Rules

Bibliography:
Lord, Cynthia. 2006. Rules. New York. Scholastic Press. ISBN 978-0439443821.

Plot Summary:
Twelve-year old Christina has a brother with autism, and everything about him seems to define her adolescent world. Her father always works late, her mother works from home, and Christina is often left to baby-sit David. Christina often wishes that her brother would wake up one morning and be “fixed.” All of the normal, unspoken rules of society have to be spelled out for David, it is for this reason that Christina keeps a special section of her sketchbook where she can write down rules for David, “That’s where I keep all the rules I’m teaching David so if my someday-he’ll-wake-up-a-regular-brother wish doesn’t ever come true, at least he’ll know how the world works, and I won’t have to keep explaining things.” (p. 9). Christina longs for alone time with her mother and father. Most of their energy is taken up with her special needs brother. Christina accompanies her mother to David’s occupational therapist appointments during the summer, each time with the hope that her mom will go for a walk or go shopping with her alone while they wait for David’s appointment to finish, “It’s the only time in the week that I get Mom completely to myself and someone else is in charge of David. Mom likes to stay in the clinic waiting room so she can hear if David has a hard time, but I like when we leave because then she doesn’t look away from me every time she hears him shriek.” (p. 14). It is while Christina is in the waiting room that she meets Jason, a nonverbal paraplegic. The two soon become friends, and she begins using her artistic talent to make cards to add to his communication book. She carefully chooses words that allow Jason to better express himself, “I turn the pages of Jason’s communication book, reading through his cards so I don’t repeat the words or phrases he already has. Which shouldn’t be hard, since all his words are boring.” (p. 47).

In the meantime, a new family has moved in next-door. Christina has high hopes for a close friendship with Kristi, but it seems that Kristi has different interests than Christine, “My boyfriend and I broke up before I moved…But I think Ryan likes me.” (p. 92). Kristi is interested in cute clothes, nail polish, magazines, and boys. Kristi suggests that Christina ask Jason to the community center dance, but Christina has not told the whole truth about Jason and does not want Kristi to think she is weird. When Jason finds out about the dance and offers to go with Christina, she brings up her rule, “No dancing unless I’m alone in my room or it’s pitch-black dark.” (p. 176). Jason sees through this and replies, “RULE. Stupid. Excuse.” (p. 176). Christina is forced to examine what normal is, and in the end she chooses Jason who has been a true friend.

Critical Analysis:
Friendship and relationships are tough for young adults. In this book, the main character Catherine finds her world especially complicated because of her younger brother, David who has autism. The reader sees Catherine struggle between what she knows is right, and the longing to become friends with the new neighbor. An unlikely source, the nonverbal paraplegic Jason helps Catherine to see that some rules are meant to be broken. In the end we see Catherine gaining acceptance of her situation with her brother, her new friend Jason, and most importantly herself, “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.” (p. 197).

Catherine narrates her story through a series of rules. Each chapter begins with a rule that she has written for David. “Some people know who you are, when really they don’t.” (p. 178). This chapter is the turning point for Catherine when she hurts Jason’s feelings by refusing to go to the dance with him. It is after this exchange that Catherine does some deep introspection. Catherine’s character is believable and easy to relate to, especially for young adults who often have to make difficult choices between what is popular and what is right.

The author shows the sensitive side of David and avoids stereotyping people with autism especially as Catherine and David have exchanges by using the words of Arnold Loebel. It is very touching to see David’s sensitivity to his sister, and in the end, when they share the words of Frog and Toad, Catherine realizes how special that is, “Tomorrow I’m going to tell Mom she has a point about David needing his own words, but other things matter too. Like sharing something small and special, just my brother and me.” (pp. 199, 200).

The author, Cynthia Lord won Newberry Honors for this book, and also the Schneider Family Book Award. She has a lot of experience with autism, herself a mother to a child with the disease. Her insight into the nuances and emotions that surround autism have helped to create a most believable realistic fiction novel for young adults.


Review Excerpts:
From School Library JournalGrade 4-7-Twelve-year-old Catherine has conflicting feelings about her younger brother, David, who is autistic. While she loves him, she is also embarrassed by his behavior and feels neglected by their parents. In an effort to keep life on an even keel, Catherine creates rules for him (It's okay to hug Mom but not the clerk at the video store). Each chapter title is also a rule, and lots more are interspersed throughout the book. When Kristi moves in next door, Catherine hopes that the girl will become a friend, but is anxious about her reaction to David. Then Catherine meets and befriends Jason, a nonverbal paraplegic who uses a book of pictures to communicate, she begins to understand that normal is difficult, and perhaps unnecessary, to define. Rules of behavior are less important than acceptance of others. Catherine is an endearing narrator who tells her story with both humor and heartbreak. Her love for her brother is as real as are her frustrations with him. Lord has candidly captured the delicate dynamics in a family that revolves around a child's disability. Set in coastal Maine, this sensitive story is about being different, feeling different, and finding acceptance. A lovely, warm read, and a great discussion starter.-Connie Tyrrell Burns, Mahoney Middle School, South Portland, ME Copyright © Reed Business Information, a division of Reed Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved. From BooklistGr. 4-7. "No toys in the fish tank" is one of many rules that 12-year-old Catherine shares with her autistic younger brother, David, to help him understand his world. Lots of the rules are practical. Others are more subtle and shed light on issues in Catherine's own life. Torn between love for her brother and impatience with the responsibilities and embarrassment he brings, she strives to be on her parents' radar and to establish an identity of her own. At her brother's clinic, Catherine befriends a wheelchair-bound boy, Jason, who talks by pointing at word cards in a communication notebook. Her drawing skills and additional vocabulary cards--including "whatever" (which prompts Jason to roll his eyes at his mother)--enliven his speech. The details of autistic behavior are handled well, as are depictions of relationships: Catherine experiences some of the same unease with Jason that others do in the presence of her brother. In the end, Jason helps Catherine see that her rules may really be excuses, opening the way for her to look at things differently. A heartwarming first novel. Cindy DobrezCopyright © American Library Association. All rights reserved

Reviews accessed at:
http://www.amazon.com/Rules-Newbery-Honor-Book-Cynthia/dp/0439443822/ref=pd_bbs_1?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1195853856&sr=8-1

Connections:
Autism Society of America

AutismInfo.com

the "About" site for autism