Rules

Rules
by: Cynthia Lord

It's about a 12 year old girl named Catherine. Her brother David has autism, and when ever he needs help there parents will "jump" to it. Leaving Catherine out of the picture. She tries to teach her brother to be "normal" by teaching him rules from "keep your pants on in public" to "no toys in the fish tank". Then when her neighbor moves away and a girl Catherine's age moves in, Catherine finds it most important for David to be "normal", if she is ever going to have the friend next door that she always dreamed of. But when she meets Jason in the clinic, she asks herself what is normal? Jason is in a wheelchair and can't talk.

I did not like this book, it is too much like my own life for me to like it, but other kids with different lives mite like it.This book is not about accepting those who are different, as it is about accepting those that are the same. On page 194 Catherine says "...I see how kids stare at David and it hurt me, because I know what they're thinking. Or even worse, they don't look at him, just around him, like he's invisible. It makes me mad..." and Catherine is right it is worse when you're invisible. I don't recommend this book.
- Word Smith