gay, but not quite ready to tell the whole world. When an email falls into the wrong hands he worries his secret may not remain a secret for long. Now Simon has to find a way to step out of his comfort zone and tell the truth before he alienates himself from friends or loses his shot with his mysterious crush. (Connecticut Nutmeg Book Award nominee, 2018)

Booktalk #4

Sixteen-year-old and not-soopenly gay Simon Spier prefers to save his drama for the school musical. But when an email falls into the wrong hands, his secret is at risk of being thrust into the spotlight. Now change-averse Simon has to find a way to step out of his comfort zone before he's pushed out— without alienating his friends, compromising himself, or fumbling a shot at happiness with the most confusing, adorable guy he's never met. Incredibly funny and poignant, this twenty-firstcentury coming-of-age, coming out story— wrapped in a geek romance—is a knockout of a debut novel by Becky Albertalli. (New Hampshire Flume Teen Award, 2018)

Booktalk #5

“Don’t you think everyone should have to come out? Why is straight the default?” questions Simon Spier of his anonymous crush “Blue” in one of their secret emails. Simon and Blue begin their anonymous correspondence after Blue’s intriguing post on the school’s unofficial Tumblr and, as their flirtation heats up and Simon tries to figure out who his mysterious romantic classmate is, Blue continues to be hesitant to reveal himself. Simon isn’t exactly nervous about coming out to his family and friends, but he’s not ready for the possible changes in the relationships he has. However, when Simon forgets to logout of his account on a school computer, and a problematic classmate, Martin, takes a screenshot of Simon’s correspondence, Simon must decide what is truly important to him. Martin threatens to expose Simon if he doesn’t get him into the good graces of the new girl, Abby, but (of course) Abby isn’t into Martin at all. What should Simon do? Will Martin follow through on his threat? Will Blue turn out to be as wonderful as he sounds in his emails? (Elizabeth Metcalf, NBCT, Teacher-Librarian Redmond Middle School, Redmond, WA , Evergreen Teen Book Award 2017-18)

Booktalk #6

Simon is a sixteen-year-old high school junior who isn’t quite ready to come out as gay to his friends and family. He’s been anonymously emailing a fellow gay student with the pen name Blue, and they are beginning to develop romantic feelings for one another. When class clown Martin discovers Simon’s emails, he threatens to expose Simon and Blue’s secret. Simon has to deal with Martin’s demands while learning how to navigate the changing dynamics of his friendships, his budding relationship with Blue, and his complicated feelings about coming out. (Eliot Rosewater Indiana High School Book Award, Rosie Award, 2018)

SUBJECTS:     Extortion -- Fiction.
                        Friendship -- Fiction.
                        Gays -- Fiction.
                        High schools -- Fiction.
                        Pen pals -- Fiction.
                        Schools -- Fiction.
                        Secrets -- Fiction.