So B. It

BIBLIOGRAPHY:

Weeks, Sarah. 2004. So B. It. New York: Laura Geringer Books.

PLOT SUMMARY:

Heidi is twelve and lives with her mentally disabled mother and has an agoraphobic neighbor who looks after her. Heidi knows nothing about her past and as she grows older she begins to question how her and her mother ended up in Reno with all of their bills mysteriously paid every month. When some old photos surface they provide clues to Heidi’s past and she sets off on a cross country trip to find out about her mother and her own past. The journey changes her life and the information she gathers about her family is astounding.

CRITICAL ANALYSIS:

So B. It by Sarah Weeks is a heart wrenching tale of a young girl whose world consists of living with a mentally disabled mother and a neighbor who cannot leave her house. Because of her circumstances, Heidi has to take on many adult responsibilities that she is not even aware of. She has few friends because no one is able to register her for public school. Despite her lonely life she is educated and curious about her own background. There is nothing to offer her any clues to answer the multitude of questions she has about herself, her mother, or how the two of them ended up living in Reno, Nevada. When Heidi discovers an old camera and develops the pictures she finds clues that point to a hospital in New York.
Heidi journeys to New York, all alone to get answers to the many questions she has about her life. While a bus trip across the country may seem exciting to a young person, it is extremely frightening for adults to allow this to occur. Sarah Weeks does an excellent job of portraying the details of a young girl traveling alone across country. There are many anxious moments but Heidi manages to meet these moments with maturity many older people do not possess. As Heidi discovers the answers to her questions, she realizes that her life has changed forever. She must then struggle with the answers that she found and make choices for herself most people never have to make in an entire lifetime. The author is able to write eloquently about a tough subject. Many young readers will be able to identify with Heidi and her situation or at least with certain aspects of her life. Even readers whose life is not represented by Heidi’s her struggle with finding the answers will resonate with them.

AWARDS AND REVIEWS:

Notable Children’s Book in the Language Arts (NCTE)
ALA Booklist Editor’s Choice
IRA/CBC Young Adults’ Choice
ALA Best Book for Young Adults
Texas Bluebonnet Award Nominee
"A quick and satisfying tale of love, determination, and the kindness of strangers." -- Bulletin of the Center for Children’s Books
"A remarkable novel. [Heidi’s] cross-country journey is brave and daring and yields surprising results." -- New York Times Book Review
"Readers will pull for and empathize with the likable characters." -- School Library Journal
"Refreshing, offbeat characters. As the riddle of Heidi’s life slowly unfolds, readers will be genuinely touched and surprised." -- Voice of Youth Advocates (VOYA) (starred review)