A review by kleedc73
Rules by Cynthia Lord

4.0

This was a great young adult book with surprisingly difficult themes. It centers on a young teen, Catherine, whose brother David is autistic. Catherine is uncomfortable with her brother because being with him in public is difficult and sometimes embarrassing and infringes on Catherine's ability to live a "normal" life. Things become even more complicated when Catherine meets a wheel-chair-bound boy, Jason, while attending occupational therapy with her brother. Catherine is a great character and her struggles to deal with her brother's autism, the impact of his illness on her family, and her interactions with other challenged kids (like Jason) were incredibly realistic and interesting and, in some ways, heartbreaking. The way that Catherine's relationship with Jason develops was one of my favorite parts of the book, particularly how they are able to bond and begin understanding each other better through Catherine's art. Because of her interactions with Jason, who is physically challenged but mentally fully cognizant, Catherine gets some insight into how it feels to be on the other side of a difficult situation, which helps give her some perspective on her own brother. I also thought it was terrific that she finally was able to express some of her frustrations over her family situation to her father. Overall, some very adult themes presented in an appropriate way for young adults. Reading this book led to a great discussion with my 10-year-old niece, always a bonus.