Rules Are Rules

By Julie Scandora

What do you do when your heart bids you take one path but everyone else says take another? In Rules Are Rules, 9-year-old Maya faces this dilemma. With help, she discovers that the answer is neither... This description may be from another edition of this product.

• Format: Hardcover
• Language: English
• ISBN: 1887542647
• ISBN13: 9781887542647
• Release Date: May 2008
• Publisher: Scandora
• Length: 32 Pages
• Weight: 0.82 lbs.
• Dimensions: 8.5" x 0.3" x 11.3"
• Age Range: 3 years and up
• Grade Range: Preschool and higher

Customer Reviews

A children's book that covers its topic delicately and with empathy.

I liked this book very much. It was very professionally done. The paper quality was excellent. The watercolor illustrations were nice. And they definitely complemented the well thought out text that traversed the 32 pages in the book. As I read the book I could imagine a woman reading it to her 4 or 5 year old son or daughter and sharing the pictures with the child as she read. I could imagine the child having questions about what was being said. Basically I visualized a parent child "session" that would benefit the child greatly, and further build a bond between parent and child. Just lovely. The story is about a little girl who doesn't particularly like her aunt who she doesn't know all that well. And her mother wants her to treat her aunt as though she really likes her. So what was the little girl to do? In 32 pages the author covers this material so delicately and with empathy. There were a couple of instances where the text included poor grammar or word choice. And maybe some different illustrations could have made the book a little more perky? But this is a good book and I highly recommend it. 5 stars!

A Great Lesson Learned!

I have to say, as I read this story I definitely could relate to Maya, as I'm sure many children and adults will too. This little girl has a problem, one she desperately needs help with. She is told to follow a rule, but what happens when a rule makes you feel uncomfortable? Should you still have to follow it? Maya sits quietly in her forest and ponders what to do. She finds wisdom and is able to talk freely with a kindly woman friend and Maya musters up the courage to talk with her mom about this rule, and give her idea of a possible solution. "Rules Are Rules" is a very good book. The author blends the calmness that nature can bring into the child's life, the understanding that it is a good idea to talk with someone, and the realization they can come up with a possible solution. The watercolor illustrations add depth to the read and definitely help bring the story to life.

Excellent solution to a problem that all children face

Maya is a girl with a problem that every child faces. There are certain relatives that they have to hug and kiss and they don't want to. They do not dislike the relative; it is just that they feel uncomfortable in demonstrating that type of affection. In this case, Maya's problem is with Aunt Trudy. She doesn't like Trudy's perfume and she thinks that Trudy squeezes her too hard. In an attempt to cope, Maya retreats into the forest and listens to the birds chirping out their songs. She believes that the birds are telling her, "Chuck the RULES-rules-RULES." Eventually she finds her way to the home of kindly Mrs. Morales, who talks over the problem with her. After a bit of thought, Maya goes home and tells her parents the problem. There is some discussion and it is agreed that Maya will make Aunt Trudy a welcoming card rather than engage in displays of physical affection. This makes everyone happy and the problem is solved. This book is a demonstration of two things that are very important to children. The first is that they need to talk to their parents about their problems rather than let them fester and expand. The second is that sometimes a solution can be found if you talk about it with someone else and think about alternatives. In nearly all cases there is a simple alternative, as is demonstrated so well in this book.

fine children's book teaching the importance of thinking to solve problems--BRAVO, JULIE SCANDORA !!

Julie Scandora's first children's book, Rules Are Rules, tells the touching story of a young girl's path to resolving a problem she must face. For Maya, the young child in this story, the rules must be kept with precision. Of course, Maya is angry and upset about this because there's one rule in particular that she just can't stand. The story begins when Maya is angry and upset in her hiding place in the forest; she's so unpleasant that even the forest animals avoid her. Eventually the peaceful qualities of the forest sooth Maya; and when her mood lightens the forest animals come back and enjoy their lives. However, Maya is still grappling with a problem. Maya meets her old friend, Mrs. Morales, as Maya is walking in the forest. Maya knows that this elderly woman is both kind and wise; so Maya decides to tell Mrs. Morales what is troubling her. It seems there is a rule that Maya must always kiss and hug her Auth Trudy when Trudy comes to visit. Maya hates that because she doesn't like smelling like Aunt Trudy's perfume and besides Aunt Trudy holds her too tight. Mrs. Morales gives Maya space and nonjudgmental acceptance as she listens gently to Maya's dilemma. Maya begins to think that there may be a way out of this dilemma. That night Maya gets up the courage to tell her parents she doesn't like to be touched by Aunt Trudy; and after some discussion Maya and her parents work out an arrangement. Instead of having to hug and kiss Aunt Trudy; Maya will make her a card and merely give it to Aunt Trudy. That way Maya's Aunt Trudy feels good vibes from her niece at the same time that Maya is spared the uncomfortable feelings of being around Aunt Trudy. This book does a marvelous job of encouraging children to find creative solutions to problems that hurt no one at all. This is a powerful lesson for children of many ages. This book is a great experience if you read it along with your children, too; they may have questions about their own problems and dilemmas that can be discussed as you both go through this book. In addition, the watercolor illustrations are outstanding; they make for a beautiful book especially with those very attractive front and back covers. Julie Scandora's first children's book is a must-have for children learning about coping skills. This book shows children how to deal with their own feelings and those of others as they find new or creative solutions to their problems. I highly recommend this children's book.

Here are the tools to help keep your kids safe.

This is a lovely book. But it's more than that. It's a book that gives children the tools to be safe when mom and dad can't be nearby. In this day and age, tools like this are priceless. It's written in story form. So kids are getting instructions in a manner that they feel is just being told what to do. They get a lovely story and pictures but it all helps them to know how to stay safe from harm. Highly recommended. -Susanna K. Hutcheson