So B. It, by Sarah Weeks

Heidi was barely a baby when her and her mentally disabled mother appear on the doorstep of their agoraphobic neighbor, Bernadette, in Reno, Nevada. Heidi’s mother has no identification and the ability to speak only 23 words. Bernadette knows the two cannot survive on their own, so takes them under her wing and deems them So B. It (the only words that came out of Mama’s mouth) and Heidi It. From that day on they form an odd family, but one that is full of love.

Agoraphobic Bernadette always says Heidi and her mother simply “fell from the sky” but when Heidi discovers old photographs in their apartment that reveal a piece of her mother’s past, she must know more. Bernadette cautions her that “there are some things in life a person just can’t know.” But Heidi insists on making a solo journey thousands of miles away to Liberty, New York, to the special home she believes her mother stayed in years ago to figure out not only her mother’s past, but her own history. So B. It is literally and figuratively a story of personal exploration and growth, with a dash of mystery and suspense. This is also an amazing portrait of unconditional love and the many definitions of family.

Because of the strong presence of a mentally challenged character, Weeks’ novel reminded me a lot of Al Capone Does My Shirts. So B. It may not have as much boy appeal as Al Capone, but it is equally as captivating and powerful and, in my opinion, a great contender for big screen adaptation.

Please click on the screen below to view a trailer for So B. It:



Weeks, S. (2005). So B. It. New York: Harper Collins: ISBN 978-0064410472