Rain Reign by Ann M. Martin

I read Rain Reign by Ann M Martin over the holiday break. It was a great book and is one of the RICBA Nominees for 2016. The story is about a girl named Rose Howard, she has Asperger's Syndrome, which is a form of Autism. Basically, she's very smart, she just thinks differently then other kids her age. For example, she loves homonyms and keeps a written list of all the ones she can think of. She also loves prime numbers and sometimes when she's nervous she recites prime numbers to help her feel more in control. Unfortunately Rose is just a kid, so there are a lot of things in life that are out of her control. She sometimes has trouble in school, and at home it's just her and her Dad. Her Dad has his own problems with control, which can be scary for Rose (and the reader). Luckily Rose has a best friend, (Rain, her dog), a terrific Uncle, and a sympathetic teacher. They all play a role in helping Rose deal with her problems.

This really was a very good book, emotional and surprisingly uplifting. Rose Howard is a character that you will really care about. This would be a great book to read out loud for mature students.

Reviewed by Mrs. Castro

Anything but Typical by Nora Raleigh Baskin

Anything but Typical by Nora Raleigh Baskin is one of those books that you start reading and can't stop.  The book is about Jason, a 12 year old autistic boy who likes a girl that he met online.  The author does an amazing job of getting inside the head of her character and letting the reader understand the world from his point of view.  Jason is not typical and when you begin reading, you may think you and he have nothing in common.  However as you continue to read, you find out you really aren't that different from Jason.  If you've ever worried about fitting in, or how other people think about you, this is a wonderful read.

Reviewed by Mrs. Castro

Rules by Cynthia Lord

"Sometimes people laugh when they like you. But sometimes they laugh to hurt you". This is a quote from a list of rules that Catherine has written for her little brother David. David has a disability called Autism. Because of David's disability, Catherine feels she has to help him learn about how to act, so that he will appear normal and not embarrass her.

When I was reading this book it reminded me of when I was in high school. I had a friend who was a little different from most of the other students. He was funny and smart and I liked him. But because he was different, people used to tease me for being friends with him. It was very hard to put up with the teasing, and keep him as a friend. So hard, that I eventually started to avoid him when I saw him in school. I could totally understand how Catherine felt about her friend Jason, who is in a wheel chair, and her brother David. I still feel bad that I avoided a good friend just because I wasn't strong enough to deal with the teasing.

Although this sounds like it's a very serious book, it is filled with scenes that will make you laugh. The author has a great sense of humor and David's character does a lot of funny things. You'll love the chapter called, "No toys in the fish tank." Go ahead read it; I dare you not to laugh!