Tuesday, June 1, 2010

June's Group Read is...


House Rules by Jodi Picoult! Thanks for the suggestions and voting!

Description from Goodreads.com

HOUSE RULES is about Jacob Hunt, a teenage boy with Asperger’s Syndrome. He’s hopeless at reading social cues or expressing himself well to others, and like many kids with AS, Jacob has a special focus on one subject – in his case, forensic analysis. He’s always showing up at crime scenes, thanks to the police scanner he keeps in his room, and telling the cops what they need to do…and he’s usually right. But then one day his tutor is found dead, and the police come to question him. All of the hallmark behaviors of Asperger’s – not looking someone in the eye, stimulatory tics and twitches, inappropriate affect – can look a heck of a lot like guilt to law enforcement personnel -- and suddenly, Jacob finds himself accused of murder. HOUSE RULES looks at what it means to be different in our society, how autism affects a family, and how our legal system works well for people who communicate a certain way – but lousy for those who don’t.

Suprisingly, as much as I love Jodi Picoult I have not read her last two books. I think I got a tad burned out on them being basically the same, but I am interested in this book because I have spent a lot of time working with students with Autism and it is very fascinating.


Have you read any other books by the author? Do you know a lot of information on Autism? If not check out Autism Speaks for more info!

6 comments:

crystal said...

I have been wanting to read this book for a while now, so this is exciting! I am a bit ambiguous about Piccoult; I loved My Sister's Keeper but I just don't think any of her other books have lived up to that one. I do think she does a really good job at researching the topics that she writes about though, so I am hopeful that she portrays Asperger's as true to form also. We shall see... :)

The Many Thoughts of a Reader said...

@ crystal..

that is funny because of the books i've read my sister's keeper was not one of my favorites!

Lisa from Lisa's Yarns said...

When I saw this was a front runner, I requested it from the library... I am like the 1100th person in line for this book. Ay yi yi. My sister owns it so I am hoping she'll lend it to me so I can participate! She isn't a turbo reader like me, though, so we'll see...

I am kind of ambivalent about Piccoult. I liked My Sister's Keeper and Nineteen Minutes, but I did not like The Pact. Sometimes the court scenes get a bit drawn out for me and I am like - hurry up, already...

Unknown said...

I've read like all of her books! She's amazing, love the drama in her books and twisting story lines:-)

Haven't read that one yet tho! On my list:-)

Amber @ A Little Pink in the Cornfields said...

My favorite part about this book is how much I learned about autism and aspergers disease! I always learn something new with JP's books, but this one was especially interesting. Probably because I'm hoping to be a special education teacher! :)
Happy reading everyone! :)

Amber said...

Oooh exciting! I am going to request this book from my library right now!

I'm currently reading The Pact by Jodi Picoult. It's OK so far but by far my FAV book by her is Nineteen Minutes. I ate that book up so fast, it was awesome!