“Picoult writes with unassuming brilliance.”

— Stephen King

“It's hard to exaggerate how well Picoult writes.”

— Financial Times

“Nothing is ever all said and done in a Picoult novel. One can imagine the ripples of these characters' lives echoing on and on, even after the last page has been turned. Odds are, you'll wish you hadn't turned it. ”

— San Antonio Express-News

“Picoult is a rare writer who delivers book after book, a winning combination of the literary and the commercial.”

—Entertainment Weekly

“Picoult writes with a fine touch, a sharp eye for detail, and a firm grasp of the delicacy and complexity of human relationships.”

—The Boston Globe

“Picoult has become a master-almost a clairvoyant-at targeting hot issues and writing highly readable page-turners about them…It is impossible not to be held spellbound by the way she forces us to think, hard, about right and wrong.”

—The Washington Post

Wondering why House Rules isn’t available for kindle/e-books?

Due to a conflict in business practices with Amazon, my publisher - Simon and Schuster - recently made a policy decision to delay e-books by many bestselling authors for 6 months, including me. I AM 100% OPPOSED TO THIS POLICY. I think it punishes some of the best readers and fans, who want a book and want it fast. However, I cannot change the publisher’s policy, no matter how much I rant about it. This was a retroactive decision made to a book they already own by contract. PLEASE don’t blame me for this decision - believe me, if it was up to me, you’d have a Kindle version. It has nothing to do with me not wanting the book sold as an e-book, or me feeling that e-book readers aren’t important. I’m just as upset about this as you are.

House Rules!

House Rules hit bookstores on March 2, and debuts at #1 on the NYT bestseller list! Thanks to all of you who made that happen! It’s about Jacob Hunt - a boy with high-functioning autism - who is accused of murder. When your son can’t look you in the eye...does that always mean he’s guilty? You can learn a little more about the story by watching the video trailer.

Also: check out the new family photos, a list of book tour events, and stop by the Podcast area to hear the latest: The Story Behind House Rules. You can Listen online or download the mp3 and listen on your iPod!

Critical acclaim

“Picoult is at her razor-sharp best with House Rules. It’s both a tender look at the depths of a mother’s love and a searing examination of how we treat those who are different, and whether we expect them to play by the same rules.”

— BookPage

“Picoult’s research is impeccable and she deals intelligently with charged questions about autism and Asperger’s.”

— Publishers Weekly

“ House Rules is a page-turner... well-paced and thoughtful. And it certainly leaves readers with more compassion and understanding for sufferers of a condition that puts them always on the outside without a way in.”

— Boston Globe

House Rules tour:
South Africa: July 30 - August 6 »
US rolls on - August 6... »

Check out the latest tour schedule for House Rules.
South Africa ... I hope you’ll mark your calendars and come on out to meet me!

Learn about Jodi’s new novel, House Rules. You’ll find an excerpt, resources for further information, and discussion questions for your book club. Find out what others are saying about House Rules.

Celebrate the arrival of House Rules: listen to a podcast about the research behind the book… and check back frequently to hear newly uploaded podcasts…including original short stories by Jodi!

Can’t wait till 2011? Take a peek at Jodi’s next book. Sing You Home explores what it means to be gay in today’s world, and how reproductive science has outstripped the legal system. Are embryos people or property? Read an excerpt… »

Has your book club read Handle With Care yet? It’s out in paperback – and given the national health care debate, it’s certain to lead to a heated discussion. Watch the video trailer or browse some discussion questions.

Join the discussion on Twitter and Jodi’s Message Boards

Join Want to talk about House Rules, Handle With Care, Change of Heart, and the rest of Jodi’s books with other readers and fans?

Looking for writing tips? Join the discussion »

Which of Jodi’s novels are you reading? click on a book jacket (below) and find book club discussion questions, a brief synopsis, excerpts, kudos, and maybe even a movie or podcast!

Are you an educator looking to use 19 minutes for an anti-bullying curriculum?

I recently had the opportunity to witness a leadership conference in Connecticut, where seventy-five high school students from the greater Hartford, CT area all came together to discuss Improving School Climates, using 19 Minutes as a springboard for discussion. The moderators, JoAnn Freiberg and Nancy Pugliese - both working with the State Dept. of Education - created a curriculum and format that they have kindly volunteered to let me post on this website so that other educators can benefit from it! Using a “fishbowl discussion” format, they used excerpts from the book and based questions off those excerpts for discussion.

Resources for educators: an anti-bullying curriculum and format:

At the day’s end, students split up by school and formulated action steps that they could take away from their discussion to use in their own school settings. It was an amazing event to witness - to see kids committed to being the change they want to see in the world. If you have any further questions, you can contact joann.freiberg@gmail.com.