So B. It by Sarah Weeks

Bradbury, J. (2008) Shift. New York: Atheneum Books for Young Readers. ISBN: 9781416947325

Plot Summary: Heidi is a home-schooled 13 year-old girl whose past is a mystery. Her mother is mentally ill and is not able to answer all of the questions Heidi has. One of the few words her mother repeatedly says, Soof, urges Heidi to find out more about her mother’s life. With the support of her neighbor Bernadette, Heidi manages to take care of her mother and herself through her unusual streak of good luck. One day, Heidi discovers a roll of film that may possibly answer many of her questions. The young and brave young teen decides to take a bus from Reno, Nevada to Liberty, New York. On her journey, she does her best to “fly under the radar” by meeting mother-like figures. Readers know that Heidi’s character is strong-willed and determined through her courageous life-making decisions. Heidi soon finds out information about her past and questions whether knowing the truth is as important as just living in the present.

Critical Evaluation: Heidi’s character is incredibly strong and persistent. Since she has a strong urge to learn about things, it was disappointing to see how she was stuck in an apartment with a mentally disabled mother and an agoraphobic motherly neighbor. Aside from her interaction with the neighbor boy, Zander, she doesn’t have much interaction with anyone outside her home. However, Heidi’s decision to take a bus trip across the country independently made the story all the more exciting. Her experiences were quite simple. Except for the fact she had incredibly amazing luck that got her out of impossible situations. Although her journey was not action packed, the trip itself allowed her to grow emotionally. I was surprised to see how quickly I read through the book. The writing was simple and easy to comprehend. The title of the book is quite confusing, but once readers get about two-thirds of the way through, the title makes perfect sense.

Information about the Author: Sara Weeks is an accomplished author, singer, and songwriter. So B. It was her first YA novel and was placed on the ALA Best Books for Young Adults. The author lives in New York with her two sons and visits schools throughout the country to promote her books and reading.

Annotation: After Chris and Win come up with the brilliant of idea of biking cross-country, the two friends experience both highs and lows. But when Chris returns home by himself, he is questioned by the FBI and his life is no longer the same.

Genre: Mystery

Curriculum Ties: United States geography

Booktalking Ideas: Ask teens to imagine what it would be like to not know their past, to imagine what it would be like to have a mother that you could not communicate with because of her mental disability. What lengths would you go through to find out? Explain how Heidi took a leap of faith to discover her past.

Reading Level/Interest Age: 6th-12th grade

Challenge Issues: The book repeatedly uses the term retarded to describe the state of Heidi’s mother.

Reason for Inclusion:Sarah Weeks is a great character that lives in an unusual situation that not many teens find themselves in. But she uses her luck and guts to pursue something that she so strongly desires.