Rules
Lord, C. (2006). Rules.
New York, NY: Scholastic Press.
Rules is about a twelve-year-old
girl, Catherine, and her daily life full of ups and downs living with her
younger brother, David, who is autistic. Summer has arrived in Maine (where she
lives) and while her best friend is staying with her dad in California,
Catherine is dreaming of all the things she can do with a new neighbor girl her
age. However, she is soon faced with the embarrassment of her brother acting
out and not following all of her “rules” for being around others. She has a
notebook full of rules that help David with his everyday life and to keep him
from getting himself in trouble and from people making fun of him. As she
unexpectedly befriends a wheelchair-bound boy her age at David’s therapy
office, she begins to learn maybe rules are not going to keep her from being
embarrassed or get her the friend she thinks she so desperately wants. A true
friendship forms with the disabled boy, Jason, and she has to come to terms
with and overcome her fear of being seen with him around others. This book is
written with rich imagery of the coastal setting in Maine. It is also full of
honest feelings and pressures of someone living with a loved one who is
autistic. It really makes you examine your own fears and rules and how to learn
to let go and let others be who they are.
What a great read this is for all kids to be more sympathetic and understanding towards others with autism. It's also a great way to open up dialogue on how we treat others who don't quite behave they way we think they should. I would recommend this especially for girls in that are entering middle school and trying to navigate the sea of fitting in and learning to be confident in who they are, despite what others may say or think.
What a great read this is for all kids to be more sympathetic and understanding towards others with autism. It's also a great way to open up dialogue on how we treat others who don't quite behave they way we think they should. I would recommend this especially for girls in that are entering middle school and trying to navigate the sea of fitting in and learning to be confident in who they are, despite what others may say or think.
Cynthia Lord’s website
with a section dedicated to teachers and librarians:
A Maine librarian’s
introduction to Rules:
Scholastic’s site for
Rules:
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