Power point made by, Ian and Jerry

12 year old Catherine has no chance of having a normal life. Her eight year old brother, David, is autistic and her best friend, Melissa went to California for the summer. So now she has no one to play with. Then everything changes when her new neighbor, Kristi moves in. Kristi is a totally popular girl, but she is very nice. Catherine tries to make friends with her, but somehow, David ruins every chance. When Catherine meets Jason, a boy with disabilities that limits him from walking, talking, or controlling his body, she totally changes. Jason has a communication book, with words for him to point at, this way he can communicate. Catherine decides to put more words into his communication book so that he can communicate easier. After a while they start to become friends. Jason then asks her to come to his birthday party. Unfortunately Jason’s birthday party is on the same day on the dance that Kristi invited her to. If you like happy endings in your books, then Rules By Cynthia Lord is the book for you.

The setting in this book is during the summer in Maine, near the coastal line.

The rising action in the book “ Rules” by Cynthia Lord is when Kristi, her new neighbor moves in next to her. Catherine tries to be nice to Kristi, but they are not alike, Kristi very bold and popular, but Catherine is more of a sensitive and shy person. When Catherine meets Jason, they become friends. The problem is Jason has a disease that limits him from walking or talking. So when Catherine wants to take Jason to the dance, she is a little embarrassed. But still when Catherine tries to make friends with Catherine, David ruins every chance.

The big problem in this story is her autistic brother David. David ruins every chance by doing something crazy. Catherine can’t get as many friends this way. Also Catherine always has to babysit David and make rules for him to prevent him from wrecking the house. It doesn’t help either that the Dad is always late, and David always expects everyone to be on time.

Catherine has always felt sensitive near Jason, but one day she takes a run with him on his wheelchair, and she notices that he is actually a great friend. Jason eventually invites her to his birthday party. Catherine agrees to go to the birthday party. At the party Jason gets mad at her because he asks if she wants to go to the dance with her, accept she is embarrassed because he is in a wheelchair. When Catherine gets home she feels bad so she calls his Mom to ask him to come to the dance.

Catherine is nervous that Jason won’t come to the dance. When Jason arrives she is pretty excited. When she comes up to him, he is still pretty mad. When Jason wants to dance, Catherine brings up her dance rule about, no dancing unless she’s alone. Then Jason says on his communication book, “RULE. STUPID. EXCUSE. WE. DANCE.” Finally Catherine agrees and they dance through the night happily.

Catherine: The main character who is a 12 year old girl.Jason: Catherine’s friend who has a diseaseKristi: Catherine’s new next-door neighborRyan: The local bully who hooks up with Kristi later in the bookDavid: Catherine’s autistic brother who messes everything upMom: Catherine’s mom who is always busyDad: Catherine’s dad who is always lateMrs. Morehouse: Jason’s mom who is very nice

“ My favorite part of the book is when Catherine decides to get Jason a present. She gets him a really cool old beat up guitar for him. When he gets it he is really happy because he loves guitar music.”

“My favorite part is when Ryan teases David by giving him a gum that’s only a wrapper, then David gets really sad. My other favorite part is when Catherine and Jason go to the dance together and dance by themselves.

“My favorite part was when Catherine and Kristi go swimming together because it reminds me of when me and my friends go swimming. My other favorite part was when Catherine pushes Jason around in his wheelchair because it seems like he is having so much fun.”

We recommend this book to anyone who likes happy endings and some humor. We recommend this book because it is a very happy story because in the end Catherine doesn’t care whether Jason has a disability or not.