Isabelle & Isabella's Little Book of Rules

It’s easier to follow rules if you make them yourself. This collection of kid-authored, kid-approved guidelines for living makes a great gift for the child inside of everyone.

Ten-year-old Isabelle and her eight-year-old cousin Isabella have a few tips for living life. Well, maybe more than a few. Begun as a guide for Isabelle’s younger sister, the girls’ list quickly grew, and soon more than 150 rules filled a secret notebook.

Some rules are simple: “Recycle.” “Eat whatever your mom makes for dinner and don’t complain.” Others are practical: “Go to sleep early if you have soccer practice in the morning.” Others are sweet: “Protect each other.” And others are downright hilarious: “Color on paper, not on people.” “Don’t bite the dentist.”

When Isabelle and Isabella lost their handwritten list of rules in a store, they feared it was gone forever. But after a clerk found their notebook and posted about it on Facebook, Isabelle and Isabella became overnight sensations—the staff of Good Morning America said, “Everyone here wants a copy of this. This is going to be a bestseller!” Because after all, who doesn’t need a little help navigating their way through life, at any age?

When Isabelle Busath is not writing, she loves to be outdoors and wants to work with animals. She can usually be found drawing a picture or two of animals at least once a day. She thinks everyone should heed rule number ten: “Have fun at all times.”

When Isabella Thordsen is not writing, she can be found dancing, camping, fishing, or at the family ranch, playing with her goats or chasing cows and turkeys. She thinks everyone should heed rule number ten: “Have fun at all times.”

Priscilla Burris is the illustrator and author-illustrator of many books for children. She attributes her love of children’s books and library visits to the East Los Angeles Library. Priscilla loves her role of creating characters and stories for readers everywhere. She lives in sunny Arizona, where she finds the sunrises and sunsets awe-inspiring.