Fiction Friday - Dog Edition

Thank you Amanda from The Teaching Thief for inspiring this doggy edition post!

Meet my personal reading support team. They have approved the following review.

Rain Reign by Ann M. Martin

This was a beautiful story told from the main character's point of view. She is an eleven- year -old girl named Rose. Rose is a high-functioning autistic girl that comes from a single parent home. She is being raised by her father who does very little to understand her.

Rose loves homonyms. She can tell a story and every time (thyme) she hears (here's) a new (knew, gnu) homonym she must write (right, rite, wright) it down. Rose is also obsessed with rules. Rose isn't very liked at school because she tends to point out when other kids and adults break rules. Ann M. Martin does an excellent job integrating Rose's love of homonyms and rules with the story line.  It adds to who Rose is.

Rose has a dog named Rain (Reign) who is one of her few sources of unconditional love. Rain is Rose's companion and the one who ultimately helps her connect to her emotions. Rain gets lost when Rose's dad lets her out during a storm. When Rain is finally found the plot takes an unexpected turn. Rose knows she has to do the right thing (it's a rule).

Overall thoughts: This book didn't seem to be about autism or trying to say this is what an autistic child thinks or feels. It is a book about family, fears, hopes, loneliness, and all those emotions that make kids and adults want to read more.