Wouldn't life be great if everybody acted according to the same rules? Catherine sure thinks so, and she's written up rules for her brother to follow. No toys in the fishtank. Always knock on the bathroom door. Because David has autism, and he needs to hear these rules over and over. Catherine just wants him to act normal around other people, particularly around the new girl who moved in next door (and has definite friend-potential) and around the kid who makes fun of David all the time. But the new girl next door might not be worth a friendship, and the boy she never looked twice at might turn out to be more interesting than she suspected--because real life doesn't always follow the Rules. 
 The above is the main crux of this story, but underneath the coming-to-terms-with-my-brother's-condition story there's also the story of a girl trying to find a place in a family centered on the disability. There are parts that made me laugh. There are parts that made me cringe. There are parts that made me tear up and wish the best for these characters. 
 Will be suggesting for the 7th grade Lit Circles class.