Recently, I’ve read a 245 page book called So B. It by Sarah Weeks, who enjoyed writing  Heidi, the main character’s, story. Sarah created Heidi to be a serious girl with lots of questions. Sarah feels that her and Heidi have lots of similarities, which makes it fun to be able to relate to the character. I read this book because I enjoy reading about kids with interesting lives, like Heidi. Her mom is mentally disabled. She doesn’t know if she has a dad. Honestly, she doesn’t know a lot of things. Not even her birthday.          

The story, So B. It, is about Heidi and her determination to answer many questions about her mom. You might be thinking, why doesn’t Heidi do something as simple as just asking her? Her mom can’t tell her anything. As I stated before, her mom is mentally disabled. How is Heidi alive if her mom can’t mentally function, let alone raise a child? There’s one question Heidi can answer about her life. One day, she and her mom showed up at Bernadette, the neighbor’s, house clueless and with no money at all. Bernadette took them in and tried to provide them with the most help she could give. Little did Bernadette know she would end up loving them and caring for them. Since that day, she has done everything for Heidi and her mom. As Heidi grows older, she asks more questions and starts to get frustrated. How will she know why her mom constantly says the word “soof”? Will she ever even know her mom’s real name? Heidi needs answers. She sets off on a scary and emotional journey. Will the truth hurt?

I like the way the author decided to end the story. Although it wasn’t the happiest ending, it was unexpected. Books that end perfectly for the character aren’t realistic. Endings like this one, make you think and feel for the character. Maybe even get emotional for them.

The main character was determined. Through the worst and hardest time of her life, she somehow managed to keep going. So many obstacles were thrown Heidi’s way, but nothing was going to stop her from reaching the Hilltop Home, where she would find answers. Not even Bernadette could stop Heidi, who didn’t like the idea at first. Heidi, a 12 year old girl, traveling for days. Alone. It made Bernadette sick at the thought. Heidi did get her way, but it wasn’t so easy. She put up a fight. She was determined.

I was surprised when Heidi found out who her father was. He was also mentally challenged, but Heidi isn’t like her parents at all; she’s normal. Also, I would did not expect Heidi’s father to be alive. She didn’t come to Hilltop Home to meet her father. She was looking for other answers, but to her surprise, and mine, Heidi found him.

The passage I chose from the book was important because it was the first time Bernadette and Heidi disagreed on something. They were fighting about Heidi leaving for Liberty, which is where Hilltop Home is.

““You may not go to Liberty and that is final, Heidi,” Bernie said one last time. “You’re not my mother,” I shouted. “You can’t tell me what to do. You’re not even family. You’re nobody. Nobody!””

I chose this passage because it was a low in Bernadette and Heidi’s relationship. It showed how hard it was for Heidi to get Bernadette to let her go to Liberty. It also brought out a mean side of Heidi that I haven’t seen before. I rate this book a 8/10. I thought the author did a good job of keeping me interested and thinking. It wasn’t one of my favorites but was an overall good book.

 

Rachel Horowitz