Rules

Book Title: Rules

Author/Illustrator: Cynthia Lord

Book design: Kristina Albertson

Publisher: Scholastic Inc.

Copyright Date: 2006

Genre: Contemporary realistic fiction novel

Brief Annotation: Catherine is 12 years old and yearns for a life of normalcy that doesn’t revolve around her little brother, David, who is autistic. She writes him a list of rules to live by, intended to make him more socially acceptable and keep embarrassment to a minimum, which includes everything from “No toys in the fish tank” to “Sometimes people laugh when they like you. But sometimes they laugh to hurt you.” After striking up an unexpected friendship with a boy from David’s clinic, Catherine realizes that sometimes it’s best to do what you want to do, not what others expect from you.

Your Rating (1-5) and why: 4.5—This story embodies an important message and is told from the realistic perspective of a soon-to-be-teenager. The adolescent years can be difficult and awkward, and this story captures the sensitivity many feel during that time with a bit of humor and a fresh approach. I enjoyed reading about the budding friendship between Catherine and Jason and how this enabled her to reexamine and learn to value her relationship with her brother. I think many readers will relate to Catherine’s struggle to do what she knows is right, despite pressure from peers to act another way.

Readers who will like this book: Preteens struggling to “fit in” or feel accepted; kids with a sibling who has a disability; anyone who has ever felt different or torn between doing what’s right and what’s expected by friends and/or society

Teaching Strategy from Tompkins or Yopp & Yopp: Character Maps. I believe character maps would be a good strategy to use with Rules because the characters, their relationships, and the development of these relationships throughout the story are a key focus of the book. According to Yopp & Yopp: “Character maps are used to help students understand characters as well as the relationships between characters…(they) allow students to analyze the changes in characters as well as the changing relationships between characters” (p. 66-67). Students would read a few chapters in the book and then work in teams to analyze two characters. They would list traits of the characters and words or phrases that describe their relationship. The students would then do this same exercise at the middle and the end of the book, comparing and contrasting the results.

Question to ask about this book before a read aloud: Have you ever felt different from everybody else because of someone in your family? How do you cope when a family member embarrasses you?

Optional, but noted as extra effort:

1. Interest Level (age): Grades 4—7

2. Grade Level Equivalent (grade): 4.5

3. List awards: Newbery Honor, Schneider Family Book Award Winner, ALA Notable Children’s Book, Bank Street College of Education Best Children’s Book of the Year, NCTE Notable Children’s Book in the Language Arts, Michigan Library Association Mitten Award Winner

4. Book trailer: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=upFtJUR3H2k