Rain Reign

By Ann M. Martin

Rose Howard is obsessed with homonyms. She's thrilled that her own name is a homonym, and she purposely gave her dog Rain a name with two homonyms (Reign, Rein), which, according to Rose's rules of homonyms, is very special. Not everyone understands Rose's obsessions, her rules, and the other things that make her different – not her teachers, not other kids, and not her single father.

When a storm hits their rural town, rivers overflow, the roads are flooded, and Rain goes missing. Rose's father shouldn't have let Rain out. Now Rose has to find her dog, even if it means leaving her routines and safe places to search.
Hearts will break and spirits will soar for this powerful story, brilliantly told from Rose's point of view.

• Language: English
• Publisher: Macmillan Publishers
• Release date: Oct 7, 2014
• ISBN: 9781250064233

Ann M. Martin

Ann M. Martin grew up in Princeton, New Jersey. After attending Smith College, where she studied education and psychology, she became a teacher at a small elementary school in Connecticut. Martin also worked as an editor of children’s books before she began writing full time. Martin is best known for the Baby-Sitters Club series, which has sold over one hundred seventy million copies. Her novel A Corner of the Universe won a Newbery Honor in 2003. In 1990, she cofounded the Lisa Libraries, which donates new children’s books to organizations in underserved areas. Martin lives in upstate New York with her three cats.

Book preview

I

The First Part

1

Who I Am—A Girl Named Rose (Rows)

I am Rose Howard and my first name has a homonym. To be accurate, it has a homophone, which is a word that’s pronounced the same as another word but spelled differently. My homophone name is Rows.

Most people say homonym when they mean homophone. My teacher, Mrs. Kushel, says this is a common mistake.

What’s the difference between making a mistake and breaking a rule? I want to know.

Making a mistake is accidental. Breaking a rule is deliberate.

But if— I start to say.

Mrs. Kushel rushes on. It’s all right to say ‘homonym’ when we mean ‘homophone.’ That’s called a colloquialism.

‘Breaking’ has a homonym, I tell her. ‘Braking.’

I like homonyms a lot. And I like words. Rules and numbers too. Here is the order in which I like these things:

1. Words (especially homonyms)

2. Rules

3. Numbers (especially prime numbers)

I’m going to tell you a story. It’s a true story, which makes it a piece of nonfiction.

This is how you tell a story: First you introduce the main character. I’m writing this story about me, so I am the main character.

My first name has a homonym, and I gave my dog a homonym name too. Her name is Rain, which is special because it has two homonyms—rein and reign. I will write more about Rain in Chapter Two. Chapter Two will be called My Dog, Rain (Reign, Rein).

Something important about the word write is that it has three homonyms—right, rite, and wright. That’s the only group of four homonyms I’ve thought of. If I ever think of another four-homonym group, it will be a red-letter day.

I live with my father, Wesley Howard, and neither of his names has a homonym.

From our porch you can see our front yard and our driveway and our road, which is called Hud Road. Road has two homonyms—rowed and rode. On the other side (sighed) of the road is a little forest, and through the trees you can see the New York Thruway. The word see has a homonym—sea. But even better, sees has two homonyms—seas and seize.

I’m in fifth grade at Hatford Elementary. There’s only one elementary school in Hatford, New York, and only one fifth-grade classroom in the school, and I’m in it. Most of my classmates are ten years old or about to turn eleven. I’m almost twelve because no one is sure what to do with me in school. I’ve stayed back for two semesters, which is a total of one year. (1/2 + 1/2 = 1.)

Some of the things I get teased about are following the rules and always talking about homonyms. Mrs. Leibler is my aide and she sits with me in Mrs. Kushel’s room. She sits in an adult-size chair next to my fifth-grade-size chair and rests her hand on my arm when I blurt something out in the middle of math. Or, if I whap myself in the head and start to cry, she’ll say, Rose, do you need to step into the hall for a moment?

Mrs. Leibler tells me that there are things worth talking about besides homonyms and rules and prime numbers. She encourages me to think up conversation starters. Some conversation starters about me that do not have anything to do with homonyms or rules or prime numbers are:

I live in a house that faces northeast. (After I say that, I ask the person I’m trying to have a conversation with, "And which direction does your house face?")

Down the road, 0.7 miles from my house is the J & R Garage, where my father sometimes works as a mechanic, and 0.1 miles farther along is a bar called The Luck of the Irish, where my father goes after work. There is nothing between my house and the J & R Garage except trees and the road. (Tell me some things about your neighborhood.)

I have an uncle named Weldon, who is my father’s younger brother. (And who else is in your family?)

My official diagnosis is high-functioning autism, which some people call Asperger’s syndrome. (Do you have a diagnosis?)

I will finish up this part of my introduction by telling you that my mother does not live with my father and me. She ran away from our family when I was two. Therefore, the people living in my house are my father and me. The dog living in our house is Rain. Uncle Weldon lives 3.4 miles away on the other side of Hatford.

The next part of my introduction is the setting of my story. I’ve already told you my geographic location—Hud Road in Hatford, New York. The historical moment in time in which this story begins is October of my year in fifth grade.

Now I will tell you something troubling about fifth grade. It isn’t as troubling as what happens later in the story when my father lets Rain outside during a hurricane, but it is still troubling. For the first time in my life I’m being sent home with weekly progress reports that I have to give to my father. The reports are written by Mrs. Leibler and read and signed by Mrs. Kushel, which is my teachers’ way of saying that they’re in agreement about my behavior. The reports list all of my notable behaviors for Monday through Friday. Some of the comments are nice, such as the ones about when I participate appropriately in a classroom discussion. But most of the comments make my father slam the reports onto the table and say, Rose, for god’s sake, keep your mouth closed when you think of a homonym, or, Do you see any of the other kids clapping their hands over their ears and screaming when they hear the fire alarm?

In the last report Mrs. Leibler and Mrs. Kushel asked my father to schedule monthly meetings with them. Now he’s supposed to go to Hatford Elementary on the third Friday of every month at 3:45 p.m. to discuss me. This is what he said when he read that: "I don’t have time for meetings. This is way too much trouble, Rose. Why do you do these things?" He said that at 3:48 p.m. on a Friday when there was no work for him at the J & R Garage.

Uncle Weldon heard about the monthly meetings on October 3rd at 8:10 in the evening when he was visiting my father and Rain and me.

My father was standing at the front door, holding the letter in his hand and gazing out at the trees and the darkness. These meetings are crap, he said.

Uncle Weldon, who was sitting at the Formica kitchen table with me, looked at my father from under his eyelashes and said, I could go, if you want. Uncle Weldon has a very soft voice.

My father whipped around and pointed his finger at Weldon. No! Rose is my responsibility. I can take care of things.

Weldon lowered his head and didn’t answer. But when my father turned around so that he was facing outside again, my uncle held up two crossed fingers, which was his signal to me that everything would be all right (write, rite, wright). I held up my fingers too (two, to), and we each touched our hearts with them.

After that, Rain came into the kitchen and sat on my feet for a while.

Then my uncle left.

Then my father crumpled the letter from Mrs. Leibler and Mrs. Kushel and tossed it into the yard.

That is the end of the introduction to me.

2

My Dog, Rain (Reign, Rein)

The next character in my true story is Rain. A character doesn’t have to be a human being; a character can be an animal, such as a dog named Rain.

Rain weighs 23 pounds. This is how you weigh a dog: You stand on the scales and weigh yourself. Then you pick up the dog and weigh yourself and the dog together. Then you subtract your weight from the weight of you and the dog together, and that’s how much the dog

Reviews for Rain Reign

[lisacats-1 · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

A wonderful, but sometimes difficult read.

[salsabrarian · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

Narrated by Laura Hamilton. Hamilton does a great job presenting autistic Rose Howard's story and generating the listener's sense of compassion for Rose. When Rose compulsively recites homonyms, Hamilton does so with a robotic urgency that gives an idea of what having autism is like. And when Rose calls out infractions of rules, you feel the annoyance of her father, teachers and classmates. Her uncle Weldon is far more accommodating and nurturing of Rose than her impatient, surly father. The reunion at the pet shelter is a weeper! A great audio version of a powerful and revealing story.

[kmartin802_1 · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

I really enjoyed RAIN REIGN. This is a touching story told by a girl named Rose who happens to be high functioning autistic. She is bright and verbal but she is also obsessed with homonyms, rules, and prime numbers. Rose has trouble at school connecting with other kids but she has no trouble connecting with her dog Rain.Her father brought Rain home one rainy night and they have been fast friends ever since. But then a superstorm hits and Rose's father lets Rain out without her collar on. Rain doesn't come back. Once the storm passes, Rose develops a plan to find her dog. She makes a make and locates all the animal shelters within 50 miles. She makes phone calls and often repeated phone calls checking for her missing dog.One day, the Happy Tails shelter says that they have found her dog. But there is a problem. When Rose arrives with her Uncle Weldon, she learns that Rain has a microchip that says her name is Olivia and that she belongs to the Hendersons. Because Rose is also an obsessive rule follower, she next goes on a quest to find the Hendersons who have been displaced by the storm and return their missing dog. Rose decides that it is only fair to give up her friend.Since this story is told from Rose's viewpoint and in her voice, the sentences are short, precise and direct. We can easily see when she is getting sidetracked by her obsessions. There isn't much about Rose's feelings. She doesn't like to touch people and can't articulate how she feels. She has a great relationship with her uncle who seems to understand her and love her despite her peculiarities. Her relationship with her father is more problematical. Readers can see his frustrations with her and can see that Rose is a little bit afraid of him. He has anger issues but has never hit her though it appears he has come close.Readers who are interested in how autistic people see the world will enjoy this story. So will fans of stories of kids and dogs.

[Jacquelyn Marie Hall · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

it was so incredibly sweet I loved it so much

[asma · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

This book is wonderful. The author connects the ideas so well. I cried at the end

[Jeff Dobbins · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

I liked it but if you love dogs you shouldn't read it.

[Jurate Regan · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

I love the book it's sad but it very detailed. My favorite part was when they reunited rain with her original owners.

[Rai Steinhardt · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

Made me cry. Worth it. Felt like reading back through my childhood.

[Viridiana Hernandez · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

Viridiana Hernandez

In the book Rain Reign it focuses on three characters, Rose, Uncle Weldon and Rose’s father as well. At the end of the story it talks about Rose’s mother and her absence throughout the story. The main plot of this book is Rose’s day by day life experiences she has with her family and schooling living with her condition called Asperger’s Syndrome. The main idea of the book focuses on the journey between Rose and her dog Reign. This is a unique book in my opinion because the main character Rose is the narrator of the story which makes it very personal and a way the audience can connect with her.

Many of the readers or the overall audience may not be related to a condition like Rose or not have a condition at all. This book may be boring to some, but touching to others which in this case makes the book expand bigger ideas. The idea of this book is to connect to a person’s life experiences as a child in a condition that will forever be with them. The audience’s job here is to connect and put themselves in Rose’s shoes to understand the reading's big idea. The book is considered to have good language, knowledge and deeper thinking for the understanding of young readers. It has a different type of theme and plot in contrast to other children's books. It can create a way to have children to think deeper to understand the reading and connect with the characters. One way of doing so is digging deeper into the idea of Rose letting go of her dog Reign she loved so much, which leads to connecting with the characters.

A big social problem I saw in this book was the way the father and school as well as the bus driver handled Rose’s condition. It was sad to read how the father would lose control and his patience towards Rose because of her condition which led him to let her go to Uncle Weldon at the end of the book. I think the larger significance of the book is that there are children and overall people that go through many things differently than others that can impact their lives tremendously. In my opinion it was written to have a better understanding of the differences in a person's life (Rose) to lead us to create an open mind towards the book. I really enjoyed reading this book because it led me to think differently about a child having a condition that can impact their everyday life. I enjoyed reading how the child's dialogue and mind worked with this type of condition. The dialogue was different, but was interesting to look at being that it gave it a deeper connection as the reader towards the narrator. It was sad to see Rose let go of her dog, but even worse seeing her father let her go with Uncle Weldon. Very touching to me.

[jennybeast · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

Heartwrenching story of a girl with an obsession with homonyms and her dog. Told in a spare voice, and with an impressive level of backstory implied to the reader but divorced from the character. Rose has Asperger's, a hard time negotiating regular class life, an extremely unhappy father and a beloved runaway dog. She also has an Uncle on the sidelines who tries to make her life easier, but there's History that makes that difficult with her dad. Not an easy story to read, but very well done for a young audience, in that kids reading it, like Rose, may miss a lot of the implied violence/ fear/ anguish of the backstory, while enjoying the plot line of the main story. Great read.

[cmobrien-320565 · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

I felt for these characters and dearly wanted Rose to end up in a safe, loving place.

[mimo-774848 · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

Rose Howard is eleven years old in the fifth grade at Hatford Elementary. She likes homonyms, rules, and prime numbers. Rose loves loves loves her dog Rain, who has exactly seven white toes. On one level, this is a sad story about how Rose lost, then found, and then lost (again) Rain. On other levels, Rose's story is, of course, about much more: her diagnosis, her father, and the life Rose wins at, despite both. Rose is charming to me as a reader but I acutely feel the frustrations her single father fights with. His actions are not unobjectionable, however, and the ending is a relief for everyone, especially me. The hero in this story is Uncle Weldon; we should all strive to be a Weldon. This is a book for young readers, yet Martin manages to create very realistic and very human characters with complex facets that even adults wrestle with. It's exactly right for 5th to 7th graders. Highly recommended. (Actually, I can also see this becoming a Hollywood film, as long as they drop in a cute love interest somewhere, the shelter manager maybe, for Weldon. Don't forget voice-over narration for Rose.)

[fence_2 · Rating: 3 out of 5 stars]

Rose often finds life hard. She has autism, or asperger’s, what they call “high functioning autism. She is slightly obsessed with homonyms and with prime numbers. She keeps a list of all the homonyms she herself has discovered. Sure, she could look them up, but where is the fun in that. Her own name is a homonym, Rose and rows. She named her dog Rain because her father found the dog in the rain, and also it is a homonym, Rain (Reign).

Rose gets a lot of comfort from her dog. Her dad isn’t the most patient of men. He drinks and isn’t around a lot. Her mother isn’t around any more. Rose often wishes she knew more about her but her father doesn’t like to talk about her.

She does get on well with her uncle, but there are tensions between the two brothers, her father is determined to raise Rose, not like his own father.

One day, in the middle of the worst storm her father lets Rain out to pee. And Rain gets lost.

I really liked this story. It is simply told, from Rose’s pov, so if you get frustrated with her constantly naming the homonyms she comes across this is not the book for you. You get a real sense of how hard the world can be for her, she can’t understand people breaking the rules, so much so that she is no longer allowed to get the school bus after giving out about the driver, among others, not using their indicators1 . Rules and routine are what make life easier for Rose.

I liked how the relationship between Rose and her father was described. Yes, he is a jerk who drinks too much and loses his temper far too often, but at the same time, he is trying. Or some times he tries. Which isn’t to excuse him for his actions. He is in the wrong far too many times.

I don’t think this is a book that will particularly stick with me, but I’m glad I read it.

[drfuriosa · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

I have a soft spot for stories about people on the autism spectrum, yes, but this is truly a touching and heartbreaking book. It downplays melodrama and instead brings you into Rose's mind, a mind that is sharp and observant but still struggles to exist in a day-to-day dulled by ordinary existence. She is an endearing protagonist and her quest is one of remarkable yet everyday courage. Highly recommended. Read with about one kleenex, if you are a crier. If not, you'll be good.

[mirandalg14 · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

When I first started reading this I was very taken with Rose's character. After a bit, though, I started to feel like she was over the top for her condition. Then as I read the rest of her story, I changed my mind again and really thought she was a well-developed character and her story was very heart-felt. A somewhat sad, but uplifting story.

[snickel63 · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

This was a great quick read. I was recommended this a few years back and haven’t had a chance to read it until now. I loved the unique use of homonyms throughout the novel. I will definitely be recommending this to a few of my family members.

[skstiles612 · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

I think I am drawn to books with characters who are on the autism spectrum because I have a grandson who is on the spectrum. I have taught many students that fell somewhere on the spectrum and it has been a pleasure. I was even more thrilled to see that I can keep this book on my shelf. If you don’t know what I am talking about go back and read my posts for January 19 and March 20.

I love the main character in this story. Rose has what I call autism quirks. She loves homophones. If you don’t remember what they are they are words that sound alike but have different spellings and different meaning. An example would be “write/right, or the title rain/reign”. I have met parent’s like Rose’s dad who don’t understand or want to understand their child’s “condition”. Often they are in denial that their child is different, or they blame someone else for their child’s condition. In Rose’s case she is often left at home while her dad goes out drinking. Then there is her teacher. I wanted to scream at her and ask why she was a teacher. I have loved teaching every autistic child I have had. I have learned so much from them. Rose has an ally, her Uncle Weldon. He is more like a father to her than her on dad. Of course she has her best friend in the world her dog Rain, who goes missing. Rain was a stray her dad brought home to her. This book is emotional and hard to put down. I would definitely recommend it to my students if for no other reason to help create empathy in them.

[fingerpost_1 · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

Rose is on the Autism spectrum, high-functioning. She loves four things: homonyms, prime numbers, rules, and her dog, Rain. She has trouble in school because of her difficulty relating to the other kids, and at home, her father is a sometimes drunk, semi-abusive man. But Rain she relates to well.
When a terrific hurricane destroys much of the are where she lives, Rain gets lost. Her uncle Weldon, who is far more loving and understanding than her father, takes Rose out to search for Rain.
In the end, Rose has to make an extremely difficult decision, which shapes the course of the book.

[christianr_899499 · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

Spot on book about a girl with high functioning autism who lives alone with her father and her dog. Her uncle is a very supportive adult in her life. Written from the girl's point of view, She is extremely interested in homonyms (rain, reign), rules and prime numbers. Her father is clearly overwhelmed. It's amazing to me how all of this is knitted together to create a compelling, touching, and completely whole story.

[bookwren · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

A girl who loves words and rules.
A dog who is loyal and true.
The hurricane that comes between them.
Rose Howard and Rain are inseparable. Rain is named rain because she arrived in the rain, but mostly for Rose's homophone obsession: Rain = Reign = Rein. And a triple homophone name is extra special according to Rose's rules.When Rose gets anxious, Rain listens. Rain does not fault Rose when the homophones overwhelm her speech, when Rose's classmates and single father make fun or get mad. Yet with the help of Rain and her understanding Uncle Weldon, Rose begins to control her obsessions. Then Hurricane Susan roars into their East coast town and Rain disappears. Now it's Rose's turn to help Rain. Rose's passion for rules and structure allows her to devise a plan to find her dearest companion. But will Rose be able to overcome her fears and carry out that plan? Rose's bravery and honest voice will have readers cheering and on edge in this compelling story.

[jothebookgirl · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

Rose lives with her father. Wesley. Her father is a troubled man, determined to raise his daughter on his own. Wesley is far from a perfect father, yet he is trying. Rose, a very bright, complicated girl in the fifth grade. She is on the autism spectrum and obsessed with homonyms, prime numbers and following the rules. This sets her apart in school from her peers who have little patience with her obsessions. She endures problems in school and on the bus. Her father just wants her to knock it off and be normal, but Rose doesn't have the ability to be normal. One rainy night her father shows up late with a wet dog, "a gift for Rose, (rows.)" Written in the first person of Rose's voice, she states the homonym for words she uses throughout the book. Rose even warns the reader that if they are tired of hearing about homonyms, they should just skip to the next chapter.
It is hard to describe the emotions of the book. as it not a happy book but it possesses a sweetness. Rose is not living in a comfortable, friendly home, but she has learned to adapt. The dog whom she names Rain, (reign) is her only companion other than a loving uncle, in her lonely life. The story takes a huge turn as Hurricane Susan hits New York and her dog Rain, like many other animals in 2001, Hurricane Irene, becomes lost in the devastation and destruction.
I bet as you come to the end of this marvelous book, you will turn the last page and hope there is more. I want to know more about Rose and her life as she grows and matures.

[wassilissa · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

Ein sehr schönes ergreifendes Jugendbuch über ein autistisches Mädchen.

[alaina.loescher · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

This book was wonderful. Rose's character is so complex. The intricacies of Aspurger's are evident within Rose, but the uniqueness of who Rose is despite her diagnoses also shines through. This would be a great book for teaching students about exceptionalities and Autism Spectrum Disorder. Ultimately, the greatest lesson from the book is to be who you are and don't let anyone tell you that who you are is any less than wonderful.

[twhite13 · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

First off, no dogs die in this book. But it does still have a bittersweet ending. There may have been tears.

I've read a few books about kids with autism, but this is the first kid's book I've read written from the perspective of the child with autism rather than from a friend or family member. Martin gets us into Rose's head, and through the course of the novel we come to understand why she thinks and process the way she does. Like Rose's beloved homonyms, this book is about duality, about being able to hold two diverging perspectives in your head at once. Through reading Rose's account we see and understand why she gets upset over things like rule breaking while simultaneously knowing that the rules being broken are incredibly mild, almost insignificant. We can see why her father gets so frustrated with her while also recognizing that his lack of understanding makes him a worse parent. We see all the places he falls short as a father, but also see how hard he is trying to be a good father to Rose and a better man than his own father. This gives the novel a depth I wasn't expecting but was glad to find.

Martin-as-Rose's writing style is composed mainly of short, choppy sentences, the kind I see out of my struggling students. But rather than making the prose feel clunky, this works. Martin blends in enough flow that we get Rose's to-the-point personality without being driven crazy. I also thought the constant peppering of homonyms would bug me, but it didn't.

Would pair well with Wonder, Rules, Out of My Mind.

[dmtcer-1 · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

I absolutely loved this book. Rose is a young girl with high functioning autism, or Asperger's. She is obsessed with rule following and homophones, which most of us call homonyms. Rain is her dog, and rain/reign are homophones, and Rose has an aide that sits with her in class and reminds Rose when it is time to "step out into the hall" to calm down. Rose adores her dog, until one day, during a "superstorm" Rain gets lost. Rose sets a course to find her, and when she discovers her in a pet shelter miles away, Rose discovers she has to make a serious decision to do the right thing. My heart aches for young Rose and her sweet, simple outlook on life.

[yvonne.sevignykaiser · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

I must say I truly enjoyed reading Rose's story and her love of words, specifically homonyms. Rose has many obsessions homonyms, rules and routines and not everyone understands these rules including her single father. Her father brings a dog home for Rose in the hopes it will help to keep Rose calm, which it does but Rose in the back of her mind questions if the dog belongs to someone else who might be missing her.

This is not your usual dog story, but it is a story of making the right choices even when they are hard and they may hurt. Martin does a wonderful job showing us a child with Asperger's is just a child with unique qualities that may take some extra patience to understand.

Well worth the read and highly recommend for all ages. This book was on the Indie Kids list and was recommended to me by one of the wonderful ladies at Blue Willow Bookshop and it was our March Pick for ILE Reads Young Adult Bookshop.

[heatherlinc · Rating: 3 out of 5 stars]

3.5 stars

I always associate Ann M. Martin with the "Babysitter Club" series so I wasn't at all interested in reading "Rain Reign" until a number of positive reviews appeared for it. The book is simply written, with a very touching storyline. Eleven-year-old Rose, who is diagnosed with high-achieving autism, is the narrator. It took me a while to appreciate her voice, but by the end I was cheering for her all the way, especially when it came to Rain, her beloved dog. I love the relationship Rose has with her Uncle Weldon, but her alcoholic father is horrible and I hated the way he treated his daughter. This book is heart-warming and heart-breaking, and is a great companion book for younger reader who enjoyed "Wonder".

[knitwit2_1 · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

"If you know one child with autism, you know one child with autism," this popular saying within the autism community holds true with the character Rose Howard in “Rain Reign”. Rose has very specific likes and dislikes, she has habits and behaviors that make her uniquely special – as we all do, but Rose’s behaviors are more pronounced. Unfortunately, there are people in her world who find her uniqueness difficult rather than endearing adding an uncalled for amount of stress to Rose’s life.
Although Rose lives with her father she depends heavily on her uncle, who is endlessly patient and supportive. On her own most afternoons and evenings, Rose depends on the companionship of her dog and best friend, Rain. When a hurricane strikes their town, Rose’s beloved dog is lost. As she deals with the situation the reader cannot help but love and respect Rose, who holds the adults in her life to a standard much higher than is their norm.

[citizenjoyce · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

This is a wonderful book about autism and crisis parenting and I guess I could say the crises of childhood. Listening to the audiobook made it even more clear how annoying a child with Asperger's can be and how difficult it could be to have such a child in the classroom. It also highlighted the delight of such children. Just as importantly it emphasized the difficulty of parenting if one has never been exposed to parental love and reason. Highly recommended for anyone interested in the topic.

[ewyatt_16 · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

Rose in on the autism spectrum. She's high functioning and more than a handful for her single father. Her father's brother is a wonderful presence in her life.

Rose loves collecting homonyms and prime numbers. And even more than that she loves her dog, Rain (reign). When Rain runs away during a superstorm, she is upset but develops a logical plan on working to find Rain again.

Over the course of the book, readers see Rose grow, deal with stresses, and deal with loss.
This will definitely appeal to students who like books like Wonder, Out of My Mind, etc.