Rules of Survival, By Nancy Werlin

Title:The Rules of Survival

Author: Nancy Werlin

Publish Date: September 2006

Publisher: Penguin Group

Pages: 272pp

ISBN: 0803730012

Classification: Fiction

Genre: Realistic Fiction

Age Range: 12 and up

Price: $16.14

Annotation: Matthew is the eldest of three siblings (both sisters) and the son of a manic, out of control, abusive mother. The story unfolds of their story in a letter to his sister about their mother and their lives during that time.

Summary: Matthew, Callie and Emmy live with their crazy, manic (actually unbearable) mother Nikki. They grew up knowing that their mother could crack in rage at anytime, or take them on a manic rollercoaster of over the top fancies like theme parks and obsessive love interests. Tip-toeing around her was a way of life, just as was dealing with her in her insane moments. When Matt and Callie meet a man named Murdock, their mother sinks her fancy into him and for a while they live happily. When the house of cards comes crumbling down, so do the children's hopes of help from Murdock. Matt is foiled at the hopes of his savoir falling through. And seeing Murdock wash his hands of their mothers dashes him even further. Will Murdock be able to help them at all, what about their father? Can anybody help them escape the life that seems so grim and hopeless. And will their mother crack and explode beyond anything they ever dreamed of if they actually stand up to her?

Evaluation: This book is so intense, I don't even know how she wrote it without going crazy. Reading it was so hard I can't even find words to express the rage and sorrow I felt being in that world. Helpless and frustrated and screaming inside were common place while reading it. Werlin's writing allows you to really be in the moment and the cover art is the best metaphor for a scenario like this that I have ever seen.

Bibliotherapeutic Usefulness: Child Abuse, Children having to be the parents, Standing up to your abuser, Strength, Hope, Asking for help, Siblings Alliances

Reason this book was chosen: Because it was just exactly how it really it. Horrible. You can't not include something that powerful, even if it's horrible. If it wasn't horrible it wouldn't be honest, right?

Website: http://www.nancywerlin.com/