Cynthia Lord's first novel, Rules, is one of the best YAs I've ever read, and I suspect that will remain true for many years.
It's on the summer reading list for local 7th graders, and my daughter, who read the book at my urging last year, not only selected it, she actually re-read it to fulfill her summer report requirement.
In other words, it's good.
The book offers a glimpse at family life when one of the family - in this case, the main character's younger brother - is autistic. While Catherine has always seen her brother David as a bit of a burden, she copes by making up rules for him in hopes that will make everyone's life easier. (No toys in the fish tank. If the bathroom door is closed, knock!).
When Catherine forges a friendship with Jason, a wheelchair-bound boy who cannot speak, she discovers that autism is a relatively minor challenge compared to those others face. She manages quite admirably.
I won't give away any more details; it's a fairly short book and one truly worth reading.
Noting my daughter's interest in the book prompted a local librarian to recommend another novel approach to autism. The Curious Incident of the Dog that Barks in the Night focuses on an autistic boy who investigates and solves a crime. This one is aimed at adults, I think...anyone read it?
No comments:
Post a Comment