T.R. Simon
T.R. Simon has published 4 books across 2 series. The recommended reading order starts with Zora and Me (2010).
T.R. Simon is an American children's book author who writes historical fiction rooted in cultural heritage and the experiences of young people. Her debut, Zora and Me, won the Coretta Scott King John Steptoe New Talent Author Award and earned an Edgar Award nomination for Juvenile Fiction, a pairing that speaks to both literary depth and narrative drive.
Simon holds an M.A. in cultural anthropology, training that shapes the way she builds fictional worlds anchored in real cultural landscapes. She co-wrote Oskar and the Eight Blessings, which won the National Jewish Book Award for children's literature, further establishing her range across different historical and cultural settings.
Beyond her own writing, Simon teaches children's book publishing at the City University of New York Publishing Certificate Program, where she serves as an adjunct lecturer. That dual role as creator and educator gives her a working understanding of the industry from both sides. She lives in Westchester County, New York, with her husband and children.
Shelf & Shadows
Order of Picture Books
- DescriptionA city can be cold. It can swallow a child whole. But on one December day in 1938, New York offers something else entirely. Oskar arrives alone, a Jewish refugee fleeing Nazi Germany, clutching nothing but hope and the memory of his father's words about blessings. He has no English, no family waiting, no map. Just eight nights of Hanukkah stretching before him and a city that doesn't slow down for anyone. What follows is a journey through Manhattan's streets, where strangers become guides and small acts of kindness accumulate like snow. A woman shares her gloves. A man offers directions. Each encounter becomes a blessing, each gesture a light against the darkness Oskar has fled. This is a picture book that understands what it means to be lost and found simultaneously, to carry trauma while discovering grace. The eight blessings aren't grand miracles—they're the quiet humanity that survives even in the hardest times. It's a story about refuge, about the immigrant experience, about how a city of millions can still make room for one small boy. And it reminds us that sometimes the greatest gift we can offer is simply seeing someone who feels invisible.Publication dateSeptember 8, 2015Amazon rating4.8/5Print length40LanguageEnglishPublisherRoaring Brook Press
Order of Zora and Me Books
- TagsmysteryDescriptionThis book brings young Zora Neale Hurston to life in a way that feels both intimate and electric. It's historical fiction that pulses with the energy of childhood friendship and the weight of growing up Black in the Jim Crow South. Carrie and her best friend Zora are inseparable in their small Florida town, two girls with wild imaginations and an unshakeable bond. But when a mysterious stranger arrives and a tragedy rocks their community, their world shifts. What starts as adventure becomes something darker, more urgent. The girls must navigate a landscape where danger is real and the rules are written by people who don't see them as fully human. The voice here is pure and unflinching. You see Zora before she became the literary giant we know—brilliant, curious, fearless, already spinning stories that make sense of a world that often doesn't. The friendship at the center is tender and true, the kind that shapes who you become. And the stakes? They're life and death, wrapped in the everyday reality of a place where joy and terror live side by side. This is a story about finding your voice when the world wants you silent.Publication date2010
- Tagsfantasyepic-fantasyDescriptionThe Order of Zora series returns with a new installment that promises to test its heroes on terrain where the very earth itself has turned hostile. T.R. Simon builds a world where magic and danger are inseparable, and where stepping onto the wrong ground might be the last mistake you make. The cursed ground of the title isn't just a backdrop—it's a character in its own right, a landscape twisted by forces that refuse to stay buried. What caused this corruption? Who benefits from keeping these lands forbidden? The answers lie somewhere between ancient grudges and present-day ambition, and someone will have to risk everything to uncover them. Simon understands that the best fantasy doesn't just transport readers to another world—it makes them feel the weight of every choice, the cost of every step forward. The stakes here are personal and political, intimate and epic, all at once. Fans of the series will find familiar faces navigating unfamiliar horrors, while newcomers can jump in and discover why this world has earned its following. The Cursed Ground delivers exactly what its title promises: a story where the land itself is the enemy, and survival means confronting not just external threats but the shadows that heroes carry within themselves.Publication date2018
- Tagshistorical-fictionDescriptionIn early twentieth-century Florida, young Zora Neale Hurston and her best friend Carrie navigate a world where folklore and reality intertwine in ways both wondrous and dangerous. When strange occurrences begin to unsettle their small town—whispers of conjure, unexplained disappearances, and a mysterious figure known only as the Summoner—the two girls find themselves drawn into a mystery that will test not only their courage but their understanding of the stories that shape their community. Zora's fierce curiosity and gift for storytelling become more than just childhood pastimes; they become tools for survival and truth-seeking in a place where the old ways still hold power. This continuation of Zora's fictionalized childhood adventures deepens the rich tapestry of Black Southern life, blending the warmth of friendship with the shadows of folk magic and the very real dangers faced by Black communities in the Jim Crow South. Simon captures the voice of a young girl who would grow up to become one of America's most important writers and anthropologists, showing us the roots of her fascination with the stories people tell and the truths they contain. It's a book that honors both the magic of childhood imagination and the harder magic required to come of age in a world that doesn't always protect you.Publication date2020
Frequently Asked Questions about T.R. Simon
T.R. Simon writes two distinct series. The Order of Picture Books contains Oskar and the Eight Blessings, published in 2015. The Order of Zora and Me Books features Zora and Me, published in 2010; The Cursed Ground, published in 2018; and Zora and Me: The Summoner, published in 2020. There are no other series or standalone novels listed.
A good starting point for T.R. Simon's books is with the first book in the Zora and Me series, which is Zora and Me, published in 2010. This novel introduces the characters and world of the series. Alternatively, Oskar and the Eight Blessings, published in 2015, is a standalone picture book.
The books within the Order of Zora and Me series should be read in order to fully follow the narrative and character development. The series consists of Zora and Me (2010), followed by The Cursed Ground (2018), and concluding with Zora and Me: The Summoner (2020). The picture book Oskar and the Eight Blessings (2015) is separate and not part of this series.
T.R. Simon writes books that are part of series. The Order of Zora and Me Books is a series with three titles. There is also a separate picture book, Oskar and the Eight Blessings, which is listed under the Order of Picture Books, suggesting it may be a standalone or the start of a different, smaller collection.
T.R. Simon has written a total of four books across two distinct series or collections. This includes one book in the Order of Picture Books: Oskar and the Eight Blessings (2015). The Order of Zora and Me Books comprises three titles: Zora and Me (2010), The Cursed Ground (2018), and Zora and Me: The Summoner (2020).
The first book written by T.R. Simon is Zora and Me, published in 2010. This novel is the inaugural title in the Order of Zora and Me Books series. Prior to this, T.R. Simon also co-authored Oskar and the Eight Blessings in 2015, which is part of the Order of Picture Books.
The most recent book by T.R. Simon is Zora and Me: The Summoner, published in 2020. This is the third installment in the Order of Zora and Me Books series. The other book listed by T.R. Simon is Oskar and the Eight Blessings, which was published in 2015.
T.R. Simon writes books that fall into the category of children's literature, specifically middle grade fiction with the Zora and Me series. The books often explore themes relevant to young readers. Oskar and the Eight Blessings is a picture book, indicating a range within children's book formats.
R.J. Palacio
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We verified the reading order for T.R. Simon's books by cross-referencing official publication dates, ISBN databases, and publisher catalogs.
Last verified: April 2026
Shelf & Shadows. (…). “T.R. Simon Books in Order.” Retrieved …, from https://www.shelfandshadows.com/authors/t-r-simon