Whose closet does this remind you of?

House Rules - 4nd set of questions/answers

1. Jacob cannot stand sudden loud noises, bright lights, etc. The prosecutor knows this and purposefully crumples paper at the end of her opening statement which has the expected effect of freaking Jacob out.
2. Theo runs away to visit his father, hoping to have someone to talk to about all that is going on and his involvement in it. Before he can even say anything, his father offers him a quick fix by handing him money. This is so absurd even for a teenager that Theo bursts out laughing, probably thinking how wrong he was to come and how wrong he was to leave his mother, the only parent who ever cared about him. On the trip back Emma and Theo spend some much-needed alone time together.
3. Even in families that are not broken by divorce, the father often is not involved in the day-to-day activities of raising children, so the line, "You’re either a father twenty-four/seven or not at all" is not true in my opinion, though it would be great if it were like that.
4. After all is said and done - the fact that Jacob says he would do it all over again speaks volumes. He would endure all the emotions and trauma of court to have it come out favorably. But also by saying that, Jacob admits to not learning anything from the experience, that if only he had made it clear from the beginning what his involvement was, or if only he had called the police at the moment he found the body. But the "if onlys" would mean no trial, no story, no book, so just glad that all is well that ends well.

~posted by Susan of patchwork reflections

House Rules - 3nd set of questions/answers

1. Jacob cannot stand hair hanging down loose, so in order to avoid a reaction, people who know this about Jacob will wear their hair up with a ponytail holder.
2. The story is written from the perspective of several different characters - at first I liked this because I get see what everyone is thinking, like you said - from different perspectives - but then I found myself just reading through without looking at the title (person's name) of the chapter or section, and have to turn back to see who is talking now, so it is kind of distracting.
3. Both Theo and Jacob do things to try to have a "real home" (mostly Theo, with his breaking into other people's homes to pretend he is part of their family). I think he wishes he had a normal brother, but most of all a father which would complete the family and make things more normal.
4. Jacob says being on the other side of dead isn’t that different from having Asperger’s. He is at the time sitting beside (shoulder to shoulder) with the dear departed Jess. He is thinking that she has gone to another place, like he goes to another place when he is having a meltdown or just needs to space out to get away from all external stimuli.
5. Mark is a suspect in the death of Jess, his girlfriend until Jacob is presented as a more likely suspect. That happens because Emma sees on the news where Jess is found, her body covered by Jacob's quilt. Maybe this is just hindsight, but I believe Emma should have questioned Jacob more before calling the police, should have asked him specific questions - she knows more than anyone else how to get information out of her son.
6. Jacob obviously needs the accommodations provided to him by the school and court in order to be able to function in those settings, to put him on a more even playing field with everyone else. I think it is fair to request these special accommodations to allow the one with Asperger's to interact with his peers instead of just labeling them 'special ed' and isolating them.
7. Jacob is taken to the police station and questioned, he has already been tricked into this Rich who told Jacob he needed some help solving old cases. Rich offers Jacob some old Halloween candy, but Jacob says it is not gluten-free, "Do you have any Skittles?" Luckily for Rich there are Skittles handy, so the questioning can proceed.

~posted by Susan of patchwork reflections

House Rules - 2nd set of questions/answers

1. Tea bags are mentioned a few times in the story. Theo likes tea and he makes his mother, Emma, a cup of tea when she arrives home after leaving Jacob locked up in jail. This reminds Theo of the cup of tea he had at Jess's house the last time he saw her.


2. I don't think Theo has it worse than Jacob, he will grow up and move out of the house and which will end the constant daily interaction with Jacob.


3. Of course Emma loves both of her sons equally, but cannot give Theo as much attention as Jacob, obviously. I empathize with Emma, it would be great if she could spend more time with Theo, but she can only do so much…


4. Krazy Glue is used to get fingerprints off of objects.

~posted by Susan of patchwork reflections

House Rules - 1st set of questions/answers

Hi all, Susan here - a newcomer to Book Buddies - thanks for welcoming me into your club! I am a follower of Bonnie's Books and when she posted about this online book club it sounded like fun and House Rules sounded very interesting. I got the book and read the first 1/4 per Bonnie's instructions. Then on to the questions - wow, just like in school, it's been a long time! The questions highlighted my lack of retention. (Note to self - look at questions before reading next time.) Okay, so this is still fun, I like the teacher - I mean Bonnie! - and here is my first set of answers:

1. Jacob really hates the color orange, it stands for hazard or danger.


2. In the opening scene, Jacob has been murdered because he stole the sneakers of his brother, Theo.


3. Why would anyone want to be friends with kids who are nasty to anyone, especially people like Jacob (or me).


4. Jacob's list of 12 things he can't stand are logical to a point, they are things that upset order, invade his space, over stimulate him, or are hurtful, but I am puzzled about even numbers - what is wrong with them? Let's see, things I can't stand - arguing, clutter, waiting.


5. I like the five rules of the house, especially #1! Rules don't always work in every situation - there are always exceptions, which is something that has to be learned and probably hard for Jacob to rationalize.


6. Emma works at home writing an advice column now, she used to be a textbook editor.


7. Before becoming a lawyer, Oliver traveled around working as a farrier's apprentice.


8. In the book, all Monday food is green, all Tuesday food is red, all Wednesday food is yellow. I don't know what Thursday is yet, but Friday is blue - I remember Theo saying (or thinking) that the only good thing about Friday food being blue is the blueberry pie. For the life of me I cannot think of another blue food! Eating by color sounds like fun at first, but after thinking about it, it might be hard to come up with some foods. Green is easy - beans, peas, lettuce, broccoli. Red - tomatoes, spaghetti sauce. Yellow - lemon pie, squash, corn. I am getting hungry now!


9. Movie quotes: What we got here is a failure to communicate (Cool Hand Luke); You talkin' to me? (Taxi Driver); Snap out of it!(Moonstruck); Heeeeer's Johnny (The Shining); Pay no attention to the man behind the curtain (Wizard of Oz).

~posted by Susan of patchwork reflections

I am headed to the Essencia Island party but not sure of the directions on how to get there. It has been a while since I have been to one of the island parties but oh the breeze will be worth it on a hot day like this.

Wonder who will be there?

Lynne

It's party time!

Nobuddy has (yet) come to the party.  Please join me on Essencia Island by clicking here.

House Rules - Chapters 10 and 11 (pgs 446-532)

Finished! I liked the book, but not as much as others here and at The Book Nook did. I figured out the mystery of Jess' death in Chapter 4. I had thought I'd be wrong and Jodi would throw a curve with some details I'd missed. It was frustrating to me that no one ever asked Jacob how Jess died, given how much he loves solving murders. The more interesting part of the book for me was the details about Asperger's Symdrome, both living with AS and living with someone who has AS.

In Case 10: Woodn't You Like To Get Away With Murder?, Richard Craft kills his wife and leaves very little evidence, but one missed detail leads to a trail of evidence against him. Jacob's detail is the iPod, which lead to the true events of Jess' death coming out into the open.

Henry really is there. He want to do the right thing and be there for Jacob and Emma. Emma is argumentative. The house rule are reiterated as another clue to the reader. Emma knows deep inside that a jury will not decide Jacob is not guilty.

Jacob asks Theo for help with his tie. He's tried so hard and succeeded to overcome his AS symptoms and do something he knows needs to be done. Jacob remember his father from back when he lived with them. We learn that AS is like being bombarded with sensory stimulation. I did not know that apples could rust. The first day Jacob met Jess, she taught him how someone else felt in a situation by putting him in the same situation. Jacob thinks Jess is the best teacher he's ever had and she would have understood what he did.

Oliver is really into Emma. He's focused on getting Jacob off. Then he sees Henry. Jacob doesn't like that Helen has her hair down, it's making him anxious and he thinks it's a bad omen. Jacob tells Oliver again to make sure to tell the jury the truth. Oliver tells the jury about AS and Jacob in his opening statement. He says Jacob doesn't understand what he did to Jess was wrong. Jacob writes to Oliver that he has to tell the jury what he did was right.

Theo realizes the Oliver likes Emma and Emma might like him too. Theo tries to talk to Henry but he doesn't respond well. Jacob's regular psychologist testifies about what AS is and how it manifest in Jacob. She explains why Jacob has acted violently in the past. She says that's likely what happened with Jess. Jacob stands up and denies it. There is a sensory break. Theo doesn't go. Theo thinks about Jacob not trying to help him before, that he only wants to help himself. Wrong! Another clue. Jacob is trying to help Theo. Possibly only because it is one of the house rules.

Jacob doesn't know why his psychologist said that and why Oliver isn't telling the truth. He feels like he's trapped in a nightmare. Jacob tells Emma that he didn't loss his temper with Jess and that he didn't mean to hurt her, referring, of course, to the bruises he made dragging her to the culvert and the tooth he knocked out getting her downstairs. Emma assumes that he's says he hurt Jess but didn't mean it. Helen tries to point out that diagnosis AS is a judgment call and maybe Jacob doesn't have AS.

Jacob's guidance counselor testifies. Court adjourns. Oliver makes an excuse to go to the Hunts. He tries to get Emma to ride there with him, but she refuses. Jacob rides with Oliver. Jacob tell Oliver he is not autistic, he has autism. Henry says he's staying until the trial is over. Emma offers to let him stay at the house. Oliver is jealous. Jacob walks in on them kissing as they make up. He's runs off.

Jacob is angry because he thinks if Emma likes Oliver she won't be focused on his trial. Emma slap him. She apologizes and says she didn't mean to hurt him. She realizes that maybe that's what happened to Jess. Henry talks to Emma when they both can't sleep that night. They come to an understanding and a truce. Emma thinks about the only other time she remembers blowing up at Jacob. Then she realizes he would never understand love.

Oliver and Jacob talk. Oliver tells Jacob liking Emma only makes him want to win Jacob's case more. A forensic psychologist testifies. There is a sensory break. Jacob thinks everyone is lying about him. He just wants to tell the truth. He didn't want Jess to die. It wasn't his fault. It was an accident. Emma thinks he killed Jess by accident. At this point, I start thinking that Emma is going to admit to Jacob killing Jess by accident. Jacob is going to stand up and say that he didn't kill Jess. But Jodi will pull a twist and Jacob will go to jail for creating a crime scene and not coming forward that he didn't kill Jess.

Emma does admit that Jacob killed Jess by accident. Jacob is happy that Emma told the jury the truth. Jacob think that he's not obsessed with violent crime, he's obsessed with solving it. The judge wants to stay in court longer to finish Emma's testimony. Jacob is anxious because it is close to 4:30 when CrimeBusters is on. Jacob has a major meltdown and Emma is unable to answer whether she thinks Jacob killed Jess. Jacob is put in a holding cell and talks to Rich about the case.

Jacob wants to testify. Oliver says no and tries to rest his case. Jacob insists on testifying, as is his right to make that decision. Jacob tells about creating the crime scene to make it look like Mark tried to make it look like Jess was kidnapped because Mark killed Jess. He says there isn't much to tell about Jess' death, when asked. He says he's not sorry for killing her because he knows in his head that he didn't kill her. But it looks like he's saying he did. I wonder if Jacob thinks he's on trial for creating the crime scene. If so, why is he admitting it. Doesn't Jacob realize they think he killed Jess. Why doesn't he say he didn't and that she was dead when he got there. The attorneys make their closing statements.

The jury deliberates for three days. Jacob comes to terms with Oliver dating Emma. Emma feels like she's saying goodbye to Jacob. Then it is Theo's birthday. Theo thinks everyone will forget, but they don't. Jacob has a gift for Theo and no one knows what it is or why he got Theo something as Jacob doesn't give gifts usually. Jacob gives Theo Jess's iPod. I thought he was keeping it to keep evidence of Theo killing Jess suppressed. Does Jacob think no one will know it's Jess' iPod. Then the truth about Jess' accidental death come out and the truth about Jacob setting up a crime scene to protect Theo. They head to court to explain what happened and we are left to assume Jacob gets off. This is a rather upbeat ending from Jodi. Usually her books end sad.

Next book, I'm taking notes as I'm reading, =) instead of flipping through the long chapters of this book and posting as I go.

Jodi Picoult wrote to us!

Hi all, I'm so glad to hear you're reading House Rules and hope it sparks some great discussion.  Many thanks for choosing to read my novel, when there are so many great ones out there!

Jodi

Bonnie's note:  I emailed Jodi Picoult this afternoon, and five minutes later -- yes, 5 minutes later -- she sent back this message for us.

House Rules ~ fourth set of discussion questions

1.  What does a crumpled piece of paper have to do with the story?
2.  How does Theo’s interaction with his father in San Francisco change his attitude toward Henry?  Why does he erupt into laughter when Henry offers him a few twenty-dollar bills?  Is the short trip also a turning point for Emma?
3.  "You’re either a father twenty-four/seven or not at all" (p. 448).  Is Emma being fair to Henry?  What does House Rules have to say about parenthood and its responsibilities?
4.  The final case study in the book — "Case 11: My Brother’s Keeper" — outlines the events that occurred in the course of the novel.  It ends with a single line:  "I’d do it all over again" (p. 531).  Does this line reveal anything new about Jacob?  Does it change your feelings toward him in any way?
5.  What did you know about autism and AS before reading House Rules?   Did the novel challenge your views on the subject, or on disability more generally?  Is it an educational book?

House Rules - Chapter 9 (pgs 379-445)

Only one chapter left to go, I think. So I should finish the book tonight. Then I can see if my theory is anywhere near correct.

In Case 9: Pajama Game, Jeffrey MacDonald was convicted because his story of the events that lead to his wife and daughter's murder didn't match the evidence. Some thing(s) about this case are bound to not match the evidence since a crime scene was set up that wasn't the actual crime scene. Indeed, I believe there was no crime at all. Just a crime scene that Jacob created to protect Theo.

lol @ Jacob in the yellow pimp suit. If it is that much trouble to get him into dressy clothes, how do they expect him to stay in them willingly. Theo tries to tell Emma what he knows about that happened the day Jess died, but she assumes his concerns are about something else. Emma wears a yellow dress to help Jacob better deal with not wearing yellow on Yellow Wednesday. I don't think it was noted before now that Jacob also wore the color of the day as well as ate it.

Jacob remembers being fired from his first job for not wearing the uniform due to certain color days. Prior to telling his boss about his AS, he had made excuses about this for several weeks with no trouble. It was only after Jacob told him that he was fired. No one anticipates the reporters at the courthouse. Jacob has a meltdown and flees. Oliver has to tackle him. Jacob closes his eyes and they all sing and that gets Jacob through the reporters and into the courthouse without another meltdown. Jacob realizes the Oliver thinks why he's not guilty is not the same as the truth. Jacob remembers calling a girl out for lying in his social skills class. It's very important to Jacob not to lie. He remembers practicing with Jess asking a girl to a dance. He's not doing a very good job until he really opens up and asks Jess herself to the dance. Jess is so happy about the sweetness of his declaration, thinking he is just practicing, that she hugs him. Jacob lets her and he likes the hug. Jacob cares for Jess in the ways that he can. It seems even clearer that he wouldn't hurt her.

Helen Sharp, possible last named so by Jodi because of her harshness in attitude, the prosecuting attorney, crumples a piece of paper in her opening argument, setting Jacob off into a meltdown because he can't stand paper to be crumpled and not folded. It seems like Helen might be aware of this fact and might have done this to set Jacob off to show the jury how easy it is to do and how erratic and possibly violent Jacob acts when it happens. Jacob just wants to paper smoothed. Emma doesn't want to be pitied for having a child like Jacob, she would not pity someone else for the same. But she hates that she might be pitied for having a child who is a murder because she would pity someone else who did. Notice that Emma thinks "if Jacob is a murderer" here, not "if Jacob were a murderer". Despite Emma saying she believed Jacob when he said he did not kill Jess when she asked him, it seems she still has her doubts. Emma worried about what kind of child she's raised. Oliver makes sure the paper is smoothed for Jacob to calm him down.

Jacob hates Mark. Did Jacob frame Mark because of this. Mark distracts Jess from Jacob during their sessions. Jacob assumes he is boring her. He thinks he likes her. He is hurt. Jess wants Jacob to meet Mark. They all go skiing. Jacob thinks Mark is good with people, specifically girls, but not smart. Jacob hates Mark because he is then unsure if Jess is truly his friend. Mark calls Jacob retarded. Mark testifies. He says he's hung out with Jacob several times but paid little attention to him. Jacob has noticed that Mark abuses Jess physically. Oliver gets Mark to admit that the bruised on Jess' neck are from where he choked her the morning she died.

A CSI testifies that Jacob's fingerprint was found in the kitchen and Mark's boot prints were found outside the window where it was set up to look like a break in. Jacob points out to Oliver that Luminol can have a false positive with reacting the bleach.

After an inappropriate reaction to the ME's testimony, Jacob has a sensory break. During it, he comment that he would have killed to be at the autopsy. Oliver asks under his breath did you. Oliver thinks Jacob may have actually killed Jess.

Rich returns to the narrative. Its seems like Rich and Emma aren't to be at this point. I still don't like Rich. Rich presents Jacob's journal entry about Jess' crime scene. He says that no one would know all that except the police and the killer. Or someone who set up the crime scene, as we know Jacob has admitted to doing. During a sensory break, Jacob is proud that the cops have figured out his crime scene and thinks that Oliver is doing a good job. Emma and Oliver are more and more worried about the outcome of the trial. Oliver points out in court that perhaps the journal entry is Jacob trying to help solve the case. But then it is reveal that Jacob wrote at the end of the journal entry "solved: me" and underlined it ten times.

Theo tells Jacob after dinner that night that he was there the day Jess died. Jacob tells Theo he knows and that's why he did it. Theo thinks Jacob killed Jess to protect him. Jess was alive when he left. Jacob thinks Theo killed Jess and set up the crime scene to protect him. Jess was dead when he got there. It seems like there was a small window of time between Theo leaving and Jess being alive and Jacob seeing Theo and finding Jess dead. I'm still going with Jess slipped and fell.

Jacob watches a home video of himself before the AS manifested, back when he was normal. Midway through the video, it has been taped over with Jacob's prom date. Jess is on the tape. Jacob is watching to see Jess again. Jacob realizes he might have done something wrong. I think this is covering for Theo, not killing Jess.

Emma can't sleep that night. She imagines life if Jacob were a normal boy. She goes to see Oliver. He is writing his opening statement. He's having a hard time with it. They admit their worries and fears about Jacob's trial and their lives. Oliver tells Emma how he feels. Then he makes a move. Emma lets him. They spend the night together. Emma feels everything might be okay then. I am so happy about this. I felt sure Jodi wouldn't end up pairing Emma and Oliver together, even though to me they seem to be a well-matched pair.

Emma and Oliver go to Emma's house in the morning and discover that Henry is there.

HR ~ accommodations for Jacob

Jennifer posted in her reading notes of chapter 8:

"Oliver gets four of the the five concessions he asked the judge for."

This gets us into the discussion I had in mind when I asked in question #6:

"Oliver requests accommodations for Jacob in court.  Do they seem fair? The first five minutes of the trial show the constant vigilance needed to keep Jacob from having a meltdown and how much Emma does know about her son.  Let's talk about the kind of provisions made for Jacob at home, at school, in the wider community, and in court.  Do you think they are excessive, inadequate, appropriate, fair or unfair?"

What were those concessions Oliver got for Jacob?  What did the judge NOT allow?

Changing the subject (slightly).  Did you notice that the judge also quotes something from a movie, after Jacob does?  In Oliver's section (see page 195), Jacob is being dragged out of court, shouting:

I look from her to my client, who has gone boneless and is being dragged out a different door.  "Take your stinking paws off me, you damned dirty ape!" Jacob yells.

The judge narrows his eyes at me.

"It's from Planet of the Apes," I mutter.

"I'm mad as hell, and I'm not going to take this anymore," he replies.  "That's from Network.  I highly recommend you watch the movie after you get your client under control."

House Rules - Chapter 8 (pgs 335-378)

I'm admit that I wanted to get my comments on Chapter 8 posted so I can continue reading on and finish House Rules. I've lost interest a bit and want to pick it back up before I end up moving on to another book. There really hasn't been much more on the "mystery" of Jess' death yet so perhaps that is why.

In Case 8: One in Six Billion, Gary Ridgway is caught because of technology advances that pinned the murders conclusively on him. Jacob conclusively admits to setting up Jess' crime scene in his journals.

Oliver is preparing for the trail at the Hunts and watching Jacob. Theo is secretive and testy. Oliver discovers the Jacob wrote about Jess in his CrimeBusters journals. I am assuming Jacob wrote how he set up the crime scene. Did Jacob really just think that Jess' death was a just chance for him to set up a crime scene for real. No, I don't think so. I think Jacob had his reasons for doing what he did, other than an obsessive hobby.

Then Theo is gone. lol @ Theo thinking he'd need a passport to go from New England to CA. We now know that Theo didn't kill Jess. The way Theo lies to and acts with the nice grandma on the plane show Theo trying on the kind of live he could have had.

Jacob finds out that Theo went to CA via his computer. Jacob relates the time he slept outside of Theo's room to convince him that there was no dinosaur in the house because he wants to get a full night's sleep. Emma think it's because Jacob loves Theo and is trying to make him feel protected. Jacob seem to understand what emotions are and when people have them but he cannot do anything to change them so he doesn't care. Jacob basically says that he was looking out for himself in the case of Jess' death but that is was also good for someone else too.

Oliver pays for Emma's same day airline ticket to CA with money he doesn't have. He is surprised the Henry doesn't know about Jacob's arrest and upcoming trial. He says he'll watch Jacob. I'm surprise Jacob isn't more upset about Emma's absence considering he doesn't like changes to his routine.

Emma reminisces about meeting and dating Henry. Henry sounds like he might be somewhere on the high function end of the Autism spectrum himself. Not picking up emotional cues, talking about lots of detailed facts, and having a set routine. Emma and Henry clearly still have issues with each other. Emma meets Henry's wife and daughters and think this should have been her life with him.

Oliver wants the jury to be able to see AS in actions so he takes Jacob to court to set up his rights under the disabilities act. Oliver gets four of the the five concessions he asked the judge for.

Theo sleeps in one of Henry's daughter's rooms. She didn't know she had a brother. He does not tell her about Jacob. Henry's study is magazine perfect, not lived in. Theo wants to impress his father with the young man he's become in hopes that his father would regret not knowing him. His father has no response and tries to give him money. See suspicion above of Henry having Autism. Henry gives Emma money for that trial. Emma and Theo imagine vacationing in Hawaii as a family, which will never happen because of Jacob.

Jacob talks to a shrink who will testify in court about him. Jacob has inappropriate and misleading responses. Jacob thinks it is wrong to kill someone but can't admit it because it would be breaking another rule. Here might be a tie-in to the title, House Rules, because one of the house rules is "take care of your brother, he's the only one you've got". Jacob thinks he's helping Theo.

Jacob gets to set up a crime scene as a reward for a good grade. Oliver thinks it's creepy that Jacob does this and where he chooses to set up the crime scene. Oliver keys into Jacob's saying he was following the rules when he met with the court psychologist. Oliver insists that Jacob has to dress appropriately in court. Emma confesses to upsetting Jacob on purpose before his court psychologist appointment.

This chapter seemed to be more about Emma and Theo and what they were living through, with some insights on Jacob.

Bonnie's answer to #5 ~ third set of DQs for HR

5.  The evidence points to Mark as a suspect.  He claims he’s innocent.  What does Emma see on the news that changes everything?  How would you react?  Would you call the police?

I've given this a lot of thought and even discussed it with "Book Buddy Donna," my best friend.  I have decided that I would have to talk it over with my child first.  At the very least, I think I would have talked to a lawyer before putting my child into the hands of the system or, as Emma presumed, a policeman.  On the other hand, I remember talking with my children about drugs one day, probably when they were in their early teens.  One of them turned to me, with the eyes of all three looking at me, and said, "If you caught us with drugs, you'd turn us in, wouldn't you?"  I immediately said, "Yes."  But decades later I am still thinking about it.  What would I have done, really?

My reasoning then -- and every time I have explained it to others (and myself) since then -- was that "Yes" was the only possible answer.  If I had hemmed and hawed and said, "Well, I don't know," then I might as well have said, "You go right ahead and experiment with all the drugs you please."  As long as my children thought I was absolutely, positively against it, I hoped they would think twice before trying it.  As far as I know, they left the stuff alone.  Or if any of them tried anything at all, they kept it well hidden.

Emma, of course, was faced with the dilemma of whether her son could have committed murder.  In her (fictional) case, it wasn't a matter of stating what she WOULD do, but of deciding what she MUST do.  She knew without a doubt that Jacob had been there, that he had wrapped the victim in his own multi-colored quilt.  Was she afraid that he HAD killed her?  Whether she thought it could have been by accident or not, she had to have wondered.

On the other hand, she obviously came to regret doing it the way she did.  Emma was more trusting of Rich than she should have been, and even she could see that later.  What do you think would have been the best way to handle this situation?  Yes, we can use hindsight here, so what do you think?

HR ~ third set of DQs

Shirley's answers to third set of DQs

1. What does a ponytail holder have to do with the story?

One of the things Jacob appreciated about Jess was that she realized that loose hair bothered him so wore her hair in a ponytail.

2. House Rules is written from the perspective of several different characters, each taking turns to narrate a chapter. Does this technique work for you?

I like not only getting the different perspectives, but that the book clearly indicates who the narrator is.

3. Theo breaks into houses and Jacob saves the Christmas cards. Both boys are trying to have the same thing -- what they consider to be a real home. What makes their home not a “real” home to them? What do they want?

It is as if AS is the focal point of their lives rather than their relationships with each other. However, I am impressed with how well Emma has done for her family. The boys realize the stress that AS has put in their lives and would like the focus to be on each of them instead (every child wants to be their mother's favorite child).

4. On page 146, Jacob says being on the other side of dead isn’t that different from having Asperger’s. What do you think he means by that?

The inability/difficulty to communicate with the living is possibly the comparison between the dead and persons with AS.

5. The evidence points to Mark as a suspect. He claims he’s innocent. What does Emma see on the news that changes everything? How would you react? Would you call the police?

Seeing Jacob's quilt at the crime scene makes Emma aware of his probably involvement. I'd have talked to Jacob before calling the police. I'd then try to call a lawyer.

6. Mark Maguire thinks Asperger's Syndrome is a "Get Out of Jail Free card" (page 285). Oliver requests accommodations for Jacob in court. Do they seem fair? The first five minutes of the trial show the constant vigilance needed to keep Jacob from having a meltdown and how much Emma does know about her son. Let's talk about the kind of provisions made for Jacob at home, at school, in the wider community, and in court. Do you think they are excessive, inadequate, appropriate, fair or unfair?

I think the allowances being made for Jacob seem appropriate even though the ones in court still need to come around. Although society cannot afford to accomodate everyone's special needs, I do think that when possible accomodations should be made and at least an understanding should be attempted on the differences that others confront in life.

7. What do Skittles have to do with the story?

Ditto to Lynne's answer. Glad to have you join us, Lynne!

Shirley

Lynne's answers to third set of DQs

1. What does a ponytail holder have to do with the story?

A ponytail holder is important in the story because Jacob hates loose hair and this a good solution to the problem.

2.House Rules is written from the perspective of several different characters, each taking turns to narrate a chapter. Does this technique work for you?

This works very well for me. I would like to see more books written this way.

3. Theo breaks into houses and Jacob saves the Christmas cards. Both boys are trying to have the same thing-what they consider to be a real home. What makes their home not a "real" home to them? What do they want?

In this book Asperger's Syndrome robs the entire family of any normalcy with the rest of the world. Both boys feel the lonliness and aloneness in their lives.With no father around to provide for them and be a help mate to the mother, mom is wearing out and the love and comfort of a cozy home that the rest of the world seems to have is lacking in the Hunt family.

4. On page 146 Jacob says being on the other side of dead isn't that different from have Asperger's.

It is like that wall of separation that you can't break through. You can't connect with others and you can't feel them.

5. The evidence points to Mark as a suspect. He claims he's innocent. What does Emma see on the news that changes everything? How would you react? Would you call the police?

Emma sees the rainbow patchwork family quilt and no matter how hard she tries she can't unsee it. I think I might have talked to Jacob first about it. It is hard to know what I would do in this situation and I really don't want to criticize Emma in such a predicament. However I would want to search every avenue of help I could think of before turning him over to the police. But then I would eventually call the police. In the end you always have to do what is right.

6. Don't have time to answer this one right now.

7. What do Skittles have to do with the story?

Skittles is Jacob's absolute favorite candy and was used to sweeten Jacob into talking at the police station. (like giving candy to a baby)

Lynne

Shall we party on Essencia Island?

How many of us are interested in having a party on Essencia Island at the end of the month?  That's the online "place" we go to devour tons of (cyber) food and laugh with one another and the characters from our book.  Yes, that's right, Jacob will be there, along with Theo and Emma and Rich and Oliver -- and even that prosecutor, if she wants to come.  What was her name, again?  Does anybuddy remember?  Though it may freak Jacob out to see her there, Jess (who was alive during part of the book) could very well show up.  The Island is magical that way.

Another question we should consider -- and the reason I'm asking this question so early in the month:

What must be do to make Essencia Island "friendly" for Jacob?  Is there anything we should NOT bring to the party?  Anything special we should DO beforehand?  I already know we should avoid any food that happens to be orange, like these cheddar cheese cubes.  (Though I don't see a problem with cheese of another color.)

Does everybuddy remember how to reach Essencia Island?  Either click on the name of the island in this post or on the picture of Essencia Island on the sidebar.  Got that?  I wouldn't want you to get lost on your way to the end-of-book party!

Bonnie's answer to question #4 of the first set of DQs

Here's question #4 from the first set of DQs:

4.  Jacob lists twelve things he can't stand (page 20).  Do you see his logic?  We all have things we could put into such a list.  What would yours be?

Here are the twelve things Jacob lists:

(1)  The sound of paper being crumpled.  I can't ell you why, but it makes me feel like someone's doing that to all my internal organs.
(2)  Too much noise or flashing lights.
(3)  Having plans change.
(4)  Missing CrimeBusters, which is on the USA Network at 4:30 every day, thanks to the wonders of syndication.  Even though I know all 114 of the episodes by heart, watching them daily is as important to me as taking insulin would be to a diabetic.  My whole day is planned around it, and if I can't have my fix, I get shaky.
(5) When my mother puts my clothes away.  I keep them in rainbow order, ROYGBIV, and the colors can't touch.  She does her best, but the last time, she completely forgot about indigo.
(6)  If someone else takes a bite of my food, I have to cut off the part that his/her saliva has touched before I can eat any more of it.
(7)  Loose hair.  It freaks me out, which is why mine is military short.
(8)  Being touched by someone I don't know.
(9)  Foods with membranes, like custards; or foods that explode in your mouth, like peas.
(10)  Even numbers.
(11)  When people call me retarded, which I am not.
(12)  The color orange.  It means danger, and there's no rhyme for it in English, which makes it suspicious.  (Theo wants to know why I can tolerate things that are silver, then, but I won't even rise to the argument.)

Some of these answer questions I have been "showing" you in pictures, like his being bothered by orange (first set of DQs) and by loose hair (third set of DQs).  ROYGBIV is mentioned several times in the book.  Do you know ROYGBIV (which I've also seen printed as Roy G. Biv) stands for red, orange, yellow, green, blue, indigo, and violet?  I have no idea why the designer of the color wheel pictured above gave red twice as much space -- unless it because s/he couldn't divide a circle into seven parts.

I, too, prefer odd numbers.  But my reasoning is different from Jacob's.  I have always liked being just a little bit "odd"!  The two houses I've owned were numbered 109 and 1909.  (Yep, that's odd.)  My current zip code is 37409, and nine is my favorite number.  See?  I'm odd.  Jacob would probably like me, huh?

House Rules ~ third set of discussion questions

1.  What does a ponytail holder have to do with the story?

2.  House Rules is written from the perspective of several different characters, each taking turns to narrate a chapter.  Does this technique work for you?

3. Theo breaks into houses and Jacob saves the Christmas cards.   Both boys are trying to have the same thing -- what they consider to be a real home.  What makes their home not a “real” home to them?  What do they want?

4.  On page 146, Jacob says being on the other side of dead isn’t that different from having Asperger’s.  What do you think he means by that?

5.  The evidence points to Mark as a suspect.  He claims he’s innocent.  What does Emma see on the news that changes everything?  How would you react?  Would you call the police?

6.  Mark Maguire thinks Asperger's Syndrome is a "Get Out of Jail Free card" (page 285).  Oliver requests accommodations for Jacob in court.  Do they seem fair? The first five minutes of the trial show the constant vigilance needed to keep Jacob from having a meltdown and how much Emma does know about her son.  Let's talk about the kind of provisions made for Jacob at home, at school, in the wider community, and in court.  Do you think they are excessive, inadequate, appropriate, fair or unfair?





7.  What do Skittles have to do with the story?

House Rules - Chapter 7 (pgs 293-335)

In Case 7: Blood is Thicker Than Water, Ernest Brendel doesn't dispose of all the evidence linking him to killing his friend and his friend's family. It is pointed out that friends can end up being enemies.

As I lie in bed last night after reading the case but before beginning the chapter, I feel down as I think about how Jodi isn't likely to pair Emma and Oliver. Rich will come around to Jacob's innocent and help clear Jacob. Emma will realize he's a decent guy. Oliver will be a family friend. =( I usually pull for the underdog in love triangles.

Theo's section on how he's going to be the one eventually taking care of Jacob was honest and real. I'd feel that way if I were him. I think a lot of people might.

Oliver thinks about Emma. He thinks about cooking according to color scheme. Emma asks Oliver to watch the boys. Emma goes to the bank to take out a second mortgage. She is denied because she's unemployed. Oliver plays Wii with the boys. He cooks yellow foods and saves a plate for Emma.

Oliver goes to court to get Jacob's interrogation by Rich to be inadmissible during the trial. Jacob has a minor meltdown after Rich implies that Emma thought he had something to do with Jess' death. Emma doesn't look Jacob in the eye as she tells him that she believes he didn't kill Jess. Oliver gets an expert on police relations with Autistic people to testify by trading him a consult on an injured horse. Jacob then takes the stand and by interacting with Oliver and prosecutor shows the judge he can be misunderstood.

Emma invites Oliver to lunch the next day. Jacob reads the newspaper in the car on the way home and discovers that Dr. Henry Lee, a famous forensic scientist, will be speaking relatively nearby. He really wants to go, but is unable to understand that he can't go because of being under house arrest. He thinks Emma should be able to change this. He thinks Emma thinks he killed Jess.

The bit with Farley McDuff from Neurodiversity Nation was just odd. I really hope Jodi doesn't go somewhere weird with that. I guess he is representing the extreme side of Autism rights. I am hoping this doesn't somehow get Jacob's case into the national media.

Jacob is still not giving up on seeing Dr. Henry Lee. Emma is firm that he cannot go. Emma asks if he killed Jess. Jacob says he did not and Emma believes him. She wonders about his lies by omission though. Were they deliberate, or did Jacob simply not say anymore because he wasn't asked about it specifically.

Jacob thinks about how he'd dreamed of studying under Dr. Lee in college. He admits that he set up the crime scene to point to someone else's involvement but ended up a suspect himself. Did Jacob set up the crime scene to point to a certain person's involvement to frame someone, to throw the trail off of someone, or because he knows who it really was. The police haven't figured out who the crime scene is supposed to point to, unless it is Mark.

Jacob calls 911 and tells them he is being abuse by his mother because Emma won't take him to see Dr. Lee. Rich ends up being the one to respond. Jacob quickly realizes his mistake. He hides his stuff, which he is worried might also end up confiscated, and then he hides under the bed. Rich insists on talking to Jacob about what he did. He's nicer about it. We're supposed to realize that Rich isn't that bad, that's he's not a jerk. I don't think he is, but I still don't like him any better.

For a smart 17-year-old, how can Theo possible believe that the police's involvement with Jacob is to get to him from breaking into people's homes and basically doing nothing.

In Jacob's dream, Dr. Lee tells Jacob that he understands why he did what he did.

Mostly paraphrasing on this chapter. I didn't seem to have much to say. In regards to the case from the beginning of the chapter, Jacob left the ROYGBIV quilt on Jess and he admitted to moving the body and cleaning up the crime scene. But is there something the real killer, if there is one, missed that will point to him. Rich being the friend who ends up being an enemy is too obvious. Maybe Oliver, but he's growing as a lawyer and learning he has good instincts in law too in addition to with horses. Theo or Emma, for not being completely sure of his innocence.