So B. It by Sarah Weeks
Who would like this book? Readers grades 5 and up looking for a moving story narrated by a 12-year-old girl who knows nothing about her family and is determined to uncover the mysteries. If you like books by Sharon Creech, you’ll probably like So B. It.
Why? Heidi, 12 or 13 years old, lives in a very small world that revolves around her learning-disabled mom, and their neighbor Bernadette, who has agoraphobia. Bernie has cared for Heidi and her mom since the two showed up on her doorstep on a rainy afternoon in Reno when Heidi was a newborn, and it was obvious that her mom could not care for her. The mystery of where they came from and why no one has come to look for them nags at Heidi as she grows up even though she loves her mom and Bernie greatly. Her mom has a vocabulary of 23 words (each used as a chapter title), and Heidi is determined to find out the meaning of one of her words, “Soof.” When the photos from an old camera show someone who looks like her mom as a girl with a woman that might be her grandmother, Heidi finds a way to follow the clues. With magical luck and innocence working for her, Heidi sets out on a bus trip across the country. This book works on all levels: Heidi’s narrative voice is warm and fun to read, the characters and their dialogue are believable and engaging, and the events drive toward a conclusion that is satisfying in every way. It’s great that this book is a 2009-2010 Battle of the Books selection.
The details: 245 p. 2004 Review by Samrarian
A Battle of the Books selection for 2009-2010