Rachel Friedman Breaks the Rules

K-Gr 4–Rachel Friedman has a hard time sitting still and following the rules, especially when she doesn’t understand why the rules exist in the first place. This makes going to Friday evening services at her synagogue extra challenging. It means sitting still—absolutely no handstands in the aisle, no throwing paper airplanes over to her best friend Maya, and no playing hide-and-seek in the hallway. Rachel’s dad makes a deal with her—if she can follow the rules for one week, he’ll buy her tickets to see her favorite gymnast. Rachel tries her best, even when her older brother tries to make her slip up. When their cat escapes and she’s the only one who can save her, Rachel has to decide if it’s worth breaking the rules for something important. Eye-catching black-and-white illustrations help bring the story to life for early chapter book readers. Rachel describes herself as having ADHD. Maya has brown skin and has two moms.