FICTION, FANTASY & YA LITERATURE BLOG #2 RULES

FICTION, FANTASY AND YA LITERATURE BLOG #2: RULES


BIBILIOGRAPHY

Lord, Cynthia. 2006. Rules. New York, NY. Scholastic Press. ISBN: 0-439-44382-2


PLOT SUMMARY

This contemporary modern fiction novel tells the story through the eyes of twelve-year-old Catherine. Catherine’s little brother David is different from the other kids because he has autism. To help David be more ‘normal’ in the eyes of others, Catherine teaches him rules and talks with him even when he needs to borrow words from others, mostly from the Lobel’s Frog and Toad are Friends. Of course Catherine is struggling with her own life and sometimes wishes things were not so hard. She desperately wants to be friends with the new neighbor girl, Kristi, but finds friendship in the last place she would expect.


CRITICAL ANALYSIS

The characters in this book are revealed mostly through dialogue and conversation. Jason, a boy Catherine meets at David’s OT (Occupational Therapy) office uses communication cards and the conversations between Catherine and Jason help the reader to understand each characters thoughts and feelings better. The dialogue is natural and suited for the characters age and attitudes. The story is set in a small town on the coast during the summer. The book has a lot of funny parts and kid humor as well as some sad and touching parts. I liked the part where Catherine makes more communication cards for Jason and she makes one that says “stinks a big one!” and he uses it in his sentence, Speech.Woman.Stinks a Big One! And I loved the part where Catherine takes Jason out for a run by running behind him and pushing his wheelchair as fast as she can. The reader can imagine the seagulls flying in the air and the feel of cool air on the kids faces, while the townspeople look on in amazement. Catherine’s character develops and she comes to learn more about herself and as well as the concept of ‘normal’ and why she just might have to throw out some of her rules.

REVIEW EXCERPT(S)

From School Library Journal

Grade 4-7-Twelve-year-old Catherine has conflicting feelings about her younger brother, David, who is autistic. While she loves him, she is also embarrassed by his behavior and feels neglected by their parents. In an effort to keep life on an even keel, Catherine creates rules for him (It's okay to hug Mom but not the clerk at the video store). Each chapter title is also a rule, and lots more are interspersed throughout the book. When Kristi moves in next door, Catherine hopes that the girl will become a friend, but is anxious about her reaction to David. Then Catherine meets and befriends Jason, a nonverbal paraplegic who uses a book of pictures to communicate, she begins to understand that normal is difficult, and perhaps unnecessary, to define. Rules of behavior are less important than acceptance of others. Catherine is an endearing narrator who tells her story with both humor and heartbreak. Her love for her brother is as real as are her frustrations with him. Lord has candidly captured the delicate dynamics in a family that revolves around a child's disability. Set in coastal Maine, this sensitive story is about being different, feeling different, and finding acceptance. A lovely, warm read, and a great discussion starter.-Connie Tyrrell Burns, Mahoney Middle School, South Portland, ME Copyright © Reed Business Information, a division of Reed Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.



From Booklist

Gr. 4-7. "No toys in the fish tank" is one of many rules that 12-year-old Catherine shares with her autistic younger brother, David, to help him understand his world. Lots of the rules are practical. Others are more subtle and shed light on issues in Catherine's own life. Torn between love for her brother and impatience with the responsibilities and embarrassment he brings, she strives to be on her parents' radar and to establish an identity of her own. At her brother's clinic, Catherine befriends a wheelchair-bound boy, Jason, who talks by pointing at word cards in a communication notebook. Her drawing skills and additional vocabulary cards--including "whatever" (which prompts Jason to roll his eyes at his mother)--enliven his speech. The details of autistic behavior are handled well, as are depictions of relationships: A heartwarming first novel. Cindy DobrezCopyright © American Library Association. All rights reserved


CONNECTIONS

Looking After Louis by Lesley Ely

Ian's Walk: A Story About Autism by Laurie Lears

Taking Autism to School (Paperback) by Andreanna Edwards Illustrated by Tom Dineen