Rules by Cynthia Lord

Posted byLi-Berry-ianPosted inUncategorized

6- Fiction, Fantasy, Young Adult

Bibliography: Lord, C. (2006). Rules. New York, NY: Scholastic Press.

ISBN-13 : 978-0439443838

Plot Summary:

“Sometimes things work out, but don’t count on it.”

Cathrine is a typical 12 year old girl that is looking forward to her summer. This summer promises new adventures when she finds out a girl her age is moving in next door. Cathrine wants a normal life but her brother David is autistic and her family life is anything but normal. As an older sister, she has a lot of expectations put on her when it comes to David. She makes rules for him to follow that help him in social situations. She sees David struggle and wishes everyone had the same chances. When she meets an unexpected friend at David’s therapy, things change. With Jason’s help she finds words in more ways than one and starts to question if normal even exists.

Analysis:

Rules is an award winning book that has so many layers. The book is written in the perspective of Cathrine, a 12 year old girl starting her summer. The setting can be any town in America close to an ocean. The time is undetermined. You get a feeling that it is present day however, there are aspects that date the story. David loves going to the movie store but most kids today don’t know what that is. Also, Cathrine often fixes the tape that comes out of David’s cassette. When the tape actually breaks, most young readers won’t know how devastating that is.

Each chapter is named with a rule that Cathrine writes for David. The rule is a theme for the chapter and often a lesson for all of the characters.

The book has deep themes and thought provoking insight to differences and disabilities. The book also contains so many typical teen issues that readers can relate to the main character even if they do not have a David in their life.

Many of the feelings Cathrine has are put in with metaphors that readers can pick up if they have ever felt the same. When she describes her new word murky, she gives it a long description. At the end she says, ” the rule is that you have to bring back a handful of the murky stuff from the bottom to prove you made it all the way.” When she has regret over using the color green on the fireworks, she retraces her mistake and says she was wishing “there was a way to go backward and make them what I wanted them to be.”

Jason was a great character that added so much needed perspective. When he is introduced, Cathrine is afraid Jason will think she is selfish because Jason has things worse than her brother. However, the character was never written in a way that makes you feel pity for him. He found joy and hurt and annoyance the way most teens do. Cathrine helped him add words to his book but it was Jason that made her see things more clearly.

I would like to give my personal analysis as a mother of an autistic son and neurotypical daughters. I cried A LOT. This book was written with such beautiful insight. It took me back to the endless hours in therapy waiting rooms. People outside this world don’t understand those hours. I cried thinking about my girls coming with me and having that precious time when it was just about them. I saw my middle daughter in Cathrine. She never wanted her friends to know or question her brother. She wasn’t ashamed she just didn’t want them to treat him differently. Even at a young age she would point out how voices changed, adults bent down and their voices got louder and higher pitched the moment they heard a label. I sobbed when Cathrine told her dad she needed him too. I cried for them both. As a parent, you need a retreat (like his garden) and you do put so many expectations on the people that really love and know your baby. I think the wish scene was beautifully done. I loved that David’s wish was so simple. It was also the perfect example of what it is like to love someone who is autistic. Sometimes I am filled with such heartache and dread over everything my son is missing. I find myself wishing for big things that will bring him happiness but he knows happiness comes with something simple, like his favorite drink.

Reviews:

“Middle-grade readers will… be intrigued by this exploration of dealing with differences.” — Kirkus Reviews

“Rules, Cynthia Lord’s Newbery and ALA Award-winning debut novel, is a tender look at the frustration, struggle, devotion, and hope experienced by families with autistic children. … this sensitive story is about being different, feeling different, and finding acceptance.” —School Library Journal

The parent of an autistic child, Cynthia Lord writes with familiarity and empathy for Catherine and her family. CCBC 

Awards:

Connections:

Catherine has rules she gives her little brother David. Make a list of rules that might be helpful for someone new to their grade level. For example, a rule list for 6th graders new to middle school might include- At lunch, don’t ask where you are supposed to sit, just go sit down.

Follow up with other books that give a new perspective.

–Out Of My Mind by Sharon M. Draper ISBN-13 : 978-1416971719

–Wonder by R.J. Palacio ISBN-13 : 978-0375869020

–Insignificant Events in the Life of a Cactus by Dusti Bowling ISBN-13 : 978-1454932994

Accommodations:

I loved David in the book. Because I have a David, I was able to see the magic in his character. Help the students see what gifts come from his autism. For example, he doesn’t notice the mean kid, he doesn’t see the purpose of teasing so it doesn’t occur to him that Ryan is mean. He finds joy in simple things, a trip to the movie store is all he wants. He has a secret language with the people that know him best (the dialogue from his frog book). When David dances it is from his heart, from the inside out. His world isn’t weighted with worry or stress, when he has one wish, he wishes for grape soda.

I asked my son to help me find a video that explains his autism. I was so surprised to find how many videos included a section on “a cure”. It made us both uncomfortable. My son (13) kept coming back to this video. It was on his watched list. I suggest skipping a big section in the middle when the author speaks about the cartoon she is hyper fixated on. This would be a great video to show a classroom of kids that had questions about David.

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