So B. It - by Sarah Weeks

About the Book

From the bestselling author of "Regular Guy" comes a novel about a young girl living in Reno with her mentally disabled mother who, haunted by a mysterious word in her mother's 23-word vocabulary, embarks on a cross-country journey.

Book Synopsis

Now a major motion picture starring Alfre Woodard, Jessica Collins, John Heard, Jacinda Barrett, Cloris Leachman, and Talitha Bateman--in theaters October 2017!

From acclaimed author Sarah Weeks comes a touching coming-of-age story about a young girl who goes on a cross-country journey to discover the truth about her parents, which the New York Times called "a remarkable novel." Perfect for fans of Rebecca Stead's When You Reach Me and Ali Benjamin's The Thing About Jellyfish.

She doesn't know when her birthday is or who her father is. In fact, everything about Heidi and her mentally disabled mother's past is a mystery. When a strange word in her mother's vocabulary begins to haunt her, Heidi sets out on a cross-country journey in search of the secrets of her past.

Far away from home, pieces of her puzzling history come together. But it isn't until she learns to accept not knowing that Heidi truly arrives.

From the Back Cover

You couldn′t really tell about Mama′s brain just from looking at her, but it was obvious as soon as she spoke. She had a high voice, like a little girl′s, and she only knew twenty-three words. I know this for a fact, because we kept a list of the things Mama said tacked to the inside of the kitchen cabinet. Most of the words were common ones, like good and more and hot, but there was one word only my mother said, soof.

Although she lives an unconventional lifestyle with her mentally disabled mother and their doting neighbor, Bernadette, Heidi has a lucky streak that has a way of pointing her in the right direction. When a mysterious word in her mother′s vocabulary begins to haunt her, Heidi′s thirst for the truth leads her on a cross-country journey in search of the secrets of her past.

A dramatic tour de force by the best-selling author of Regular Guy.

Review Quotes

"A remarkable novel. [Heidi's] cross-country journey is brave and daring and yields surprising results." -- New York Times Book Review

"Weeks has a distinctive voice that's all her own. Her fully dimensional characters are remarkable yet believable [and] the foreshadowing builds to a beautifully satisfying ending. This is lovely writing--real, touching, and pared cleanly down to the essentials." -- ALA Booklist (starred review)

"Refreshing, offbeat characters. As the riddle of Heidi's life slowly unfolds, readers will be genuinely touched and surprised." -- VOYA (starred review)

"The heart of the search for home and history is one that readers will find compelling." -- Kirkus Reviews

"Readers will pull for and empathize with the likable characters." -- School Library Journal

"A quick and satisfying tale of love, determination, and the kindness of strangers." -- Bulletin of the Center for Children's Books

"The novel has enough suspence to draw in mystery fans, while Weeks portrays Heidi's emotional and physical odyssey with admirable economy and restraint." -- Horn Book Magazine (Starred Review)