We See the Stars tells the story of 11-year old Simon, who lives in rural Victoria in the mid-seventies. He relies on his imagination and love of numbers to make sense of the world (he especially likes it when they all line up in a row on the back of books, so they can whisper their stories to each other). Living with his father, younger brother and grandma, he prefers silence and keeping to himself. His mum lies in bed all day in the front bedroom...Simon will speak to her, but her alone, and none of the others even acknowledge she is there.
All the other kids in town know Simon and think he's pretty weird. Until he meets Cassie, another outcast, his only friends in the world are his brother and Superman. One of his teachers, Mrs Hilcombe, cuts through, however, and tries to draw Simon out. She worries for him, and under her care he starts speaking again. Then she disappears and Simon believes he is the only one who can find her...