Rules
by Cynthia Lord · Grades 4–7 · Realistic Fiction
Rules by Cynthia Lord is on US reading lists at grades 4–7. It appears on 7 lists: 7 book-award lists, across 6 states. Every citation below links to the primary source.
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Before you buy: Ages 9–12 · Grades 4–7. The button opens the print edition (ISBN 9780545036405). If the class uses a set edition or translation, match its ISBN first.
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Among the most widely assigned — 7 curriculum lists · 6 states
#70 most-assigned book in America — on school reading lists in 6 states (2026-07-13 study of 13,258 assignments).
Grade placement varies by school — the median assigned book spans 4 grade levels (83% span three or more, across 13,258 source-cited assignments).
On reading-award lists:Maine Student Book AwardVermont Golden Dome Book AwardGreat Stone Face Book AwardGreat Lakes Great Books Award+3 more
This page shows where Rules is assigned in US schools — curricula, states, grades, and the primary-source citations behind each placement. Not a summary or study guide.
Reading level at a glance
- Grade range
- Grades 4–7
- Age range
- Ages 9–12
- First published
- 2006
- Genre
- Realistic Fiction
- ISBN-13
- 9780545036405
Sources: grade range from the cited lists below, last checked 2026-07-07; pages and year from our catalog record (sources); reading time is an estimate at 250 words a minute.
Good fit for grade 4?
If you have read it with a child or a class in this grade, tell other parents and teachers. One tap, no account.
New to these terms? Reading levels by grade
More formats & details
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About this book
Book facts and sources (7)
- On award reading lists
- Maine Student Book Award (source: librarything.com)
- Vermont Golden Dome Book Award (source: libraries.vermont.gov)
- Great Stone Face Book Award (source: librarything.com)
- Great Lakes Great Books Award (source: michiganreading.org)
and 3 more in where it is taught
- Catalog record
- First published 2006 (source: how we source book data)
Similar grade-level books
To Kill a MockingbirdHarper Lee · 870L
The GiverLois Lowry · 760L
The OutsidersS.E. Hinton · 750L
The Diary of a Young GirlAnne Frank · 1080L
See all books like Rules→ — matched on theme + reading level.
Why widely assigned
This realistic fiction title is typically read at grades 4–7. Written in the 2000s; pairs with curriculum units on disability and friendship; cited on 7 lists: 7 book-award lists.
Themes
disability · friendship · acceptance
Where this book is recommended
Buckeye Children's & Teen Book Award
- recommended·6th grade · Ohiosource: Buckeye Children's & Teen Book Award — official winners list (Ohio, K-12 grade bands, voted biennially/annually since 1982)
- recommended·7th grade · Ohiosource: Buckeye Children's & Teen Book Award — official winners list (Ohio, K-12 grade bands, voted biennially/annually since 1982)
Dorothy Canfield Fisher / Vermont Golden Dome Book Award
- recommended·4th grade · Vermontsource: Dorothy Canfield Fisher / Vermont Golden Dome Children's Book Award — official winners list (Vermont grades 4-8, annual since 1957)
- recommended·5th grade · Vermontsource: Dorothy Canfield Fisher / Vermont Golden Dome Children's Book Award — official winners list (Vermont grades 4-8, annual since 1957)
- recommended·6th grade · Vermontsource: Dorothy Canfield Fisher / Vermont Golden Dome Children's Book Award — official winners list (Vermont grades 4-8, annual since 1957)
- recommended·7th grade · Vermontsource: Dorothy Canfield Fisher / Vermont Golden Dome Children's Book Award — official winners list (Vermont grades 4-8, annual since 1957)
Great Lakes Great Books Award
- recommended·4th grade · Michigansource: Michigan Reading Association — Great Lakes Great Books Award (student-choice, grade-band shortlists; annual, since 1989). Winner/honor/nominee rolls Grades 4-5, 6-8, 9-12.
- recommended·5th grade · Michigansource: Michigan Reading Association — Great Lakes Great Books Award (student-choice, grade-band shortlists; annual, since 1989). Winner/honor/nominee rolls Grades 4-5, 6-8, 9-12.
- recommended·6th grade · Michigansource: Michigan Reading Association — Great Lakes Great Books Award (student-choice, grade-band shortlists; annual, since 1989). Winner/honor/nominee rolls Grades 4-5, 6-8, 9-12.
- recommended·7th grade · Michigansource: Michigan Reading Association — Great Lakes Great Books Award (student-choice, grade-band shortlists; annual, since 1989). Winner/honor/nominee rolls Grades 4-5, 6-8, 9-12.
Great Stone Face Book Award
- recommended·4th grade · New Hampshiresource: Children's Librarians of New Hampshire / NH Library Association — Great Stone Face Book Award (student-choice, grades 4-6; 20 nominees/year, annual since 1980). Winner + nominee rolls via the LibraryThing award/757 mirror of the official sponsor records.
- recommended·5th grade · New Hampshiresource: Children's Librarians of New Hampshire / NH Library Association — Great Stone Face Book Award (student-choice, grades 4-6; 20 nominees/year, annual since 1980). Winner + nominee rolls via the LibraryThing award/757 mirror of the official sponsor records.
- recommended·6th grade · New Hampshiresource: Children's Librarians of New Hampshire / NH Library Association — Great Stone Face Book Award (student-choice, grades 4-6; 20 nominees/year, annual since 1980). Winner + nominee rolls via the LibraryThing award/757 mirror of the official sponsor records.
- recommended·7th grade · New Hampshiresource: Children's Librarians of New Hampshire / NH Library Association — Great Stone Face Book Award (student-choice, grades 4-6; 20 nominees/year, annual since 1980). Winner + nominee rolls via the LibraryThing award/757 mirror of the official sponsor records.
Kentucky Bluegrass Award
- recommended·4th grade · Kentuckysource: Kentucky Association of School Librarians — Kentucky Bluegrass Award Winner's Circle (grades 3-5 + 6-8; annual since 1983)
- recommended·5th grade · Kentuckysource: Kentucky Association of School Librarians — Kentucky Bluegrass Award Winner's Circle (grades 3-5 + 6-8; annual since 1983)
- recommended·6th grade · Kentuckysource: Kentucky Association of School Librarians — Kentucky Bluegrass Award Winner's Circle (grades 3-5 + 6-8; annual since 1983)
- recommended·7th grade · Kentuckysource: Kentucky Association of School Librarians — Kentucky Bluegrass Award Winner's Circle (grades 3-5 + 6-8; annual since 1983)
Maine Student Book Award
- recommended·4th grade · Mainesource: Maine Student Book Award — Maine's statewide children's-choice reading program (grades 4-8): students read the annual nominees and vote for their favorite. Winner list verified from the award's published record.
- recommended·5th grade · Mainesource: Maine Student Book Award — Maine's statewide children's-choice reading program (grades 4-8): students read the annual nominees and vote for their favorite. Winner list verified from the award's published record.
- recommended·6th grade · Mainesource: Maine Student Book Award — Maine's statewide children's-choice reading program (grades 4-8): students read the annual nominees and vote for their favorite. Winner list verified from the award's published record.
- recommended·7th grade · Mainesource: Maine Student Book Award — Maine's statewide children's-choice reading program (grades 4-8): students read the annual nominees and vote for their favorite. Winner list verified from the award's published record.
Show 1 more award or assignmentShow fewer
Vermont Golden Dome Book Award
- recommended·4th grade · Vermontsource: Vermont Dept. of Libraries — Golden Dome Book Award (formerly the Dorothy Canfield Fisher Award, est. 1957): Vermont's statewide grades 4-8 children's-choice program (students read the nominees and vote). Winner list 1957-2020.
- recommended·5th grade · Vermontsource: Vermont Dept. of Libraries — Golden Dome Book Award (formerly the Dorothy Canfield Fisher Award, est. 1957): Vermont's statewide grades 4-8 children's-choice program (students read the nominees and vote). Winner list 1957-2020.
- recommended·6th grade · Vermontsource: Vermont Dept. of Libraries — Golden Dome Book Award (formerly the Dorothy Canfield Fisher Award, est. 1957): Vermont's statewide grades 4-8 children's-choice program (students read the nominees and vote). Winner list 1957-2020.
- recommended·7th grade · Vermontsource: Vermont Dept. of Libraries — Golden Dome Book Award (formerly the Dorothy Canfield Fisher Award, est. 1957): Vermont's statewide grades 4-8 children's-choice program (students read the nominees and vote). Winner list 1957-2020.
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Common questions
- What grade level is Rules?
- Rules is listed for grades 4–7. It appears on 7 state book-award lists across 6 states. Exact placement varies by school and district.
- What curricula assign Rules?
- Rules appears on reading lists for Buckeye Children's & Teen Book Award, Dorothy Canfield Fisher / Vermont Golden Dome Book Award, Great Lakes Great Books Award, and 4 others. Each assignment on this site links to its primary-source citation.
- Is Rules banned in schools?
- Rules has documented removals from at least one public-school district in 1 state (FL) per PEN America's Index of School Book Bans 2022-2024. Policies vary by district.
- What themes does Rules explore?
- Central themes in Rules include disability, friendship, acceptance.
Why this book is on this list
How we classifyHide
Each dimension below is sourced from a public reference. The full framework is documented on the classification standard page.
- Lexile measure
- Not classified — this book has no published Lexile measure.
- Grade band
- Grades 4–7 — drawn from the state book-award lists citing this book.
- Curriculum alignment
- Cited in 7 curricula on this site (see “Where recommended” above for primary-source links).
- State-level evidence
- On state book-award lists in 6 states (see citations above).
- Removal / banning records
- Documented as challenged or removed in 1 state per PEN America’s Index of School Book Bans — see the full banned & challenged books list.
- Seasonal / contextual tags
- Tagged for: book-club.