Book Review: Rules

By Matt Berman

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What Parents Should Know
Parents need to know that there's nothing of concern here -- and much to be celebrated, particularly the main character's introspectiveness.

Families can discuss autism. What is it? What would it be like to live with an autistic person? What might it be like to be autistic? Children may want to know more about it -- see the Related Books and Media section below for some helpful links. Also, kids might be interested in compiling their own lists of rules for daily living.

Common Sense Media Review
Written by the mother of an autistic child, RULES has the ring of authenticity. David's behaviors are challenging, but his family has become adept at dealing with them. All are doing their best, but each copes in individual ways: the father is somewhat avoidant, the mother is worn down and snappish, and Catherine is, at times, frustrated, bewildered, and resentful. But there's love and happiness in this family as well.

This is a clear-eyed, unsentimental look at a real family problem. Two things raise it above the usual run of "problem" novels. One is Catherine's relationship with Jason, a paraplegic boy who taps on picture cards in a book to communicate. Catherine, a budding artist, begins creating more illustrated word cards for his book; choosing words and pictures becomes a way for her to look at her own life, to think and assess and then respond and express her thoughts and feelings.

The other is the poignant way that David sometimes communicates -- through memorized sections of Arnold Lobel's Frog and Toad books. Their mother disapproves, wanting David to use his own words instead of quoting someone else's. But David chooses pieces of the books that are metaphorically and expressively appropriate, and when he and Catherine engage in one of their delicate Frog-and-Toad dialogues, it's lovely enough to bring a lump to your throat.