Rules

Bibliography

Lord, Cynthia. 2006. RULES. New York: Scholastic Press. ISBN 0439443822

Plot Summary

Rules is a story of a twelve-year-old girl’s struggle to have a normal life while trying to accept her younger brother, David, who is autistic. “Remember the rules” Catherine reminds David. Often left in charge of watching David while her parents are working, Catherine has to remind David of simple rules like “If someone says ‘hi,’ you say ‘hi’ back” and “If you want to get away from someone, check your watch and say, ‘Sorry, gotta go’!” When Catherine’s best friend visits her father in California and a new girl moves in next door, Catherine is sure that they will have the best summer ever…If David doesn’t scare her off.

During her bother’s OT visits, Catherine befriends a paraplegic boy who uses pictures to communicate. Catherine enjoys drawing and begins making word cards for Jason which evolves into a new and unexpected friendship.

Catherine enjoys spending time with her new friend Kristi, but often finds that it hard to make it work. She tries to imagine all of the wonderful things they will do together, but they are always interrupted by her brother David. When Kristi suggests that Catherine invite Jason to the community center dance, Catherine quickly comes up with a list of excuses.

During Jason’s birthday party, he finds out about the community dance and offers to go with her, but she responds with one of her rules “No dancing unless I’m alone in my room or it’s pitch-black dark.” Jason sees through her rules and replies, “Are? YOU. Embarrassed. About. Me.” She quickly responds back no, but he tells her “RULE. Stupid. Excuse.” In the end, Catherine chooses to accept the things as they are and invites her friend Jason to the dance.

Critical Analysis

In Cynthia Lord’s debut novel, she shares the story of a little girl trying to balance her life within her family and the life with her friends and school. Catherine finds it difficult to fit in because of her younger brother, David who has autism. As she tries to cope with her reality, she creates a set of rules for her brother to know, but in the end she realizes that these are just excuse she has created for herself. Lord’s characters are believable and readers will relate to the feelings of not fitting in.

Several themes transcend throughout the novel. Because so much attention is devoted to David and his needs, Catherine constantly tries to gain the attention of her parents. As Catherine tries to accept the reality of having an autistic brother, she also struggles with her own acceptance of other people that have disabilities. With a new found relationship with Jason, a paraplegic boy that Catherine has befriended at David’s OT sessions, Catherine learns to look past the physical appearances and find the inner beauty. She realizes that she must accept David and love him for who he is.

This emotional story, told through Catherine’s point of view, is full of dialogue that is relevant to today’s teens. It is a heartwarming story that will leave readers laughing, crying, and cheering at the end. “Jason joins them, palms open. Standing there, in the middle of the floor, in front of everyone, I lift my hands and reach for the ceiling, the sky, the stars. And I dance.”

Review Excerpts

Newberry Honor Medal

Kirkus review: “Catherine is an appealing and believable character, acutely self-conscious and torn between her love for her brother and her resentment of his special needs. Middle-grade readers will recognize her longing for acceptance and be intrigued by this exploration of dealing with differences.”

Publisher’s Weekly review: "The appealing, credible narrator at the heart of Lord's debut novel will draw in readers, as she struggles to find order and balance in her life.... A rewarding story that may well inspire readers to think about others' points of view."

Library Media Connection review: "The first-person narrative is very engaging, and readers will identify with Catherine's struggles and cheer for her at the end. This is a great book to help students gain some understanding about autism, while also providing a good read. The author is the mother of an autistic child. Recommended."

Connections

Other novels that deal with disabilities include:

Graff, Lisa. THE THING ABOUT GEORGIA. ISBN 0060875895

Weeks, Sarah. SO B IT. ISBN 0066236223

Codell, Esme Raji. SAHARA SPECIAL. ISBN 0786807938

Gantos, Jack. JOEY PIGZA SWALLOWED THE KEY. ISBN 0374336644