Clean Reads Giveaway: Rules by Cynthia Lord!

Generous and beautiful author CYNTHIA LORD has sent me a SIGNED copy (with two award seals) of Rules for our second Clean Reads Giveaway. And it's for YOU!

You can see my review of Rules here!

This is how you can become the owner of this new hardcover copy of Rules...Simply leave a comment on any Deliciously Clean Reads post between now and Tuesday, May 15th. Comments can be about anything, but I would appreciate if they were relevant to the book reviewed or your feelings about Clean Reads in general. Your comment must include your name (of course, it can be just a first name, or if you're really shy, just an online alias).

Names of commenters will be tossed into a hat, and I'll announce a winner one week from today on Wednesday, May 16th. The winner must contact me by Friday, May 18th. Another drawing will take place if the winner turns out to be a no-show.

Please let your friends know about the Clean Reads Giveaway! Thanks and good luck!
-Emily

Things Not Seen by Andrew Clements

Things Not Seen by Andrew Clements

Things start to go wrong for fifteen-year-old Bobby Phillips the day he wakes up and finds he’s invisible. When his parents, the only ones who know his secret, are involved in a car accident and need a hospital stay, Bobby has a double problem: find a way to become visible again, and do it before the state authorities, who are worried about him being home alone, find out. Can Bobby and his blind friend-turning-girlfriend Alicia make him visible again before the nosy social worker causes problems for his parents?

One of the great things about this book is its matter-of-factness. Sure, you can’t really turn invisible, but Clements makes this sound completely reasonable. Another strength is its main character. Bobby is the kind of guy you’d love to have for a friend. He’s positive and determined and good at taking risks to do things that are important. And so is Alicia. This book won the first ALA Schneider award in 2004. I know the Schneider award has to do with characters with disabilities (Rules is the most recent winner), but I honestly had to stop and think why this book dealt with disabilities. It took me a minute before I caught on. Alicia is blind. But it’s not a book about disabilities, which is what makes it so refreshing. It’s people who happen to have “disabilities” doing cool stuff.

Things Not Seen is followed by a sequel, Things Hoped For. Let’s hope Mr. Clements continues writing YA. He's certainly hooked this YA reader!

Posted by Rose Green

Olmue

Rules by Cynthia Lord

Yesterday I read this beautiful book. Rules by Cynthia Lord is a poignant story showing a slice of 12-year-old Catherine's life. Her brother, David has autism. Catherine lovingly makes up rules to help him get through life. Things that other people figure out for themselves, David must be taught. Some of the rules include "If the bathroom door is closed, knock (especially if Catherine has a friend over)!", "Keep your pants on! Unless Mom, Dad, or the doctor tells you to take them off.", and "No toys in the fish tank."

Catherine is not only a sister to David, though. She is an artist, a daughter, a friend. When a new girl moves next door, Catherine is hopeful that they will become good friends. But she is embarrassed to say anything about David. She also develops a close bond with a handicapped boy who cannot speak or walk. She draws pictures for him to help him communicate.

Cynthia Lord has done an incredible job tackling a heavy topic. The book is laced with both humor and tenderness.

I highly recommend this book for all ages.

As you can see, Rules won a Newbery Honor and the Schneider Family Book Award in 2006.

Cynthia Lord blogs here, where you can see what a kind-hearted woman she is. This blog will be added to the Delicious Author Blogs in the sidebar.

By the way, I actually wrote this review myself. Crazy, huh? I'm so excited about the reviews I've been receiving in my inbox. If you have reviews you'd like to share on Clean Reads, please see the sidebar for info. I want to post a minimum of two reviews of Clean Reads each week, but I'd love to have enough to post one-a-day.

I really want Clean Reads to include all levels of novels. If you have any ideas for adult Clean Reads, please let me know. If you don't want to write up a review, just leave a comment with the book name and author.

Thanks for your support!

ATTENTION: For the week of May 9-15th--Don't forget to comment on this or any other Clean Reads post for a chance to win a new signed copy of RULES by Cynthia Lord!