Rules, written by Cynthia Lord, was published in 2006.
This book is about Catherine, a 12-year-old girl, who has a little brother named David. She tries to pretend that she is a normal girl with a normal life, but her life is not normal because David has autism. She meets and befriends a boy named Jason at David's occupational therapy clinic. Her dream comes true when another 12-year-old girl moves in next door. Kristi, her neighbor, is not the same as Catherine, and she is friends with Ryan, who bullies David and constantly teases Catherine. Her life is weird and confusing, even to her.
Cynthia Lord wrote this book because her own son suffered from autism. She wanted to write something that would develop a sense of community. Her book contains many elements that are just like her own. Lord's clinic also had their own little group, and the group helped each other out. Also, her daughter was like Catherine because she always went to the clinic.
Rules has won the Newbery Honor Medal, the Schneider Family Book Award, the Mitten Award, the Great Lakes Great Books Award, the Maine Student Book Award, the Dorothy Canfield Fisher Award, the Kentucky Bluegrass Award, the Great Stone Face Award, and the Buckeye Children's Book Award.
