Title: Rules
Author: Cynthia Lord
Genre: Fiction
# of pages: 224
Reading Level: 670 L, 9-12 years
Summary: Rules is the story of a 12-year-old girl named Catherine and her younger brother David, an 8-year-old boy with autism. David relies on Catherine to explain the “rules” of the world and guide him in his interactions with others. While at an occupational therapy clinic with her brother, Catherine meets a 14-year-old boy, Jason, who is non-verbal and confined to a wheelchair. While the relationship between Jason and Catherine develops and Catherine teaches him more and more words, she is also dealing with the shame she has around her brother, often wishing his autism away. Through bullies and making the most out of the life she is given, read as Catherine navigates life with disabilities at the forefront. Catherine’s internal struggles and ability to adapt will ring true for those who wish life would slow down, but as Lord says, “It hurts how life goes on, unknowing” (Lord, 2018).
Genre: This novel is fictional as it depicts characters and stories that did not happen or exist. I have included this novel in the diverse characters category as well since many of its primary characters have been diagnosed with some type of disability.
Reading the Novel: Rules would be great in a classroom novel, but I would be excited to read it in a classroom as well. We read this with my 4th graders this year and they loved being able to understand the world from the perspective of someone not like them.
Teaching the Novel: This book explores the themes of acceptance, friendship, and advocacy. It would be a helpful tool in teaching students about autism and what life is like for people diagnosed with autism. An activity that could be done with this book would be to have students write their rule list that is specific to their lives. Maybe a rule would be “Don’t talk to Dad before coffee” or “Don’t be late to soccer practice.”
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