Rules

Nov 15, 2012 Jennifer Wardrip rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: trt-posted-reviews

Reviewed by Me for TeensReadToo.com

You can always tell when you're reading a book that has a basis in truth. With RULES, author Cynthia Lord writes about what it's like to live with autism, and she should know, since she has an autistic child.

That ring of truth is there, in every word, when you read the story of twelve-year old Catherine and her autistic younger brother, David.David hates loud noises. If there's a cloud in the sky, he has to take his red umbrella with him. If his dad says he'll...more Reviewed by Me for TeensReadToo.com

You can always tell when you're reading a book that has a basis in truth. With RULES, author Cynthia Lord writes about what it's like to live with autism, and she should know, since she has an autistic child.

That ring of truth is there, in every word, when you read the story of twelve-year old Catherine and her autistic younger brother, David.David hates loud noises. If there's a cloud in the sky, he has to take his red umbrella with him. If his dad says he'll be home at five o'clock, David starts going crazy at five-oh-one. He likes to rewind his movie of Thomas the Tank Engine to his favorite part, over and over and over again. His favorite place to visit is the video store, where he'll even lay on the floor to read the back of the movie box a stranger is holding in his hand. And he knows all the words to Arnold Lobel's FROG AND TOAD.

For Catherine, though, it's a much different story. She hates the way people stare at her brother, or even worse, refuse to look at him at all. She's jealous of the time David gets to spend, one-on-one, with their pharmacist father. She hates David's rules, the strict adherence to which he is obsessed with them, and yet she makes new rules for him every time she thinks of something else he needs to know.

Catherine copes by drawing, and one day she decides to draw the boy in the wheelchair who is in the waiting room with her at Occupational Therapy. David goes there once a week to work with a therapist, and so does the boy who doesn't speak but instead uses a book of word cards to communicate. When Catherine offers to make Jason, the boy in the wheelchair, some new cards with pictures, an unlikely friendship is born. Catherine is also excited about Kristi, her new next-door neighbor, but soon finds out that friendship is a complicated matter.

How do you protect a brother that often annoys you? How can you be friends with the beautiful girl next door and yet be ashamed to admit your friend Jason doesn't talk and is in a wheelchair? How do you make your father understand that you matter, too? How do you tell your mother that even though David needs his own words, Frog and Toad is a special communication between a brother and sister that love each other? RULES isn't just a book about autism, but rather a look into the complexities of a family relationship. An excellent read for anyone who has ever had to deal with someone who is just a little bit different than everyone else. (less)

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Dec 30, 2008 Swee'tea rated it 5 of 5 stars · review of another edition Recommends it for: kids who have relatives with autism

This is a quick read, I read it in about a week or so. It is a VERY good book! What I liked best about the book, is how Cynthia Lord(the author) really understands how it's like to live with people with autism. I know this because she came to my school, and I met her. I liked how the book was about a who has the same experiences that I do, having a sibling with autism. I don't just recommend only people with relatives with autism to read this, I recommend everyone reading it. I have shared it wi...more

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Sep 13, 2011 Rebecca rated it 5 of 5 stars · review of another edition

I've been trying to think of the best way to talk about this book. I read it in a night and then forced it upon my mother -who hardly ever makes the time to read- and she finished it in a night. Someday, when my sister is ready, I will have her read it too. This book was so sweet, and at moments, heart-wrenching. It's a simple story about a young girl who wants to be known for herself - not David's sister. Her eight-year-old brother has autism and because of his special needs, often takes the at...more I've been trying to think of the best way to talk about this book. I read it in a night and then forced it upon my mother -who hardly ever makes the time to read- and she finished it in a night. Someday, when my sister is ready, I will have her read it too. This book was so sweet, and at moments, heart-wrenching. It's a simple story about a young girl who wants to be known for herself - not David's sister. Her eight-year-old brother has autism and because of his special needs, often takes the attention of their parents.

Catherine is in a tricky place. She loves her brother, so much that she regularly adds to a list of 'rules' for him - things that the average person instinctively knows or learns very quickly - but David needs to be taught. Some of the rules are hilarious, "If it fits in your mouth, it's food." Some are heartbreaking, "Sometimes people laugh when they like you. Sometimes they laugh to hurt you." Yet, as much as she cares for David, he complicates her life. Her parents thrust babysitting duties on her constantly, her father rarely spends time with her alone - but he will with David, her brother is constantly embarrassing her in front of friends and neighbors. To further complicate things, they have a new next door neighbor who's Catherine's age and she does everything she can to hide David's behavior so that her new friend won't find out. Catherine also starts up a friendship with a boy at David's therapy clinic who can only communicate by pointing at the pictures in his phrasebook.

It's a good story, but it really was the moments between Catherine and David that struck me so much. My seven-year-old nephew is autistic and there were so many moments that felt all too familiar. Not all unpleasant, but familiar. One of Catherine's rules is "If you don't have the words you need - borrow someone else's." David takes this to heart and is perpetually quoting Arnold Lobel's "Frog and Toad" book to express how he feels, and Catherine will respond back with the next line. At one point, Catherine is so angry at something David does, that she refuses to respond to his usual line, "I'm sorry, Frog." The panic that David goes through when the usual routine is messed up broke my heart. It is such a fragile, sweet relationship and watching Catherine figure out who she is and, more importantly, who she wants to be is such a nice journey.

I recommend this to anyone whose lives have been touched by autism or who would like to see how families deal with the day to day routines with an autistic child. A beautiful story.

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Oct 04, 2010 Jim Haggerty rated it 2 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Rules, by author Cynthia Lord, is a touching look at the life of a young girl, Catherine, who's coping with the conflicting emotions of living with her autistic brother, David. And I was coping with the conflicting emotions of annoyance and boredom of reading this book.

Catherine, a normal 12 year old girl, has a huge role and responsibility in the care-taking of her autistic brother, David. Catherine must balance the love and the responsibility she feels for David with the embarrassment and res...more

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Aug 08, 2008 Nancy rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: children

"Rules", by Cynthia Lord, is told from the perspective of Catherine, the 12-year-old sister of David, an autistic 8-year-old. Catherine, at 12, is dealing with finding a place in a family that seems to be centered around coping with David's needs for comfort and development. Catherine's mom is divided between managing a home business (leaving Catherine to care for David) and providing David the care and developmental therapy he needs. Catherine's dad seems to be mostly coping with his own diffic...more "Rules", by Cynthia Lord, is told from the perspective of Catherine, the 12-year-old sister of David, an autistic 8-year-old. Catherine, at 12, is dealing with finding a place in a family that seems to be centered around coping with David's needs for comfort and development. Catherine's mom is divided between managing a home business (leaving Catherine to care for David) and providing David the care and developmental therapy he needs. Catherine's dad seems to be mostly coping with his own difficulty with accepting the parenting cards he's been dealt and possibly with his own austistic-like tendencies. Neither parent, though they both clearly love Catherine, appears to have the emotional resources to cope with any of Catherine's issues. In a sense, she is expected not to have any and to participate in a semi-adult capacity in therapeutic care for David. Meanwhile, Catherine is confronting her own, normal, 12-year-old girl issues--how far should she go against her own needs and wishes to go along with her friends, who should her friends be, how to cope with mean kids, what to do with her summer when her best friend is away.

What I really like about this novel is that the characters are allowed to be complex. Though Catherine's parents are, in a way, neglectful of her needs, they aren't portrayed as bad parents so much as people coping as well as they can with a difficult situation and making some mistakes in doing so. For example, there are a number of times in the novel where David is waiting for his father to come home from work and take him on an outing. David expects his father at five and becomes very distressed when he isn't home by five. Catherine notes that while she can understand that her father is characteristically late, David can't. Reading this, I couldn't help but wonder, though Catherine didn't, wouldn't one think her father could be expected to control his tendency to be late in this instance rather than repeatedly distress his son and force his daughter to cope with this distress on a regular basis? Why is it that Catherine can understand how difficult it is for David to cope with his father's lateness, but her father can't? Another good example is in Catherine's new neighbor, Kristie, a girl Catherine would like to be friends with, but whom she immediately senses will be much `cooler' than she is. Kristie, it turns out, isn't a mean girl, and it's clear she's dealing with her own issues, but she probably isn't going to be real friend material for Catherine. I also liked Catherine's relationship with Jason, a wheel-chair bound boy about her own age. She is attracted to him, but isn't sure she wants to take on more relationships complicated by disability. Jason, though unable to communicate without the use of written cards and symbols, manages to be a pretty real adolescent. He isn't perfect- he sulks and can be manipulative. Still, the reader can see why Catherine might find him compelling.

If there is anything that seems unrealistic about the book, it is that Catherine is, maybe, too understanding. She pretty much accepts that her parents aren't able to be there for her emotionally as much as she might like them to be and is, for the most part, willing to accept what they can offer. She accepts her disappointment that new neighbor is probably not going to be a good fit for her as a friend without hating her. She is able to accept that a friendship with Jason is going to be complicated. Most of all, she loves her brother with all of his limitations, while understanding that if she could turn him into a "normal" boy, she would.

"Rules" is actually a pretty upbeat book. In general, Catherine seems secure and confident in her ability to handle problems. Although she is coping with a number of issues, she clearly loves her family, has friends she cares about, and interests and talents outside the scope of caring for/worrying about her brother and is absolutely free of self-pity. This would probably be a great book for young adolescents coping with family issues. I highly recommend it.

(This review is also posted at Amazon.)(less)

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Apr 27, 2012 Zion Martin-hayes rated it 5 of 5 stars · review of another edition

The author of the Rules is Cynthia Lord one other book that Cynthia wrote was touch blue. The genre of this book is fiction and the sub-genre is historical fiction the book was humorous and and serious and the main character Catharine was the narrorator the point of view is first person it affected the story because Catharine said it was all about David but the but the whole story was based on her.
The book was about Catharine’s summer and how she had to deal with her autistic brother named David...more

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Aug 26, 2011 Mina rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: summer-reading

The fourth book I read this summer was rules by Cynthia lord, I personally found this book well written interesting with authenticity to it. This book was about a girl Catherine and her younger brother David who is autistic. Catharine is much like any ordinary girl and all she desires for is for David to wake up one day and for is autism to disappear, but Catharine knows that wish will never come true. Through out portions of the book Catharine feel that her world revolves around David, she has...more

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Mar 18, 2010 Gina Pecoraro rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: realistic-fiction, award-winning

Format: Chapter Book
Awards: Newbery Honor (2007), Schneider Family Book Award (2007)The Schneider award was given to Rules for its artistic expression of the disability experiences for adolescent readers.

Catherine makes a list of rules for her younger autistic brother to follow. She gives him these rules to help him fit in a little better, but also so he doesn't embarrass her. She loves her brother but at the same time wants to be able to live her own life. Kristi moves in next door and Catherin...more

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Feb 19, 2012 Daisy Johnson rated it 5 of 5 stars · review of another edition

This book was absolutely inspiring. I thought Catherine so brave for handling her brother's autism with more understanding and grace than I believe the average 12 year old would have. She shows a combination of kindness and frustration because she is torn between instilling her younger autistic brother with rules for life and being a normal pre-teen. I believe her relationship with Jason teaches her one of the most important lessons in life. That lesson is that some people don't know how to deal...more

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Mar 17, 2009 Amitha rated it 5 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: best-kids-books-read-2009, autism-kidlit

I wasn't sure I would like this book at first because it is an "issues" book. I thought it would be about a girl who learns to accept her brother's disabilities, and while this is true, it was more a learning-to-fit-in-and-be-comfortable-with-yourself book. I'm still making it sound cheesy, but it really wasn't. Rather, it was hilarious and well-written. The main character, a twelve-year-old girl named Catherine, is highly relatable, and draws you in from the first chapter by telling you all abo...more

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Jan 19, 2008 Moira rated it 3 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: kid-lit

Well, this was a nice book - a story about a girl trying to come to grips with her autistic brother (and her parents who do everything for him and nothing for her) and her friendship with a boy with cerebral palsy. It kept my interest. But it seemed artifical - I mean, she is driven crazy by the brother, but she chooses to befriend the boy who is even more challenged? And the voice is that of a girl MUCH younger than the main character is supposed to be. Further, nothing is all that resolved, ex...more

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Jul 12, 2007 Monica rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition

After having read a number of Newbery Honor and Newbery Award-winning books that have fallen short of what I would consider “Newbery-worthy”, I was thrilled to come across Rules! I read the book cover-to-cover in under two hours, and was really moved by the main character, Catherine, and her relationship with her autistic brother, David, and her paraplegic friend, Jason.

This is a book that would have become one of my favorites, had it been around when I was a kid. Rules reminded me a lot of a bo...more After having read a number of Newbery Honor and Newbery Award-winning books that have fallen short of what I would consider “Newbery-worthy”, I was thrilled to come across Rules! I read the book cover-to-cover in under two hours, and was really moved by the main character, Catherine, and her relationship with her autistic brother, David, and her paraplegic friend, Jason.

This is a book that would have become one of my favorites, had it been around when I was a kid. Rules reminded me a lot of a book called Between Friends that I “borrowed indefinitely” (ahem) from my teacher’s library in elementary school. Both novels deal with the social pressures that typical kids struggle with when they befriend or are related to someone with a disability.

Social relations involving a character straddling two social groups is an important topic that many young adult books explore, but not always very well. Frequently, young girls are portrayed as catty, but it actually puts a very realistic twist on things when a character can be tender and caring in so many ways, yet still strive to fit in with the “cool” crowd. This is a reality many young people can relate to, whether they have a sibling or friend with a disability, or maybe they just have a friend who is not as “cool” as the “in-crowd” would dictate they be.

Cynthia Lord does a great job at not trivializing David or Jason’s disabilities, and choosing not to focus on what they can’t do, but what they can. Since the author has an autistic son, you can frequently infer places where she has added her own frustrations—i.e. strangers who give a “pity” look when they walk by, people who completely ignore the individual, and most humorously, adults who talk EXTRA LOUD to make up for things, and then ask the parent, “How is his day going today?”, as if the individual can’t respond for himself or herself.

The book is light-hearted and funny, not sad or too serious. I love Catherine’s artistic side, and how the author chose to weave that into the novel—it adds depth to her character. Drawing has been a therapy for her in some ways (“Sometimes I can change how I feel about something by drawing it”), and it also sparks and sustains her friendship with Jason. Some authors make reference to a character’s artistic abilities, while the superior authors are able to show you the character’s abilities, and tie it into the storyline. (The book Olive’s Ocean that I reviewed is an example of the former. The author repeats time and time again that the girl is a great writer, but you don’t really feel it in the way Cynthia Lord describes Catherine’s abilities.)
All in all, this book is very well done, and a wonderful quick read for anyone.
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Oct 18, 2009 Amanda rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition Recommends it for: 4th-6th graders

Shelves: middle-grade, realistic-fiction

The title refers to the rules that Catherine creates for her autistic brother, David, ostensibly to help him navigate the world. Catherine struggles with her feelings about David's differentness, but she stops dividing people into normal vs. different when she makes friends with Jason, a boy in a wheelchair at one of David's therapy sessions. (When David doesn't know how to say something, he quotes from Lobel's Frog and Toad books.)

I think Lord's characterization is authentic, and I appreciated...more

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Aug 26, 2007 Abby Johnson rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: audio

This book was completely not like I thought it would be. It's about Katherine, a twelve year old girl trying to make a new friend and deal with her younger brother David who has autism. One day while she's at the clinic where David has occupational therapy, Katherine meets Jason. Jason is another patient at the clinic. Jason has cerebral palsy and he communicates using a book with pictures. Katherine creates some new pictures for him and begins a friendship that becomes very important to them bo...more

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Nov 16, 2008 AnnaBnana rated it 5 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: juvenile-fiction, ya-fiction

I thought this book was really incredible. I read it in one sitting. I was glad that Lord didn't shy away Catherine's difficult and conflicted feeling about having an autistic brother. I thought the relationship she built between Catherine and Jason was natural and touching.

I think Catherine is also a really relate-able character on a more general level. I haven't experienced any of what went on in Catherine's family life, but her propensity for daydreaming and getting her hopes up about a frie...more

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Mar 22, 2009 Marynna rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: children-s, gifted-young-proficient-readers, fiction, civics-ethics, literature

Such delight! This touching, funny story -- a quick, compelling read for a sunny afternoon -- is both respectful and adorably irreverent. Catherine is the voice of a wise, practical observer whose perspective has been sharpened by life with her autistic brother and her disabled friend.

There is nothing here which is inappropriate for any reader of any age; and there is much here that is valuable for everyone, whether or not they know or are related to people who have autism or any other physical...more

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Oct 13, 2010 Diana 807 rated it 5 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: 6th-grade

I think it a great book because catherine learns that she has to love her bother for the way he is. And she finds out that even regular brothers can be a pain. she also she meets Jason and finds out that she could still be Jasons friend even though he cant talk or walk.

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Jan 08, 2009 Wendy rated it 3 of 5 stars · review of another edition

I thought this book had quite a few good imaginative narrative devices, and it was quite interesting to read about living with a child with autism, knowing that the author had first hand experience in this regard. I wanted main character Catherine to have a bit more heart, though - something about the character seemed a little flat, and there were certain situations that did not quite ring true to me.

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Feb 04, 2009 Karen rated it 5 of 5 stars · review of another edition

I finally got my hands on RULES by Cynthia Lord, and I read it in one sitting. The narrator, Catherine, genuinely seems twelve. Her mannerisms and thoughts ring true, especially her artistic view on life and her lists of rules to help both herself and her autistic brother David. Catherine has more than shallow run-of-the-mill problems to deal with, and yet she's easy to identify with. In less capable hands, the story could have come across saccharine or depressing. Lord pulls it off in a way tha...more

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May 02, 2013 Melissa rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition

As a mom of "normal" (what does that even mean?!?) kids and then one child with autism, this book made me pause and think. The description that Cynthia Lord gave of David's autism were so spot on that in many instances I felt like I was reading about my own child.

I loved that it was told from the viewpoint of the sister, Catherine. A lot of times the focus is put on the child who struggles and, I am guilty of this, the other kids MUST be okay because they are functioning at a "normal" (again......more

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Apr 15, 2013 Kristy Lange rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: disabilities, bullying, fiction, young-adult

Rules is a Newbery Honor Book that shows how a worn-out, twelve year old sister tries to handle her brother’s autism. All Catherine wants is a normal life, and she has spent years trying to show David what is normal by teaching rules from “no toys in the fish tanks” to “keep your pants on in public.” With her family’s life revolving around David’s disability, Catherine struggles to feel like an important part of the family and is overloaded with responsibilities.
However, during one of David’s a...more

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Mar 18, 2013 Jessica Porte rated it 5 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: chapter-book, realistic-fiction

Summary:
Rules is a book about a girl named Catherine and her brother David, who is autistic. Catherine wants to live a normal life and have lots of friends but because of David’s behavior it is hard for people to like her. She soon gets a new neighbor whom she hopes will like her and be friends with her. At the same time she becomes friends with a boy named Jason who is a nonverbal paraplegic who uses a computer of words to communicate. She becomes friends with both and when Jason’s birthday par...more Summary:
Rules is a book about a girl named Catherine and her brother David, who is autistic. Catherine wants to live a normal life and have lots of friends but because of David’s behavior it is hard for people to like her. She soon gets a new neighbor whom she hopes will like her and be friends with her. At the same time she becomes friends with a boy named Jason who is a nonverbal paraplegic who uses a computer of words to communicate. She becomes friends with both and when Jason’s birthday party and the dance that her neighbor Kristi decorated and planned fall on the same day she has a dilemma on her hands. While all this occurs she is continually watching her brother and creating rules to help him get through the day as normally as possible. When Catherine brings Jason to Kristi's dance Jason is not what they expected to see. In the end Catherine realizes things aren't ever normal.
Response:
I really enjoyed this book. I gave it 5 stars because I think it helps kids to see that there are other types of people out there that aren't like them and that it is acceptable to become friends with them and to bring them out into the world (Like Catherine bringing Jason to Kristi's dance). This reminds me of when I was a child. I went to a babysitter’s house every day and the baby sister had a son that cerebral palsy and her couldn't talk, walk or do anything for himself. This at first was very interesting to me and when after going to the babysitters for years he just became a normal part of the day for me. My babysitter even taught me some sign language that he commonly used.
Classroom Connection:
A good way to bring this book into the classroom is by talking to the kids about the different types of disabilities that they will most commonly see and tell them that they were made that way and they can't help it. You can do this my having the students be assigned a disability and have them do research on it. Then they can present the information to the class. Another way that you can bring this book into a lower level like 4th is by finding an organization that houses or tutors special needs kids and having the students be "pen pals" with them. This will help the students writing skills and them becoming friends with someone that is very different then they are.
CCSS:
The lexile reading level for this book is 780L. The interest level is 4-7. The grade equivalence level is 4 and the guided reading level is R.
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Mar 09, 2013 Lolene rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Here's another book I read because one of my struggling readers abandoned it, because in his words, "It was confusing and sorta' dumb." (Dumb, stupid, and boring are words that really mean, "I didn't get it...it confused me...it was above my independent reading level...the themes/concepts were too mature for me, etc. etc. etc.) It was a big step in being his own reading monitor (being metacognitive!) that he even realized he was confused!

So I checked it out. I loved it. But I could see why Carte...more

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Mar 03, 2013 Madison Gervais rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: 4th-6th-grade, chapter-book, informational, realistic-fiction

Annotation:

This book is about a girl named Catherine and her internal struggle with figuring out what is “normal”. Catherine’s brother has autism and her family’s life is centered on his disability. While attending her brothers Occupational Therapy sessions she meets a paraplegic boy who can only communicate through flash cards, unexpectedly she forms a friendship with this boy by the end of the story, and also becomes friends with the neighbor girl who she strives to be like. Catherine does eve...more

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Mar 03, 2013 Emily Theroux added it · review of another edition

Shelves: fiction

This review has been hidden because it contains spoilers. To view it, click here. In the beginning of this book Catherine talks about how her brother has autism, Then she talks about how she has a new neighbor moving in. she is afraid that her new neighbor will not like her because her brother has autism and always makes people not want to be there. Then when she goes to the place where her brother has his classes she sees a boy named Jason. She really likes to draw so she starts drawing him but then he gets upset because he doesn't like the drawing so she stops drawing him....more In the beginning of this book Catherine talks about how her brother has autism, Then she talks about how she has a new neighbor moving in. she is afraid that her new neighbor will not like her because her brother has autism and always makes people not want to be there. Then when she goes to the place where her brother has his classes she sees a boy named Jason. She really likes to draw so she starts drawing him but then he gets upset because he doesn't like the drawing so she stops drawing him. Then a few days later he starts communicating with her through his cards because he cant talk, then he asks her to draw him some more so she goes home and does.
Then eventually her neighbor moves in and so she starts to hang out with her and she is trying to hid the fact that David (her brother ) has autism. Then one day she finds out but she is OK with it. Then there is going to be a dance at the community center so Kristi (her neighbor) invites her to come when she sees the drawing of Jason (who isn't in his wheelchair) and says that she should bring him to the dance but she says that she can’t go. After that Jason invites her to his birthday so she saves up and buys him the cheapest guitar that they have since he wanted one. When she goes to his birthday party he asks her to the dance but when she says she has a rule against dancing and doesn't really want to go he gets upset and thinks that she is embarrassed about him. The next day she calls him and says that she is going to the dance and hopes that he gets the message. At the dance she waits until he finally shows up and when he does they dance. Then she goes home and can’t wait for her old friend to come so she can talk to her.
I thought this book was good at times but at other times I didn't really like it. It was okay but that is just my opinion. It kind of confused me at times but at other times it was very clear what it was talking about. I didn't really like the ending because it just says that she danced with a boy who she wasn't related to and she liked it but it didn't clarify if it was Jason or not. I also didn't like how they didn't say what happened to Kristi after she saw Catherine at the dance. Overall this book was okay but I probably wouldn't have finished it if I hadn't had to. But that is just my opinion on this book.
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Feb 21, 2013 Lari rated it 3 of 5 stars · review of another edition

I chose this 'middle grade reader' book for my grad class reviews due to it being part of the 4th grade Battle of the Books for my local school district and it being recommended by the librarian. Ideally, I would give it 3.5 stars, but as that's not an option, I went with three.

So anyway, I'm going to start with my nitpicks. My biggest issue with this book is the pop culture references that date the book. I like historical fiction, and I don't necessarily mind references to things that go along...more I chose this 'middle grade reader' book for my grad class reviews due to it being part of the 4th grade Battle of the Books for my local school district and it being recommended by the librarian. Ideally, I would give it 3.5 stars, but as that's not an option, I went with three.

So anyway, I'm going to start with my nitpicks. My biggest issue with this book is the pop culture references that date the book. I like historical fiction, and I don't necessarily mind references to things that go along with the time, but when adding these things to a book set in the present day, I feel the author needs to be respectful of the fact that some of the things they will be referencing will be not be popular or well known, and lose readers, especially children. In 20 years will the references to Avril Lavigne mean anything to someone reading this story? As for something that has already passed its sell by date...the author makes several references to fixing her brother's cassette tapes by sticking her finger in the hole and winding the tape tight again. I was born in the '80s, so obviously, I was quite familiar with that, but I wasn't sure about kids today. In fact, I asked a 3rd grader at the school I work at today if she had any idea of what I was talking about and she didn't. These kids know books on CDs and MP3s and while I like how it shows the relationship between Catherine and her brother, most kids aren't going to get it.

That said, there is quite a bit that I enjoyed about the story. The author clearly understands about autism, and I think the relationship between Catherine and David is portrayed realistically. I like that the parents are neither perfect nor completely ineffective, and that they struggle as much in their own ways trying to make a happy home. I think the interactions between Catherine and her family were the best parts of the book, because it not only goes into respecting people despite their differences in abilities, it does point out how difficult it can be to be the 'normal' sibling of someone with special needs. I have preschoolers who are in that situation, and were they a bit older, I think they would appreciate something they can relate to in book form. I also appreciate that the author recommends books on the same subject at the end of the book, so if one was looking for similar books, they are right there at your fingertips. I really enjoyed Catherine's art and her relationship with Jason including all the ups and downs. I was less enamored with the parts featuring Kristi and Ryan, but I can see how they were there to add conflict to the story.

It's a good story to embrace diversity and the idea of not being scared of those who are different than you, and the writing is decent (as a first novel, I expect Lord will continue to polish her style as time goes on). I'm not sorry I read it, I'm just not sure that this novel will have staying power and that in a few years will all its references, it will be more obsolete than anything. (less)

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Feb 08, 2013 Patrica rated it 5 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: chapter-book, friendship

This story is about a twelve year old girl named Catherine who has a brother with autism. Her parent's lives revolve around his disability and Catherine doesn't know much about it. Through teaching David different rules she helps to stop his embarrassing behavior.

By attending David's OT sessions with her mother, Catherine meets a boy named Jason. Jason is paraplegic and can only communicate by using cards in his communication book. Although Catherine was unsure of how she would be able to unders...more This story is about a twelve year old girl named Catherine who has a brother with autism. Her parent's lives revolve around his disability and Catherine doesn't know much about it. Through teaching David different rules she helps to stop his embarrassing behavior.

By attending David's OT sessions with her mother, Catherine meets a boy named Jason. Jason is paraplegic and can only communicate by using cards in his communication book. Although Catherine was unsure of how she would be able to understand and communicate with Jason, they become good friends. Each week makes new cards with different words for Jason's communication book. She learns to look past his disability and realizes what a great person he really is.

Catherine Also becomes friends with the girl that just moved next door named Kristi. Every time Catherine is around Kristi she is trying to do and say things to impress her. Kristi wants Catherine to go to the school dance with her and to find a boy to bring as a date. Jason invites Catherine to his birthday party which is also the same day as the dance. Catherine decides to attend Jason's party instead of the dance so she can give him a guitar she bought him as a gift. Jason suggests that he would like to go to the dance with her. Catherine didn't want to go because she was afraid of what the other kids would say and think if she came with Jason. In the end, Catherine realizes that it doesn't matter what other people think and that her friendship with Jason is more important than anything else.

Response:I thought this book was very good!I think this should be a required read for students in fourth grade and up. There is a very important message in this story. That you have to follow your heart and do what you feel is right and not what other people expect you to do. Everyone is different and it is important to be open and willing to accept everyone for who they are.
Concept:It made me happy and proud of Catherine when she helped Jason by making new words cards for his communication book. It made me sad when she was embarrassed of her little brother for something he couldn't help. I have two younger brother myself and I couldn't imagine ever being embarrassed of them whether or not they were special needs. The ending made me very happy that she followed her heart and did what was right despite what others thought.

Classroom connection:This would make a great classroom connection because it teaches students about different disabilities. It allows them to see what it's like through there perspective and to identify that other people have challenges to. It also teaches students not to bully or pick on people for being different.

CCSS Range:According to lexile.com, Rules has a 78oL. This book would be a great read-a-loud for fourth grade. This is a lesson that should be taught to students at an early age. I believe this would be a good independent read for fifth grade because it is age appropriate and has an important message. (less)

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Jan 14, 2013 Loo rated it 5 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: eng-356-books-1-12, to-own

Rules deals with a 12-year-old girl, Catherine, whose brother, David, is autistic. She loves her brother very deeply, and tries to teach him how to interact with others (unsuccessfully). As she watches their peers make fun of him or ridicule him, she deals with anger, longing to be accepted, wishing to “fix” her little brother, and a need for everyone to be accepted as they are. In addition, she begins to form a relationship with a boy in a wheelchair who cannot talk, Jason, and their relationsh...more

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Jan 04, 2013 Peter rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Just finished this book for my class on Children's Lit. The text flows very easy without being childish. It took me less than a day to finish. Lord has written a truly enjoyable story with real characters. It is evident that she has personal experience with the subject and that she has confronted and overcome many of the struggles that her characters face. I was surprised to find that I became so connected to Catherine. The reader will learn with her throughout the story, especially as her perce...more

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Dec 11, 2012 Nichelle rated it 5 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: 13-15

Rules is the story of a girl named Catherine, whose younger brother David has autism. Throughout the story, Catherine makes a list of rules for David to follow, rules such as “no toys in the fish tank,” so that he will better be able to live in society. In the beginning she goes to one of David’s therapy sessions, and becomes friends with Jason, a boy who is about fifteen or sixteen years old, wheelchair bound, and unable to speak. Jason, who communicates through touching words in a book, enjoys...more

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