Rules by Cynthia Lord

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  Rules, by Cynthia Lord, is the kind of novel that a wide variety of readers can relate to. Whether you are an average adolescent girl, a child with a disability, or a parent or friend of a child with a disability, there is a character in this novel that you can empathize with. Catherine is a young girl that is already busy navigating that awkward phase of life between child and teen, but she also happens to have an eight-year-old brother with autism. Catherine wrestles with her love for her younger brother whom she helps navigate life by creating “rules for him”, and this sentiment is in conflict with her wish that he were more normal, so that she can fit in better with both her family and society. At an age when girls already feel extremely self-conscious, it takes a strong character to be able to show readers what it takes to be able to balance an acceptance with what life deals you with grace and understanding, while also trying to find a sense of self. The themes in Rules are very powerful and relatable: everyone has flaws, not just those who are disabled, and the book tackles concepts of acceptance and diversity. Whether or not you have someone in your life, or you yourself have a disability, these themes are highly applicable to everyone. 

Evaluative Criteria: Gender and Theme (included in review)

Lord, C. (2006). Rules. New York, NY: Scholastic Press.


-Ms. J

Out of My Mind by Sharon M. Draper

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      Out of My Mind by Sharon Draper is another story about a disabled child facing severe adversity. Melody was born with cerebral palsy and is confined to a wheelchair, unable to speak, write, or walk. The story follows her as she enters school and she is perceived as helpless and weak by everyone around her, no one realizing that she is incredibly brilliant and has a photographic memory. Out of My Mind is a testament to how society treats the disabled, from the flippant girls on Melody’s Whiz Kids team, to her oblivious first teachers, to her caring and supportive parents, and Mrs. V. While Melody is on her journey from misunderstood invalid, to a valuable member of the Whiz Kids team thanks to her new technology that lets her communicate with others, the reader is casually introduced to themes like acceptance and why one should not judge others by outward appearance. As Melody gains enough self-confidence to stand up to her teammates at the end of the novel, Melody and the reader both come to realize that all people are disabled in their own ways, and it is not always apparent on the surface, sometimes individuals need to work on what is inside.

Evaluative Criteria: Culture and Theme 

Draper, S. (2010). Out of my mind. New York, NY: Atheneum Books for Young Readers. 

-Ms. J