Catherine is 12, and she’s praying that this summer will shape up to be a pretty normal one. She is hoping against hope that she can be best next-door-friends with her new neighbor Kristi – someone to go swimming and bike riding with all summer long. But before she can worry about that – before she can worry about anything – she has to contend with the challenges of watching after her autistic brother David. To help him understand how to act around other people, she has made up a list of rules he can remember, like “Not everything worth keeping has to be useful,” or “Sometimes people laugh when they like you. But sometimes they laugh to hurt you,” and “No toys in the fish tank.” She has always thought of herself as understanding when it comes to David’s disability, but when Catherine meets a boy named Jason at her brother’s occupational therapy office he challenges her perceptions. Catherine has to question her own fears and understanding of what is normal? For young readers curious about autism and other disabilities, this book takes an insightful look at the quality of human emotions and dreams that are common to everyone, and thoughtfully questions our own prejudices against and discomfort with those who act or look differently than we do. Catherine's worries and hopes for acceptance are believable and she is realistically conflicted about the resentment she feels toward David.
"Catherine is an appealing and believable character, acutely self-conscious and torn between her love for her brother and her resentment of his special needs. Middle-grade readers will recognize her longing for acceptance and be intrigued by this exploration of dealing with differences.” - Kirkus Reviews
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