This book, maybe targeting the 6-10 y/o age group, is very well done. The artwork & text works very well toward that age group too.......but it's really is appealing to all readers, young & older! The book is soooo easily educating about living with a disability...... it tells about the life & achievements of a scientist that has cerebral palsy. It's a great read & would be a prize to find in any library, public or private!
I received this e book from Lerner Publishing Group/Millbrook Press via NetGalley, giving me an opportunity to read it & post my own fair/honest review.

I received a copy of this eBook from netGalley for a honest review.

I love the message of this book! Rewriting the rules is exactly what this woman did. Her parents were told to put her in a home but they found a second option the let Kathleen grow and shine and become an amazing person who continues to make her own rules and improve the world.

What a fantastic biography of a child who had to find her own way to learn, perform, and succeed despite the many obstacles she faced. Her parents found a doctor who believed in letting Kathleen find her own path and encouraged them to let her be raised as any other. Kathleen showed courage from a young age, standing up for herself, inventing new ways to accomplish everyday tasks and helping others understand the world she lived in. A pioneer in navigating the normal world with cerebral palsy, her story will inspire readers by her courage and achievements. The author presents highlights of Kathleen's life that show her challenges and how she responded in straightforward text emphasizing all the ways Kathleen Friel "rewrote the rules". Mentored by Kathleen, the author has unique insight into the struggles people with disabilities face and invites readers to help Kathleen rewrite the rules.

I know I can!
A life story for overcomers and for those who need to learn about Differently Abled persons.
If you take away nothing else from the life of Dr Friel, know this: "people who think or move differently have so much to offer"
The illustrations by Canadian artist Josee Bisaillon are fairly simple, imaginative, and FUN in bright colors.
Well suited for reading alone or WITH someone of any age, including ESL, and great for gifting to everyone, but especially to a school, waiting room, or your local public library!
I requested and received a temporary uncorrected digital galley from Lerner Publishing Group | Millbrook Press ™ via NetGalley. Pub Date Sep 09, 2025 Five star review #goodreads #bookbub
#RewritingtheRules a bio of @kathleen.friel by Danna Zeiger @drzathome and illustrated by @joseebisaillon @lernerbooks @millbrookpress @steamteambooks #cerebralpalsy #Possibilities #BrainResearch #Disabilities #determination #scientist #physicaltherapies #advocating #overcoming #biography #medicalresearch #STEMinist #kidlit #illustrated #perseverance
@childrensbookcouncil #bookshop_org #bookshop_org_uk #indiebookstoresca #thriftbooks

My daughters and I read this aloud and we loved it! Beautiful illustrations and inspiring story! I think this book is a great way to raise awareness about and inspire kids.

Age recommendation: elementary age and anyone else that enjoys reading inspiring stories about others overcoming.

This was such an inspiring children's book! I know this will help children that have been diagnosed with CP. This shows them they can do anything they put their mind to and not to listen to the negativity and opinions of the world!

Thank you Netgalley, Lerner publishing, and Danna Zeiger for an ARC of this book in exchange for my honest feedback.

Thanks so much to NetGalley for the free Kindle book. My review is voluntarily given, and my opinions are my own.

This is a wonderful book for children who have celebral palsy and those who know others with it. It does a great job explaining it in terms they can understand.

Would definitely recommend this book.

As a parent of a child with Cerebral Palsy, I was very interested to read this book. I don't remember hearing about Dr. Friel, although I might have after many hours of research and I enjoyed learning more about her story of growing up with Cerebral Palsy and pursuing a career in research to advocate for herself and others with Cerebral Palsy.

What I liked: From the beginning, I loved seeing that Kathleen found her own way to do things. I see my daughter do the exact same. It seems those with physical challenges are really good at figuring other ways to do things when they're motivated to do so. I like making this more normalized among people with physical challenges and those without. There isn't just one way to do things.

Things to note: I'm not sure I would read this book to my daughter with Cerebral Palsy and at least not while she's young. There are many pages about people treating Kathleen poorly because of her Cerebral Palsy and I wouldn't want to introduce those ideas to my daughter. My daughter might or might not experience the same challenges with other people. I don't really want her to worry about that and focus on the idea of others thinking less of her. If she's already experiencing that, maybe it would be comforting to read about someone else experiencing it too and pushing through. It's a tough call as a parent to decide what challenges to share.

For the reason above, I'm wondering who the ideal audience is. Is it people with. Cerebral Palsy or those without? There are parts I'd love my daughter with Cerebral Palsy to read and have an inspiring example. And there are parts that I'd worry would make her fearful and discouraged. I think Dr. Friel has a really fantastic story. If I were writing it, I would decided who my audience is and try to make the challenging parts of it a little more positive sounding. For example, maybe she had a good perspective or motto that helped her get through the challenges.

Rating: 4 stars
Content warning: None besides I'd recommend parents of children with disabilities read it alone first and consider how their kids will take it.
Recommend: Yes, with the above considerations.

Danna Zeiger's new book, "Rewriting the Rules: How Dr. Kathleen Friel Created New Possibilities for Brain Research and Disability" is both accessible and sophisticated - a perfect mixture for curious young readers. The story of Dr. Kathleen Friel, who was born with cerebral palsy, is framed lyrically with the image of a dandelion. Young Kathleen has to find her own way to scatter the seeds, and she meets this challenge and so many others in her life. The book includes fascinating information about our brains' ability to learn new ways of doing tasks. With excellent back matter and engaging illustrations, this book provides a vehicle for STEM learning while reading the inspiring story of one individual.

Rewriting the Rules is an incredibly inspiring book. The true story of Dr. Kathleen Friel and the ways in which she navigated life as someone with cerebral palsy. It is full of hope, and is perfect for a classroom. Absolutely a must read!

This is an incredibly inspiring and beautifully illustrated picture book biography about Dr. Kathleen Friel. I did not know who she was before reading this story so I was extra appreciative for the author's note and information about Dr. Friel's advocacy work at the end of the book. I have mostly seen fictional children's books about cerebral palsy so I was excited to see a picture book biography featuring a scientist with CP. The book does a wonderful job of presenting Dr. Friel and her family's perseverance as they encounter various challenges, from day-to-day living to having a doctor tell her parents she should be institutionalized because they had other children. I also appreciated the inclusion of how her parents did not lower their expectations for her because of her disability and how they supported her independence as a child. This would be a great addition to school, home, and public libraries.

Thanks to NetGalley for the ARC.

Rewriting the Rules is an incredibly powerful true story about the life of Dr. Kathleen Friel, a renowned scientist, who was born with cerebral palsy and overcame all the odds against her to reach her goals, prove the nay-sayers wrong, and make an incredible impact in her field and in the lives of others with cerebral palsy. Her story of resilience is truly inspirational and her impact and new groundbreaking science/therapies have changed many lives for the better. What an amazing story and a great reminder that no one should ever be underestimated or told they can’t do something. In addition to her amazing story, the book was also beautifully illustrated. A must read for children and adults alike! Thank you to the author, publisher, and NetGalley for the ARC in return for my honest review.

An inspiring and powerful true story, Rewrite the Rules celebrates resilience, inclusion, and the strength of the human spirit. Through the life of Dr. Kathleen Friel—who was born with cerebral palsy and went on to become a scientist helping others like her—this beautifully illustrated picture book encourages kids to embrace differences and believe in the power of perseverance. With meaningful SEL and STEM elements woven throughout, it’s a must-have for classrooms and home libraries alike. A short read, but full of heart and hope.

This is probably the most beautiful picture book for children on disability and women in science that I have ever read. Kathleen Friel is a brave, talented, an inspirational woman, and her story is incredibly riveting. Beautiful textured illustrations look like paper cut-outs. I really loved all of the details around how she learned to do even the smallest of physical movements (picking up a cheerio) in her own way. She found new ways to live her life, and THEN she found new ways to look at the science around cerebral palsy. Then she was able to develop groundbreaking new therapies for children!

The book made me teary in parts--particularly the way her parents tirelessly and compassionately advocated for her, showing her how to advocate articulately for herself as she got older. This is such an amazing book for children, and Danna Zieger did such a phenomenal job writing the story.

What a fascinating look at a brilliant, resilient woman! Dr. Kathleen Friel was born with cerebral palsy, but that never stopped her from figuring out how to do the same things as everyone else — just in her own unique way. This book follows Kathleen through a childhood of both struggles and triumphs, as well as through the start of her scientific career. Just as she had in her childhood, Dr. Friel discovered a new way of thinking about cerebral palsy: if new brain connections can be formed, why can't this apply to people with CP and brain disabilities?

I'd never heard of Dr. Friel before reading this book, but what luck to now know her story! 'Rewriting the Rules' is also adorably illustrated, perfect for engaging the reader with Dr. Friel's life. Thank you to NetGalley and the author for providing me with a free eARC in exchange for an honest review.

Rewriting the Rules, a story about Kathleen Friel and her life's mission to find success and help others with cerebral palsy just like her. Her inspiring story comes alive through the pages along with the beautiful illustrations on how strength and determination will always prevail.

Amazing book on Kathleen Friel. I had never heard of this scientist before and Danna does a wonderful job of introducing us to this pioneer in brain research. Dr.Friel has cerebral palsy yet despite her diagnosis as a young child, she never let this stop her. This book is filled with not only information but hope and the power of perseverance and never giving up. What I found beautiful is that Dr.Friel was Danna’s mentor! I highly recommend this book for every classroom as it can be used to teach so many different things! I’m excited to see it out in September!

I LOVE this book!! It is a beautiful, inspiring story about overcoming all odds. It’s soo important for children to see themselves in books as well as learn about others who are different from them. This book provides a true reflection of a person living with cerebral palsy and the struggles they have to overcome daily. This will be a great addition for my classroom library.

WOW—Rewriting the Rules is an absolutely stunning and inspiring read! 💫 This true story about Dr. Kathleen Friel had me hooked from the first page. Her life, her work, and her determination to push boundaries in brain research and disability advocacy? Truly next-level.

The writing is lyrical and engaging, the illustrations are vibrant and full of energy, and Dr. Friel’s passion radiates off the page. This picture book is more than just a biography—it’s a beautiful reminder that no matter the obstacles, we all have something powerful to offer the world.

The back matter is fantastic (yes to more disability history in kidlit!), and I’m so glad young readers will get to learn about this incredible woman who’s changing the world for people with cerebral palsy—and beyond. Highly, highly recommen

This is such an inspiring and uplifting true story about the power of never giving up and rewriting the rules! Kathleen Friel was born with cerebral palsy and faced many challenges - but that didn’t stop her from achieving her goals. With the love and support of her family, Kathleen went on to become a scientist, studying brain injuries and earning her doctorate degree. In her lab, she helps children with cerebral palsy write their own rules - using therapies that she’s developed. The author’s special connection to Dr. Friel makes this picture book even more remarkable. Filled with STEM (science, technology, engineering and math) and SEL (social emotional learning ) components, this important book should be in every classroom, school library, and home collection.