So B. It

Weeks, Sarah. So B. It. 2004. New York: HarperCollins Publishers.

Heidi is a 12 year old girl who knows nothing of her past. She only knows what her neighbor and dear friend can tell her of how her and her mother showed up at her apartment. One day Bernadette heard a whimpering outside of her door and when she opened it she discovered a woman holding a tiny, crying baby. Bernadette found out that Heidi's mother, who calls herself So B. It was mentally challenged or as they called it "has a bum brain". Bernadette took in the new family and helped take are of Heidi. Although Bernadette has agoraphobia, they managed to take care of themselves through lots of love and luck. Heidi was always curious of her beginnings, wondering about her family, where she came from, what her mother's name is, and especially curious about her mother's word "soof". Her mother would use this word frequently and it bothered Heidi that she could not figure out the meaning. One day Heidi found a camera and she went to get the pictures developed and those photos held a key to the past. She showed the pictures to her mother and she immediately said "soof". Heidi knew that she would have to travel to the place located in the pictures to learn about her mother and possibly her family. On the long journey to New York, Heidi met several people, who also helped her discover things about herself. Once she arrived in New York, she discovered the truth about her past, only to lose her mother in the end.

Readers will fall in love with Heidi and feel the urgency as they read through the pages to discover Heidi's past with her. Weeks does a fantastic job of creating characters that are strong, yet caring such as Bernadette, which not everyone could be as lucky to have someone like that in their life. As Heidi discovers her past as well as things about herself many people can relate to the life changing experience of when you really learn about who you are. This book will touch readers of all cultures no matter their age or gender.