Soof

Gr 4–6—Rory has distinctive traits, with particular habits and behaviors, like tapping three times before sitting and speaking in "beepish." She is more comfortable with her dog, Duck, than with classmates and most people. More than one psychologist has declared Rory to be "quirky, but not on the spectrum." None of this bothers Rory, but she is very concerned about an impending visit from Heidi. Heidi once lived with Rory's parents, bringing them good fortune, which, according to Rory's mom, resulted in Rory's birth. Heidi is now a married woman expecting her first child, and she wants to visit for a special reason: it has to do with soof, a word from Heidi's childhood that means "love." Could Rory's mom have more soof for Heidi than for Rory? A house fire and the disappearance of Duck adds to the drama. Rory's place in the family and the pain of a lost dog are resolved in the fast-paced conclusion. The search for the meaning of soof was Heidi's quest in Weeks's So B. It and becomes Rory's in this return to the town of Liberty. Happily, both find it in this standalone novel.