Novel Ideas:

It's Monday, and that means ... Novel Ideas! Every Monday, we take a look at a juvenile fiction/chapter book. They won't always be brand-new books - sometimes we'll take a look at old favorites. Looking for a good read? Check out our Novel Ideas posts. Have a suggestion for a great book to review? Let us know!

This week's found novel is:

Rules by Cynthia Lord

New Lenox Public Library Call Number: J LOR, JP LOR

Everybody's got to follow rules, but for 12-year-old Catherine, rules are even more important. She's got a younger brother who is autistic. Autism is a developmentally disability that makes communication harder for people who have it, so Catherine and her family have to give her brother David very specific rules for behaving. Catherine loves her brother, but as she tries to fit in, she gets frustrated that David is so much different than everyone else. When she befriends another "different" kid named Jason, she sees that differences make people special.

This is a great read for anyone who knows someone with autism, but also for any kid who gets frustrated with siblings, families, or all the rules we have to follow every day.

If you want to read more about autism, feel free to ask staff members for more information.