Monday Book Review: So B. It by Sarah Weeks

I had the pleasure of meeting Sarah Weeks when she visited one of my previous schools for an author visit. One particular part of her talk really made an impression on me. She was discussing rejection when she reached into her bag and pulled out a rolled-up tube of laminated paper. She held it up and declared that she’d saved every rejection letter she received before having her first book published. She released the rolled-up tube, and the string of rejection letters ran the entire length of the over-sized science lab. Kids’ jaws dropped. What a great demonstration of how we need to persevere!

Title: So B. It

Author: Sarah Weeks

Age group: middle grade (ages 9-12)

Genre: Contemporary fiction

Synopsis: Twelve-year-old Heidi lives with her mentally disabled mother but is mostly cared for by their agoraphobic neighbor. Heidi knows little of her past or her family. Her mother speaks very few words, most of which Heidi can understand. However, her mother uses the word “soof,” which has Heidi completely puzzled. Her desire to know more about her mother’s past and the meaning of the mysterious word leads Heidi on a cross-country journey to discover who she really is.

Does it pass the “Home School Mom Test“? Yes. I even bought it for my niece who is home-schooled. It’s been a few years since I read the whole book, but I can’t think of anything that would offend anyone. Mostly, it’s a really sweet book, and I’ve found that girls in particular really enjoy it.