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A Rule Is To Break: A Child's Guide To Anarchy
" A Rule Is To Break Go ahead and throw your best self a party! So glad it exists."-- Kristin Hersh, Throwing Muses
"After encountering the lively little anarchist in John and Jana's delightful A Rule is To Break , I will always remember the playful little devil with a mind of her own. A children's book on anarchy seems somehow just an instinctive, intuitive sense of fairness, community, and interdependence sits naturally enough with a desire for participatory democracy, self-determination, and peace and global justice."-- Bill Ayers, author of To The Journey in Comics and Fugitive Days
Simply celebrating the joy, the wonder of discovery, the spontaneity, and strong emotions. . . . Wild Child is free to do as she pleases. A Rule Is To A Child's Guide to Anarchy follows Wild Child as she learns about just being herself and how that translates into kid autonomy. It presents the ideas of challenging societal expectations and tradition and expressing yourself freely in kid-terms that are both funny and thought provoking--it even functions as a guidebook for adults to understand what it is to be a critically thinking, creative individual. Wild Child is the role model for disobedience that is sometimes civil.
John Seven and Jana Christy 's previous collaboration The Ocean Story won Creative Child magazine's 2011 Creative Child Award Seal of Excellence and the 2012 Francis and Wesley Bock Book Award for Children's Literature.
"After encountering the lively little anarchist in John and Jana's delightful A Rule is To Break , I will always remember the playful little devil with a mind of her own. A children's book on anarchy seems somehow just an instinctive, intuitive sense of fairness, community, and interdependence sits naturally enough with a desire for participatory democracy, self-determination, and peace and global justice."-- Bill Ayers, author of To The Journey in Comics and Fugitive Days
Simply celebrating the joy, the wonder of discovery, the spontaneity, and strong emotions. . . . Wild Child is free to do as she pleases. A Rule Is To A Child's Guide to Anarchy follows Wild Child as she learns about just being herself and how that translates into kid autonomy. It presents the ideas of challenging societal expectations and tradition and expressing yourself freely in kid-terms that are both funny and thought provoking--it even functions as a guidebook for adults to understand what it is to be a critically thinking, creative individual. Wild Child is the role model for disobedience that is sometimes civil.
John Seven and Jana Christy 's previous collaboration The Ocean Story won Creative Child magazine's 2011 Creative Child Award Seal of Excellence and the 2012 Francis and Wesley Bock Book Award for Children's Literature.
34 pages, Paperback
First published June 27, 2011
2 people are currently reading
332 people want to read
About the author
John Seven
25 books26 followers"John & Jana are les enfants terrible of picture books today." - School Library Journal
John Seven is a writer living in Western Massachusetts. He began his career with the legendary '90s indie comic, Very Vicky, which he created with his wife, children's book illustrator Jana Christy.
John Seven is a writer living in Western Massachusetts. He began his career with the legendary '90s indie comic, Very Vicky, which he created with his wife, children's book illustrator Jana Christy.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 41 reviews
August 4, 2022
I had to put a little girl to bed, and she required 3 stories and 3 snacks. She would not share her snacks. It was very cold in her room and she would not share her blanket. I had to use a towel to stay warm. This was the third story she picked out and she was very excited for me to read it. With her tucked into her warm bed, her posse of stuffies snuggled between us, she ate her bedtime candy and cackled as I read each page. Everything became clear to me as the little anarchist refused to give me a hug goodnight but insisted I listen to Christmas music with her while she fell asleep. It was July.
I love her, and this book, to bits. As such, I’m breaking rules and counting it towards my 2022 reading challenge, despite it being only 40 some odd pages.
We read what we want, and no more baths, ever.
I love her, and this book, to bits. As such, I’m breaking rules and counting it towards my 2022 reading challenge, despite it being only 40 some odd pages.
We read what we want, and no more baths, ever.
May 3, 2018
Without going into a critique of the principles of anarchy in this review, I will say that the illustrations are delightful, and some of the injunctions in the book ("listen to the smallest voices") are lovely. But so many of them are just chaos-for-chaos's-sake, which isn't very interesting, frankly. I struggle to see what eating cake for dinner has to do with anarchy or happiness.
November 9, 2012
Most adorable book about anarchy ever. NO BATHS EVER AGAIN, indeed.
November 13, 2013
A Child's guide to anarchy, no. More like a child's guide to nonconformity. Planting a garden doesn't an anarchist make, even if it is a good idea. Being yourself is a great message to convey to children, but equating listening to the 'little guy' and speaking your mind isn't rule breaking. It's common sense. To tell children these things are rule-breaking is disingenuous, and untrue.
May 6, 2013
Love this! Reinforces my newly formed theory that you can become a pretty great person simply by reading picture books.
August 2, 2011
I really liked some parts (Cake! For! Dinner!"). . . and then paused when I thought about actually reading this to a child who might take other parts to heart. "When someone says 'Work!' you say 'WHY?'" Exclamation marks are used with abandon. Probably appropriate for the subject.
Good for defining anarchy. And a great quote on the back cover: "The anti-instruction manual. Because there are no rules for bad behavior!"
Good for defining anarchy. And a great quote on the back cover: "The anti-instruction manual. Because there are no rules for bad behavior!"
September 15, 2011
The wild child main character of this book is the poster child for creativity and individuality. With her bright red costume and her diverse gang of pals, she enjoys every minute of life and encourages the reader to do so as well.
The illustrations are charming and inviting, and the page layouts are interesting and unique.
The illustrations are charming and inviting, and the page layouts are interesting and unique.
February 7, 2013
I love this book. My kids are a few years away from their first skateboards (with mandatory "Anarchy" sticker slapped on the bottom of the board) so this book will have to do for now.
(Let's just hope they still listen to me and wait until they're out of the house to cause mayhem and try to topple the system.)
(Let's just hope they still listen to me and wait until they're out of the house to cause mayhem and try to topple the system.)
May 5, 2016
While the premise of this book seems utterly ridiculous and lists many silly recommendations for leading a life of anarchy, there's actually a part of this book that speaks to the values of fairness, individualism, empathy, civil disobedience, and social justice. Surprisingly astute.
April 13, 2014
Quirky. Lots of jumping off points for discussion. My favourite line? LISTEN to the tiniest voices.
September 20, 2014
Have cake for dinner.
December 13, 2020
A book on anarchy that is really just a list of woke mandates. Yep, despite the title this is just another book telling kids what to do...in other words the least self-aware and most idiotic book I've ever read.
This book does not encourage free thought, instead it encourages a specific way of thinking:
"Build it don't buy it"
"Give stuff away for free"
"Forget about grocery stores and get dirty in your garden"
Then there are things that are just terrible to tell children in general ranging from stupid to dangerous:
"When someone says work, you say why?"
"No baths ever again"
"Go ahead and be stompy"
"Stay up all night"
"Go the wrong way" ---- what?! Go your own way, I can get behind, but purposefully go the wrong way...
The real kicker is the page with all the exclamations, right beside "No Rules!" is "Be Nice!" and "No Bullies." Dear author...these are rules, great rules in fact. Such great examples of rules that they completely destroy the premise of your entire book.
This book does an outrageously poor job of encouraging children to be creative and think for themselves. I cannot fathom why it has such a high rating other than there are a ton of people out there who are delusional enough to think that the mandates in this book somehow promote independence and free thought....they do not.
I actually wish I could give this no stars. The concept itself is flawed. Children absolutely require guidance and thrive under structure. I think it is healthy to encourage creativity, learning, and independent thought, but that is not at all what this book aims to do.
This book does not encourage free thought, instead it encourages a specific way of thinking:
"Build it don't buy it"
"Give stuff away for free"
"Forget about grocery stores and get dirty in your garden"
Then there are things that are just terrible to tell children in general ranging from stupid to dangerous:
"When someone says work, you say why?"
"No baths ever again"
"Go ahead and be stompy"
"Stay up all night"
"Go the wrong way" ---- what?! Go your own way, I can get behind, but purposefully go the wrong way...
The real kicker is the page with all the exclamations, right beside "No Rules!" is "Be Nice!" and "No Bullies." Dear author...these are rules, great rules in fact. Such great examples of rules that they completely destroy the premise of your entire book.
This book does an outrageously poor job of encouraging children to be creative and think for themselves. I cannot fathom why it has such a high rating other than there are a ton of people out there who are delusional enough to think that the mandates in this book somehow promote independence and free thought....they do not.
I actually wish I could give this no stars. The concept itself is flawed. Children absolutely require guidance and thrive under structure. I think it is healthy to encourage creativity, learning, and independent thought, but that is not at all what this book aims to do.
August 30, 2023
I wanted to like this book, because I generally love encouraging kids to be critical thinkers and question rules, and I like the idea of a little fun-spirited rebellion every now and then. But I found the messaging this book wildly inconsistent.
Don't look like everyone else? Educate yourself? Sure. But plant a garden, invent a new holiday, give away things for free - how are these things anarchy? Maybe these aren't following explicit rules, but they aren't breaking ones either. They're living by an implicit set of rules - so instead of telling kids to break rules, you're actually just telling them to live by another set, just not as clearly.
Then on the other end of the spectrum, we have no baths ever again, cake for dinner, and stay up all night... I mean, okay, sounds fun for one night, but you know there are rules for reasons, right? Doing these things consistently will just make overtired, bossy, rude kids. There's a difference between being a thoughtful rule-questioner and being just plain bratty. And certainly, between both of those things and an anarchist. So... what was the point of this book?
Don't look like everyone else? Educate yourself? Sure. But plant a garden, invent a new holiday, give away things for free - how are these things anarchy? Maybe these aren't following explicit rules, but they aren't breaking ones either. They're living by an implicit set of rules - so instead of telling kids to break rules, you're actually just telling them to live by another set, just not as clearly.
Then on the other end of the spectrum, we have no baths ever again, cake for dinner, and stay up all night... I mean, okay, sounds fun for one night, but you know there are rules for reasons, right? Doing these things consistently will just make overtired, bossy, rude kids. There's a difference between being a thoughtful rule-questioner and being just plain bratty. And certainly, between both of those things and an anarchist. So... what was the point of this book?
July 8, 2018
FANTASTISK bog til alle, uanset alder.
Illustrationerne er gode for de små, og der er nok at snakke om for at udvikle de mindstes ordforråd
Teksten giver anledning til livslektioner for store og små, også de ting, vi voksne kunne have godt af at blive mindet om en gang i mellem.
Illustrationerne er gode for de små, og der er nok at snakke om for at udvikle de mindstes ordforråd
Teksten giver anledning til livslektioner for store og små, også de ting, vi voksne kunne have godt af at blive mindet om en gang i mellem.
April 4, 2019
This book has a lot of unrealized potential. There are definitely ways this could be framed as empowering sort-of opposites. Instead it's just uneven and lackluster. Perhaps therein lies its success as an anarchist book, but it fails as a book for children.
October 11, 2017
YES! Except for the line "tear this book up" which is horrifying and also ends with a preposition.
September 22, 2018
This may be the greatest children's picture book ever!
I loved it! Everything in this book is so true! So great!
I loved it! Everything in this book is so true! So great!
August 2, 2019
OH WELL THIS WAS JUST DELIGHTFUL WASN’T IT!!!!!!! I was looking for a child’s guide to resistance and I will have to read that one as well but my goodness this was a joy
May 27, 2021
hell yeah.
November 25, 2022
A great conversation starter with my kids about the arbitrary origins of rules and the higher importance of being a good human than an obedient one.
August 19, 2024
do what you want!
December 28, 2024
This is a fun and irreverent book, built around a BIG IDEA.
November 1, 2021
A nice introduction to anarchy for kids who are already predisposed to it. Not just a laugh, but has actual use as a way to inspire kids to think outside the box.
January 29, 2013
As soon as I saw this book I got it for my niece, even though she isn't two yet (I just hope I remember to give it to her in a few years!)
Anyway, I read some reviews of it, some praising the illustrations (which are great) or decrying it for its 'anarchistic' sentiments. But really this book only touches on the generalities of anarchy (see for instance http://youtu.be/kOTBGrrDeXg) and is, to my mind, about the most important thing one can teach a child and that is for them to think for themselves. By wittily portraying everyday situations where a child might loose the shackles of conformity, John and Jana paint a world in which it is ok for an impressionable child to trust their own thoughts and desires; an assertion of being and early honing of the self..... or maybe I am reading too much into it. Still, I cannot wait for my niece to read it.
Anyway, I read some reviews of it, some praising the illustrations (which are great) or decrying it for its 'anarchistic' sentiments. But really this book only touches on the generalities of anarchy (see for instance http://youtu.be/kOTBGrrDeXg) and is, to my mind, about the most important thing one can teach a child and that is for them to think for themselves. By wittily portraying everyday situations where a child might loose the shackles of conformity, John and Jana paint a world in which it is ok for an impressionable child to trust their own thoughts and desires; an assertion of being and early honing of the self..... or maybe I am reading too much into it. Still, I cannot wait for my niece to read it.
April 23, 2014
A Rule Is to Break: A Child's Guide to Anarchy by John Seven is a witty picture book instructing children on how to rebel against society. The little female anarchist goes about breaking several of the rules that society has in place. This is not a book that parents should fear because the rules that she challenges demonstrate character, confidence, and even kindness. From letting kids know that it's okay to get dirty to hugging monsters even though they are ugly: this book warms the heart and provides a fun read aloud. The illustrations are bright and colorful and the words look almost pasted onto the page. The little anarchist looks like a child and is drawn in a fun, cartoony way. Overall I think this book would be a fun read aloud for parents at home in order to teach a child about having good character and knowing when it is okay to break the rules.
September 6, 2013
The message of the book is think for yourself unfortunately the author is not a good thinker and delivers the message in a list of commands. It claims to be an anarchists children’s book but it’s actually pretty dictatorial. You WILL be a creative and unique person and you WILL like it!!! The only way I could recommend this would be to illustrate irony. A child exposed to this piece of crap at an early stage of development will become a sociopath. The art is dull and cliche as the writing. F- John and Jana.
August 3, 2016
I love this. Really wish books like this had existed when I was growing up, but instead, I bought these for my toddlers.
A very sweet, and short book that encourages children to ask questions instead of accepting information from authority figures, and that encourages them to be different and listen to others who are different. To my surprise, I realized I've been a bit of an anarchist all along myself!
Wrapping this up under the Christmas tree, but I can't wait to read it to my cubs after they unwrap it. I'm interested in the authors' other books as well. Highly recommended to others.
A very sweet, and short book that encourages children to ask questions instead of accepting information from authority figures, and that encourages them to be different and listen to others who are different. To my surprise, I realized I've been a bit of an anarchist all along myself!
Wrapping this up under the Christmas tree, but I can't wait to read it to my cubs after they unwrap it. I'm interested in the authors' other books as well. Highly recommended to others.
March 4, 2015
I love this book and theoretically I want my children to love this book - especially "be you," "educate yourself," and "cake for dinner!" I'm holding out against the part that says "stay up all night." I don't want anyone in our house doing that :P
--I will buy this for babies when they are 4 or 5 years old.
--I will buy this for babies when they are 4 or 5 years old.
March 19, 2022
I like the positivity and self-empowerment dripping from these pages! It's so fun and puts other books where kids are naughty for no reason to shame. This book highlights why it's okay to be different and do what you desire. Which could be wreaking havoc and eating cake for dinner.... Or taking a nap :)
Displaying 1 - 30 of 41 reviews