Foong Siu Yi Hong Kah Secondary School

(2011)

House Rules House Rules

Author: JODI PICOULT

Library call no. : English PIC

Information about the Information about the author author

Jodi Picoult, 44, has written a total of eighteen novels and she is a New York Times Bestseller Author and she has won many English writing awards. She is married and she has three children and they live in Hanover, New Hampshire .

Summary of plot Summary of plot -Emma (mother) gives birth to two sons, Jacob and Theo.- Jacob is a teenager who is born with Asperger’s Syndrome, while Theo is a normal teenager, one year younger than Jacob.-Jacob and Theo do not get along together quite well.

Summary of plot Summary of plot -Theo has to take care of Jacob and send him to his classes.-Jacob has his own private tutor, Jess.-One day, Jess is found dead and the police find the evidence of Jacob handprint.-The police go to Emma’s house and want to bring Jacob with them to the police station.

Summary of plot Summary of plot -Emma is startled and cannot believe that Jacob is capable of murder.-Emma at first cannot believe that Jacob has killed his own tutor.

Theme and link of the storyTheme and link of the storyTheme:-Family -Asperger’s -Society Link: The story is inspired by David, a cousin of the writer. He was adopted from an orphanage home and was brought up by her Aunt Nancy. David was also born with Asperger’s. He will sometimes have a meltdown and Aunt Nancy has to cool him down slowly. Jodi Picoult decided that with the autism rate peaking now – one out of a hundred kids is diagnosed on the spectrum – it was time to write a book that explores this very theme.

settingssettingsPlaces : London (United Kingdom)

Jacob: -He is an honest person and never tells lies-He likes things to be his way and in an orderly manner.-He is good in mathematics and science.-He lacks social communication skills.-His hobbies are solving mystery cases with his crime tracking device and watching crime shows .

Emma:-A divorced woman. She gives most of her attention to Jacob rather than Theo.-She is working as a counselor in the morning newspaper where there is a column called “ Dear Aunt Em”. Where she has to reply people who have troubles not only through newspapers but through letters too.-She is very patient and is a good mother who still loves her son even though he has Asperger’s Syndrome .

Theo:-He is a very caring and helpful younger brother who is willing to take of his older brother Jacob.-He was very lonely at times as he does not have any attention from his mother.-He hardly communicates with his mother.-He is quite good in science.

Oliver:-He is an police investigator.-He can solve mysteries very fast and he is also a good lawyer.-He has a daughter but is divorced from his wife.

ComplicationsComplications Emma and Theo has to fit themselves into Jacob’s world instead of forcing him into their world. When Jacob has a melt down, both Emma and Theo have to slowly cool Jacob down.

ClimaxClimax When Oliver gets a call from some cops, he rushes down to the scene and asks what is going on and asks the cop what evidence they found. The cop finds DNA prints matching Jacob. Oliver and his cops go to Emma’s house and tells Emma that they need to arrest Jacob for murdering his tutor Jess who is dead. Emma could not believe that her own son Jacob killed Jess. Jacob starts to act weirdly as the cops try to catch him. He starts to have a meltdown again.

Why The World Should Read This Why The World Should Read This Book? Book?

This is a very good book which can capture people’s attention very well and uses lots of descriptive words to express a person’s feelings, characters. Instead of telling, she shows. For example: he growls, and he lunges for his brother. This book also proves that a child with Asperger’s Syndrome isn’t a retarded kid but a smart kid like normal kids. They are just lacking in social communications skills with the outside world.

Why The World Should Read Why The World Should Read This Book? This Book?

Some other authors’ comments of this book: “can only be described as brilliant. Absolutely gripping, insightful and very sad.” –SHE Book of

the month“ Jodi Picoult’s novels often focus on lives turned upside down by some terrible event, and it’s her way with small emotional detail that makes them so rewarding.” – Marie Claire

Links:Links: http://www.jodipicoult.com/

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