Lord, Cynthia.
RULES
New York : Scholastic, 2006
IL 3-6, RL 4.5
ISBN 0439443822

(4 booktalks)

If someone says “Hi”, say “Hi” back.
Say “Thank you” when someone gives you a present (even if you don’t like it).
Don’t stand in front of the TV when other people are watching it.
No toys in the fish tank.
Rules, rules…so many things David doesn’t understand! It’s hard enough for any twelve-year-old to make her way in adolescent society…but soooo much harder when you have an autistic little brother!  Catherine loves David deeply, and protects him all she can, but his embarrassing behaviors present a real challenge in her search for the ideal best friend.  One day, as Catherine sits sketching in the waiting room during one of David’s many therapy visits, she meets someone who really rocks her categories and changes her whole perspective on who she is and what kind of relationships matter most. What was it that turned her world upside down, and what is “normal”, anyway? Read Rules by Cynthia Lord.  (New Hampshire Great Stone Face nominee, 2007-2008)

Booktalk #2

Some rules keep us safe, some don’t always seem necessary, and some can usually go without saying ­ Rules like…
“Keep your pants on in public,” and “If the bathroom door is locked, KNOCK! (especially if Catherine has a friend over!)”

Catherine takes care of her little brother who’s autistic, by writing down important rules like these ones and protecting him when other kids make fun of him. Still, she wants to be a normal kid; make friends with the girl next door and go with a boy to the summer dance. NOT necessarily go with her brother to his occupational therapy appointments.

But, while she’d there she finds an unlikely friend. Jason can only communicate by pointing to word cards in a notebook, but he doesn’t really have useful words like “whatever” and “sucks a big one,” so Catherine makes him more.

She enjoys getting to know Jason, but would it ruin her chances of being a “normal” 12-year-old if she tells other people about him?  (Stella Shafer, MLIS student, iSchool, University of Washington)

Booktalk #3

"No toys in the fish tank." “A boy takes off his shirt to swim, but not his shorts.” These are some of the many rules 12-year-old Catherine has for her autistic younger brother, David, to help him cope with others. Catherine loves her brother but is frustrated dealing with his autism. His needs always come first in the family. While attending David’s therapy sessions Catherine meets Jason, a boy who can only talk using cards. This opens a whole new world for Catherine.  (Pennsylvania Young Reader’s Choice Awards nominee, 2008-2009)

Booktalk #4

"No toys in the fish tank", and "If someone says hi, say hi back". Catherine takes care of her brother David who is autistic by writing some of these rules for him. She doesn't mind helping, but she wants to be a normal 12 year old girl and not go to David's occupational therapy meetings in the summer. But while she is there, she meets a very interesting boy while sketching in the waiting room. His name is Jason and he is also in a wheelchair and can only communicate by pointing to cards with pictures. Jason doesn't have cards with funny slang words on them like, 'whatever' and 'sucks a big one' so she makes Jason some more cards. She has a dance this summer and needs a date, but does she want to take a chance and risk being that 'normal 12-year old girl' for a boy?  (Emily Manis, e-manis@wiu.edu, college student)