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.
Sarah Weeks has written more than fifty books for young readers. Some of her picture books include Mrs. McNosh Hangs Up Her Wash, Sophie Peterman Tells the Truth!, and Glamourpuss. Her bestselling novel, So B. It, is a feature-length film starring Alfre Woodard and Talitha Bateman. Ms. Weeks visits thousands of students in elementary and middle schools across the country every year. She is also an adjunct professor in the prestigious MFA Writing for Children and Young Adults program at the New School. Sarah lives in Nyack, New York, with her husband, Jim Fyfe, and their dog, Mia. You can visit her online at sarahweeks.com.
Read an Excerpt
So B. It
Heidi
If truth was a crayon and it was up to me to put a wrapper around it and name its color, I know just what I would call it—dinosaur skin. I used to think, without really thinking about it, that I knew what color that was. But that was a long time ago, before I knew what I know now about both dinosaur skin and the truth.
The fact is, you can't tell squat about the color of an animal just from looking at its bones, so nobody knows for sure what color dinosaurs really were. For years I looked at pictures of them, trusting that whoever was in charge of coloring them in was doing it based on scientific fact, but the truth is they were only guessing. I realized that one afternoon, sitting in the front seat of Sheriff Roy Franklin's squad car, the fall before I turned thirteen.
Another thing I found out right around that same time is that not knowing something doesn't mean you're stupid. All it means is that there's still room left to wonder. For instance about dinosaurs—were they the same color as the sky the morning I set off for Liberty? Or were they maybe the same shade of brown as the dust my shoes kicked up on the driveway at Hilltop Home?
I'd be lying if I said that given a choice, I wouldn't rather know than not know. But there are some things you can just know for no good reason other than that you do, and then there are other things that no matter how badly you want to know them, you just can't. The truth is, whether you know something or not doesn't change what was. If dinosaurs were blue, they were blue; if they were brown, they were brown whether anybody ever knows it for a fact or not.
When she is an infant, Heidi and her mentally disabled mother arrive rain drenched at the doorstep of Bernadette, who suffers from agoraphobia. Throughout Heidi's childhood, Bernadette takes good care of Heidi and her mother, but eventually Heidi begins to question her past and the mysterious word her mother constantly repeats: "Soof." Each time Heidi asks Bernadette where she and Mama came from, Bernadette simply answers that the day they walked into her life was the best thing that ever happened to her. When Heidi finds an old camera and develops the film, she sees glimpses of her family's past in the pictures. Twelve-year-old Heidi then sets out on a cross-country bus trip to find answers to her many questions. What she discovers will not only change the way she lives, but forever change how she views life.
Discussion Questions
The Title, So B. It, could have several meanings. What do you think the title means?
Bernadette selflessly and patiently takes care of Heidi and her mother, who both need a caretaker. Why do you think she is willing to spend her time and money on people she does not know? What benefits, if any, does Bernie receive?
As a young child, Heidi has tremendous responsibilities; shopping with her mother, running errands for Bernie, and baby-sitting for a neighbor to earn money. How do these experiences influence Heidi as she grows up?
When Heidi develops the mysterious roll of film and brings the pictures home to view, Bernie asks her, "What's the worst it could be?" Heidi responds: "nothing. The worst would be if there was nothing" (p50).Why would nothing have been the worst thing for Heidi to find?
Heidi is afraid she will end up like her mother, full of missing pieces, if she does not go to Liberty to discover her past (p85). Do you think that taking this journey is worth the pain it causes Bernie?
Heidi is afraid to take the trip to Liberty alone, and several times en route she is ready to turn around and return home to Bernie. What is the driving force that keeps her on the road to Liberty? Does she have any regrets. If so, what are they?
When Heidi lies to Alice, she realizes her lies are unnecessary but that she doesn't feel remorseful until she gets caught (p117). What do you think this indicates about Heidi's character and her search for identity?
Heidi realizes she doesn't miss her dad because she has never known him, therefore life without him seems normal. She tells Georgia, "You can't miss what you don't remember having" (p126). Do you think this is true? Why or why not? What are some experiences you have longed for even though you have never had them.
Ruby tells Heidi that it probably doesn't mean anything that Elliot says "soof" regularly, but Heidi says, "I think everything means something, even when you don't know what it is" (p181-182). Based on Heidi's life experiences, how would you support her belief?
Roy and Ruby cannot understand why Mr. Hill is not telling the truth about Heidi's mother. But even though Heidi does not know why, she knows that "sometimes people lie because the truth is too hard to admit" (p201). What truth is Mr. Hill afraid to admit? How do the choices he made affect Heidi's life?
Mr. Hill tells Heidi that someday he would like to know her (p240). Do you think Heidi will ever allow him to know her? How do you think she will get to know her father, Elliot?
One of the lessons Heidi learns is that life is not fair. Discuss the people and events in Heidi's life, and list the ones that are unfair. How do these life experiences help Heidi become a stronger person?
Until Heidi's trip to Liberty, she lives a sheltered life with only one friend and very little communication with anyone other than Bernie. Even though Bernie teaches her a multitude of lessons, do you think Heidi's social development suffers? How do you think Heidi will adjust to attending school for the first time in junior high? What hurdles will she have to overcome?
In chapter one, Heidi says, "I'd be lying if I said that given a choice I wouldn't rather know than not know." What does Heidi learn about knowing and not knowing on her journey to find her identity?
After Heidi's journey to learn about her personal history ends, her lucky streak seems to disappear. What is the significance of Heidi losing her luck?
