RULES

Bibliography

Lord, Cynthia. 2006. RULES. New York, NY: Scholastic Corporation. ISBN 0439443830

Plot Summary

Catherine is a twelve-year-old who just wants to be normal.  She’s spent years trying to teach her eight-year-old brother with autism, David, the rules so he can just be normal.  She doesn’t like that he embarrasses her and must explain everything to everyone, but she doesn’t like it when they treat him like he’s invisible. She befriends a boy named Jason, who is in a wheelchair, but can’t talk.  They become good friends and helps her to understand the feelings of someone with disabilities and how others treat them. 

Critical Analysis

This is great funny yet sensitive novel for readers age eight and up.

The author lets the reader know that the setting is in Maine during the summer and take place in Catherine’s house and in the Occupational Therapy clinic, this can be in any town or state.   

Like any older sibling, Catherine the main character, must watch David, her brother with special needs. “Come on, David.” “I let go of his sleeve, afraid I’ll rip it.”  sets a believable image in the readers’ mind that she is struggling. The reader then feels how Catherine is embarrassed by David with the rules she has for him, “if someone says ‘hi,’ you say ‘hi’ back and keeps a list of rules in her sketchbook.     

The author provides the reader with the feeling of uneasiness Catherine felts when David is around as she talks to her friends which is typical to families in any culture when they don’t know how to deal with family disabilities or they are struggling with their own insecurities. Catherine likes to go to the OT clinic where David has sessions.  There she becomes friends with Jason, a boy who cannot talk, everything changes and when she is accused of being embarrassed to be seen with a special needs person starts to reflect and think about how she treats others. 

Catherine grows and learns from her flaws.  The universal theme in this story is primarily about compassion and understanding toward people with disabilities.  We all try to fit in and it’s our own insecurities that sometimes hurt the people we care for unintentionally. 

The events in the story are those that would typically be in similar situations. 

After reading this book, the reader will have an insight into families with children who have special needs and learn how to treat people with disabilities. 

Review Excerpts-Awards

• Newbery Honor Medal
• Schneider Family Book Award
• Mitten Award (Michigan Library Association)
• Great Lakes Great Books Award (Michigan)
• Maine Student Book Award
• Dorothy Canfield Fisher Award (Vermont)
• Kentucky Bluegrass Award
• Great Stone Face Award (New Hampshire)
• Buckeye Children's Book Award (Ohio)
• 100 Titles for Reading and Sharing List for 2006 –New York Public Library

• A great read, with a nice rhythm. . . an important book that siblings of kids with special needs need to read. –Kid Lit: Books and More For Kids and Teens
• Middle-grade readers will recognize her longing for acceptance and be intrigued by this exploration of dealing with differences. –Kirkuk Reviews
• This is a story that depicts the impact of a needy child on an entire family very realistically. –Children's Literature - Joan Kindig, Ph.D.
• This is an absorbing tale about valuing people even when it's difficult. –Bulletin of the Center for Children's Books
• "A rewarding that may well inspire readers to think about others' points of view." –Publishers Weekly
• "A lovely, warm read, and a great discussion starter." –School Library Journal
• "The emotions in this fast-paced novel ring true." –The Horn Book

Connections

Cynthia Lord has helpful links for Rules with a discussion guide and reproducible worksheets available on her website ready to download.

http://www.cynthialord.com/for-teachers.html#rules

This would be a good book to recommend to mainstream teachers who have students who have disabilities in their classroom.

Different Like Me by Jennifer Elder, Illustrated by Marc Thomas and Jennifer Elder (ISBN 1843108151) introduces children to famous, inspirational figures from the world of science, art, math, literature, philosophy and comedy.