Rules, by Cynthia Lord, is such a great book. I finished reading it almost a week ago, but I cannot stop thinking about it. And it seems like the more I think about it, the more I like it. I even had my sister read it because I think it is such a great book. I was, however, disappointed when she didn’t seem to enjoy it as much as I did.
One thing she mentioned was that the book seemed unfinished, that it didn’t have a good ending. I, on the other hand, really liked the ending. To me, it seemed like Catherine finally came to terms with her younger brother’s autism and her life. Throughout the entire book, her brother David constantly quotes words from his favorite book. Many times, he uses these words to express his feelings, something his mom wishes he wouldn’t do. He did it at the very end of the book, too, and Catherine says that maybe her mom has a point – he really does need his own words – but that there are some things that matter more. Such as sharing something special, just her and David. And that’s what those words from the book are – a special thing that Catherine and David can share. Which I thought made for a really touching ending.
Another part I loved about this book was Catherine’s friendship with Jason. I think he really helped Catherine worry less about what other people think and that helped her to relax and maybe even appreciate her brother more. My favorite part of this book is when she makes word cards for him. Because he can’t speak, he uses a book to communicate with others. I cannot even imagine what it would be like to rely on other people for words. They are something that a lot of us take for granted. Even Jason’s mother and speech therapist never fully understood his need for words. Catherine really did so much for Jason, and I think this aspect of the book is the main reason I liked it so much.
Rules is also a Newberry Honor book, receiving the Honor award in 2007. According to the American Library Association (ALA), the Newberry Medal award was named for John Newberry, an 18th century English bookseller. The ALA awards the Newberry Medal to “the most distinguished American children’s book published the previous year.” This award was the first children’s book award and is the best known award, and one of the most prestigious, for children’s books. It was first awarded in 1922. Only one book is awarded with this honor every year and the book must be an original work written by an American author. After the winner has been chosen, Newberry Honor books are selected. The Newberry Honor award was first awarded in 1971, replacing the previous Newberry Medal runner-ups.
http://www.ala.org/alsc/awardsgrants/bookmedia/newberymedal/newberymedal
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