Anke's Book Review

"Rules" by Cynthia Lord
By:  Lisa Jo Rudy,

If you, like me, enjoy reading children's literature - this is a "must read." Lord is up there with major writers like Jerry Spinelli and Beverly Cleary as a creator of real, fresh, believable children who experience the world in all its colors. For families and teachers with autistic children in their lives, this novel is a terrific way to open the door to conversations.

Pros
A great book for siblings of children with autism
Great fun for parents as well
Compelling, believable characters
Warm and positive without being gooey or maudlin
Opens doors for conversation with kids and adults

Cons
This is a novel for kids, so adults might find it simplistic
The character with autism is not explored deeply
Description
A novel for children ages nine to 12
Disabled characters are full and real
Well-written and worthy of being on any reading list
A great tool for opening conversations
Provides insight into autism and cerebral palsy

Guide Review - Book Review: "Rules" by Cynthia Lord
I loved this book - read it through in one sitting, which is unusual for me. For one thing, it's one of the very few books with "autism" in the description that is a novel, and heck - novels are fun to read. For another thing, Cynthia Lord is a very talented children's fiction writer. What I really enjoyed, though, was seeing autism through the eyes of a sibling who is aware of all the ups, downs, frustrations and joys of autism in the family.

Two things surprised and interested me. First, I realized that the sibling relationship between Catherine and her autistic brother David is not that different from any sibling relationship. He drives her crazy and gets special treatment - but there's a unique bond between them that is unaffected by a diagnosis. This seemed very real to me, and echoed my experience with my own kids.

 Second, I was interested to see that Lord took the time-honored approach of making this book all about the kids - and NOT the adults. As a result, mom and dad are emotionally absent. This made me feel a bit sad, but to be honest, it seemed fairly realistic.

 I could easily see using this novel at school or at home as an entree to a discussion of relationships and disabilities (the story also includes a very three-dimensional character with severe cerebral palsy). A terrific addition to home and school libraries.