Summer Reading Questions

So B. It   by: Sarah Weeks

Social Issues: Agoraphobia victims, Mental illness, Mother/daughter relationships  

The Book

1. The main character of So B. It is 12 year old, Heidi It of Reno, Nevada.  Heidi is described as a brave, outgoing, and determined girl who will stop at nothing to uncover the mysteries of her mother’s past.

2. After the discovery of some old photos of her mentally-disabled mother, 12-year- old Heidi embarks on a cross country road trip to uncover her family history not knowing that along the way she would experience the joy of discovery, the sadness of death, and a new beginning with a family she didn’t know she had.  

3. Sarah Weeks is expressing the many definitions of family and all of them are based on love.  Although non-traditional, Heidi grew up with a “family” of women who loved her and also was fortunate to experience the love and acceptance of the blood relatives she meets in New York. 

The Issues

1. Heidi has lived with her mentally-disabled mother and agoraphobic neighbor her whole life.  Her mother’s brain never worked properly so she could never explain to Heidi who her father is or the meaning of a word she never stops saying- “soof.”  Her neighbor, Bernie, is so busy taking care of Heidi’s mother that she can never focus on getting over her fear of agoraphobia.  Because her mother cannot communicate, Heidi goes off on her own to New York to find someone who tell her what really happened in her mother’s past.

2. Heidi and her mother have a loving relationship.  Despite her mother’s inability to communicate and function as a “parent” and as a “citizen,” Heidi still feels that love and affection given to her everyday.  After Heidi leaves for New York, her mother becomes very ill and passes away.  The sudden death of her mother is a significant event to the main character because her physical relationship is broken with her mother.  During her trip in New York, Heidi discovers who her real father is.  Her new relationship gives her a new start with her father who was never there during her childhood to watch her learn and grow.  The author provokes the reader to think about the relationships they have with their parents, just like Heidi does with her mom after she passes away.