Alphabet Kids — From ADD to Zellweger Syndrome: a Guide to Developmental, Neurobiological and Psychological Disorders for Parents and Professionals. Robbie Woliver, $24.95

From ASD (Autism Spectrum Disorder) to ZS (Zellweger Syndrome) there seems to be an alphabet disorder for almost every behavior, from those caused by serious, rare genetic diseases to more common learning disabilities that hinder children's academic and social progress. This comprehensive, easy-to-read go-to guide will help parents to sort through all the interconnected childhood developmental, neurobiological and psychological disorders and serve as a roadmap to help start the families' journey for correct diagnoses, effective treatment and better understanding of their Alphabet Kids.

The ‘Are’ Word: Helping Individuals with Intellectual Disabilities Deal with Bullying and Teasing. Dave Hingsburger, $5.50

People with intellectual disabilities are often the brunt of bullying and teasing – on the street, in the schoolyard and in the workplace. This practical and compassionate little booklet suggests new strategies for dealing with mean people, their remarks and actions. A great booklet for parents, family, educators and caregivers, The ‘Are’ Word will help you better understand and support the person with an intellectual disability.

Autism Early Intervention: Fast Facts. Raun Melmed, $11.00

This practical and easy-to-use guide explains the evaluations, diagnoses and treatments for children with Autism Spectrum Disorders.

Autism Encyclopedia: the Complete Guide to Autism Spectrum Disorders. E. Amanda Boutot & Matt Tincani, $29.95

Concise, reader-friendly articles that provide answers to the most pertinent questions related to educating and parenting children with autism.

Autism Handbook for Parents: Facts and Strategies for Parenting Success. Janice Janzen, $12.30

Autism Handbook for Parents provides families with the information needed to help them advocate for their child and make decisions on the various treatments and educational interventions available. This is a practical guide for those looking to be an effective advocate, teacher and parent for their child with autism.

The Autism Trail Guide: Postcards from the Road Less Traveled. Ellen Notbohm, $24.95

The Autism Trail Guide: Postcards from the Road Less Traveled will help parents of children with autism take on everyday challenges while celebrating what their children bring to their world. Ellen offers concrete advice on issues such as math homework, video games, and tricky behavior, and also tackles the more abstract concepts of parenting, such as trusting parental instincts, when to take risks, how to hang on, and when to let go.

Also by Ellen Notbohm: Ten Things Every Child with Autism Wishes You Knew; 1001 Great Ideas for Teaching and Raising Children with Autism Spectrum Disorders; and Ten Things Your Student with Autism Wishes You Knew.

Believe in My Child with Special Needs! Helping Children Achieve their Potential in School. Mary Falvey, $26.95

The Boy in the Moon: a Father's Search for His Disabled Son. Ian Brown, $29.95

Walker Brown was born with a genetic mutation so rare that doctors call it an orphan syndrome: perhaps 300 people around the world also live with it. Walker turned twelve in 2008, but he weighs only 54 pounds, is still in diapers, can’t speak and needs to wear special cuffs on his arms so that he can’t continually hit himself. “Sometimes watching him,” Brown writes, “is like looking at the man in the moon — but you know there is actually no man there. But if Walker is so insubstantial, why does he feel so important? What is he trying to show me?”

In a book that owes its beginnings to Ian Brown’s original Globe and Mail series, he sets out to answer that question, a journey that takes him into deeply touching and troubling territory.

Breakthrough Parenting for Children with Special Needs: Raising the Bar of Expectations. Judy Winter, $17.99

“Breakthrough Parenting for Children with Special Needs challenges families and professionals to help children with special needs to reach their full potential by using a proven motivational, how-to approach. This groundbreaking and inspiring book provides detailed information on how to let go of the “perfect-baby” dream, face and resolve grief, avoid the no-false-hope syndrome, access early intervention services, and avoid the use of limiting and outdated labels. Also included are specific guidelines for working with professionals, understanding the law and inclusion and planning for the future.”

“All parents want the best for their child, and for parents of children with special needs, this can mean that their own well-being is neglected … This book considers the challenges of caring for children with physical, developmental and mental health disorders and proposes methods such as learning to see events through your child's own eyes, celebrating their strengths and achievements and recognizing how others can help your child … Building a Joyful Life warns against parents neglecting their own needs, and a range of exercises to be completed by parents will help them to find ways of regaining balance in their lives.

“Honest and uplifting stories from adults and children living with a variety of special needs, including autism, ADD, ADHD, Asperger’s syndrome, bipolar disorder, and paralysis. This is a collection of powerfully moving stories of resiliency, love, and promise told by family members, teachers, and people who have special needs.”

“A Cup of Comfort for Parents of Children with Autism is a collection of inspiring true stories that relates the strength, love, and devotion families like yours draw on daily. These heartwarming tales will connect you to other devoted and courageous parents, while giving light to your blessing-your child.”

Different Dads: Fathers' Stories of Parenting Disabled Children. Jill Harrison, Matthew Henderson & Rob Leonard, editors, $19.95

Different Dads is a collection of inspiring personal stories written by fathers of children with a disability who reflect on their own experiences and offer advice to other fathers and families on the challenges of raising a child with a disability.

The fathers featured represent a broad spectrum of experience: Their contributions reflect a wide range of cultures and parenting perspectives: single fathers, married fathers and adoptive fathers. What they all have in common are the challenges that face them and their families in raising a child with a disability. Issues explored include the reactions of family, friends and colleagues, how to deal with the organizations and professionals that support families with a disabled child and the difficulty of being open about feelings in a culture that doesn't always expect men to have a sensitive or nurturing role.

Offering direct and thoughtful reflections, this book will be a valuable source of support and information for families with disabled children, and also for health and social care professionals who work with these families.

“Every parent dreams of having a happy, healthy child. What happens when these dreams are shattered by a physical or cognitive disability? A Different Kind of Perfect offers comfort, consolation, and wisdom from parents who have been there and are finding their way through. The writings collected here are grouped into chapters reflecting the progressive stages of many parents' emotional journeys, starting with grief, denial, and anger and moving towards acceptance, empowerment, laughter, and even joy.”

In The Elephant in the Playroom, ordinary parents write intimately and honestly about the extraordinary highs and heartbreaking lows of raising kids with special needs. Candid, passionate, personal, and heartbreakingly funny, The Elephant in the Playroom offers a superb view from within the whirlwind of parenting a child with special needs.

The Everything Parent’s Guide to Children with Special Needs.  Lynn Moore, $17.99

A reassuring, informative guide to your child’s well-being and happiness.

Carol Zapata-Whelan describes her son's struggle with the rare genetic disease Fibrodysplasia Ossificans Progressiva (FOP), focusing on the time of diagnosis at age nine to his first year in college. Finding Magic Mountain illustrates how FOP has shaped and strengthened her family, and how, as a mother, the experience has taught her to put her trust in the universe, and live life one day at a time. Through her son's remarkable grace and strength in dealing with his disease, she has learned that an unexpected encounter with suffering can be a blessing as well.

From Isolation to Intimacy: Making Friends without Words. Phoebe Caldwell, $19.95

“If you have no language, how can you make yourself understood, let alone make friends? Phoebe Caldwell has worked for many years with people with severe intellectual disabilities and/or autistic spectrum disorder who are non-verbal, and whose inability to communicate has led to unhappy and often violent behaviour. In this new book she explores the nature of close relationships, and shows how these are based not so much on words as on the ability to listen, pay attention, and respond in terms that are familiar to the other person. Her simple methods are accessible to anyone who lives or works with such people, and can transform lives and introduce a sense of fun, participation and of intimacy, as trust and familiarity are established.”

Get Out, Explore and Have Fun! How Families of Children with Autism or Asperger Syndrome Can Get the Most out of Community Activities. Lisa Jo Rudy, $19.95

Many families with a child with autism or Asperger Syndrome feel that involvement in the community is not for them. This book sets out to change that, with a rich and varied menu of suggestions for how families can take full part in community life and support the strengths and interests of their child at the same time. Get Out, Explore and Have Fun is a guide to what's out there, how to find it, and how to make it work for your family. The book includes hints and tips for involving your family in the right community activities, from sport to science; information on museums, arts organizations and science institutions as venues for an enjoyable and enriching day out for the family. Handouts about autism are included, as well as handouts suggesting ways in which organizations and institutions can successfully include young people with autism in their activities.

“In this candid and poignant collection of personal stories, sixty-three mothers describe the gifts of respect, strength, delight, perspective, and love, which their child with Down syndrome has brought into their lives. Their diverse experiences point to a common truth: The life of a child with Down syndrome is something to celebrate. These women have something to say--not just to other mothers but to all of us.”

Grandparenting a Child with Special Needs. Charlotte Thompson, $22.95

When a new baby is born into a family, grandparents are excited about having a baby to enjoy and love. If the child is born with a disability, it can be difficult to know how to react and how best to help the child and the family as a whole. This book provides guidance on how to grandparent a child with special needs and give every grandchild the love and care they deserve and parents the added support they need.

“This fourth edition of Life Beyond the Classroom brings together current, comprehensive information on facilitating transitions for young people with mild, moderate, or severe disabilities … Readers will also get updated information throughout the book on transition planning, ensuring access to the general education curriculum, pursuing post-secondary education, helping individuals secure housing, meeting the specific needs of young people with a range of disabilities, and navigating the complex challenges of transition.”

“A much-needed resource for parents, family, and caregivers of adults with developmental disabilities … this book offers resources and planning tools for helping the developmentally disabled adult build skills in employment, education, relationships, independent living, and finances.”

From the stars of TLC's critically acclaimed reality show Little People, Big World comes heartfelt advice to help today's families overcome life's obstacles together and grow closer in the process.

Married with Special Needs Children: a Couple’s Guide to Keeping Connected. Laura Marshak & Fran Prezant, $29.95

This book looks at the ways in which having a child with special needs can impact the parents and how a child's challenging needs can alter the structure of a relationship. For parents looking for ways to strengthen their bond and to prevent or resolve conflict, this guide offers practical and compassionate guidance and expertise. Mental health professionals and allied professionals working with special needs families will also benefit from the insights offered in Married with Special Needs Children.

The Mom’s Guide to Asperger Syndrome and Related Disorders. Jan Johnston-Tyler, $23.95

The Mom's Guide to Asperger Syndrome and Related Disorders is written primarily for parents of children who have newly been diagnosed with Asperger Syndrome. It is especially a great resource for the preschool through elementary school years … Above all else, the book arms parents with basic, sound information empowering them to seek out the very best services and programs for their child. From dealing with sensory issues and bullying to staying on top of homework, The Mom's Guide to Asperger Syndrome and Related Disorders offers easy-to-use suggestions.

More Than a Mom: Living a Full and Balanced Life When Your Child Has Special Needs. Amy Baskin & Heather Fawcett, $27.50

“More Than a Mom addresses the universal concerns and questions of all mothers, coupled with the added intensity of raising children with disabilities. This how-to guide looks at the challenges mothers face at home, at work, and within themselves, with special attention paid to:

• Staying healthy both physically and emotionally
• Keeping friendships
• Parenting your other children
• Staying organized
• Maintaining your marriage
• Nurturing interests and goals
• Seeking flexible work options
• Changing careers or starting a business
• Rejoining the workforce
• Finding specialized childcare
• Advocating for your child

More Than a Mom explores how women can lead rich, fulfilling personal lives while parenting a child with special needs. The authors’ skillful blend of research, personal experiences, and feedback from over 500 mothers across North America results in a book that is jam-packed with practical strategies, advice, and reassurance for mothers trying to create more manageable and fulfilling lives. Husbands, extended family, friends, support organizations, and service providers will also want to read this insightful and fact-filled book.”

“This book explores the lived experience of mothers raising a child with a learning disability, through interviews with mothers of children with autistic spectrum disorder (ASD), attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) and Down syndrome.

Mothering Special Needs encourages other women who have children with special needs to recognize and express their own aspirations and needs for self-fulfillment. It addresses the social construction of motherhood, discussing issues such as mother-blame and society's images of the self-sacrificing mother, in the context of raising a child with a learning disability.”

My Baby Rides the Short Bus: the Unabashedly Human Experience of Raising Kids with Disabilities. Yantra Bertelli, Jennifer Silverman & Sarah Talbot, Editors. $22.00

Featuring works by “alternative” parents who have attempted to move away from mainstream thought--or remove its influence altogether--this anthology, taken as a whole, carefully considers the implications of parenting while raising children with disabilities. This assortment of authentic, shared experiences from parents at the fringe of the fringes is a partial antidote to the stories that misrepresent, ridicule, and objectify disabled kids and their parents.

No More Meltdowns: Positive Strategies for Managing and Preventing Out-of-Control Behavior. Jed Baker, with a foreword by Carol Stock Kranowitz, $16.50

Meltdowns are stressful for both child and adult. Author of the award-winning Social Skills Picture Book series, Dr. Jed Baker offers parents and teachers strategies for understanding, preventing and managing meltdowns. His 20+ years of experience working with children on the autism spectrum, combined with his personal experiences raising his own children, have yielded time-tested strategies, and results.

"Jed Baker, in this excellent book, gives us the tools to deal with and prevent out-of-control behavior. Wisely, he leads us grown-ups to understand how to change our own behavior in order to help our children change theirs."

- Carol Stock Kranowitz, Author of best-seller “The Out-of-Sync Child”

Not My Boy! A Father, a Son and One Family’s Journey with Autism. Rodney Peete, $32.99

Rodney Peete offers not only a heartrending, candid look inside his personal journey with his son’s autism but a first-of-its-kind, inspirational road map that will help families facing similar challenges to move forward. Effectively woven throughout Peete’s moving account of his life with his son R.J. are the powerful voices, insights, and dreams of other fathers, high-profile figures as well as unsung heroes, who’ve traveled this difficult path.

1001 Great Ideas for Teaching and Raising Children with Autism Spectrum, 2nd Edition. Veronica Zysk & Ellen Notbohm, $26.95

Parents and professionals can now bypass countless hours spent seeking answers to the mystifying day-to-day challenges of autism. In a snappy, can-do format, this book offers page after page of try-it-now solutions that have worked for thousands of children grappling with sensory, communication, social, behavioral, and self-care issues. Not only does it provide ideas and activities that can be put into action immediately, but it also explains WHY these methods work so that adults can better understand the children they are working with. Revised and expanded, more than 600 fresh ideas join tried and true tactics from the original edition, while many ideas pick up where the first edition left off – offering modifications for older kids.

“Primary care physicians and other health care providers can help families get the best care and services for young children with special health care needs (CSHCN) in this one-of-a-kind field guide to the critical issues, policies, and practices affecting medical care for CSHCN from birth to age 5.”

“Now in a revised and expanded third edition, this popular clinical reference and text provides a multi-systems perspective on childhood disability and its effects on family life. The volume examines how child, family, ecological, and socio-cultural variables intertwine to shape the ways families respond to disability, and how professionals can promote coping, adaptation, and empowerment. Accessible and engaging, the book integrates theory and research with vignettes and firsthand reflections from family members.”

Parenting Your Complex Child: Become a Powerful Advocate for the Autistic, Down Syndrome, PDD, Bipolar, or Other Special-Needs Child. Peggy Lou Morgan, $21.95

The unique tracking and documentation tools in Parenting Your Complex Child help parents adapt to their child’s challenges, create routines that support the child’s needs, communicate those needs to busy professionals and be taken seriously by them. The book also helps parents lay the groundwork for care to continue after they themselves can no longer provide it. Compassionate, practical, and proven, Parenting Your Complex Child helps parents ensure that life-changing decisions are based on the best interests of the child — and on the best information available.

The Power to Spring UP: Postsecondary Education Opportunities for Students with Significant Disabilities.  Diana Katovitch, $30.95

The Power to Spring Up makes it clear that education and learning after high school are both possible and beneficial for students with significant disabilities, giving them better job opportunities and more fulfilling lives.

This guide to PSE options is designed for students ages 14 and up with a variety of disabilities, including autism spectrum disorders (ASD), Down syndrome, traumatic brain injury and cerebral palsy as well as for their families, advocates, and secondary school professionals. Not only does the author provide important practical information and guidance, she also inspires families, giving them renewed hope in their child’s future and the possibilities for them to continue learning and gaining independence into adulthood.

Raising a Kid with Special Needs: the Complete Canadian Guide. Lisa Bendall, $21.95

“From health advice to school savvy, from financial tips to advocacy know-how, from focusing on family to facing the future, this book will guide parents through all aspects of parenting a child who has physical, developmental, sensory, or learning disabilities. Complete with resource information, strategies, and personal stories from parents in the know, Raising a Kid with Special Needs is an empowering, reassuring, and invaluable guide.

Raising Special Kids: a Group Program for Parents of Children with Special Needs, Facilitator's Manual. Jared Massanari & Alice Massanari, $15.95

Raising Special Kids: a Group Program for Parents of Children with Special Needs, Parent Guidebook. Jared Massanari & Alice Massanari, $21.95

This eight-session group program is a mutual support program that allows parents to share stories and explore what works and what doesn't in their unique relationships between their children and families. Each chapter presents a central theme that weaves together their own needs and the needs of their child. The program focuses on:

• Encouraging parents to explore their own very intense emotional responses to raising a child with special needs.
• Helping parents identify their lost dreams, express feelings that accompany loss, and, at the same time, deeply love the child now in their lives.
• Helping parents experience the gifts that their child offers.
• Encouraging parents to practice self-care and appreciate all that they do for their child.
• Strengthening both the parent-child connection and the family as a whole.
• Improving family communication and developing skills to help children reach optimal potential.

Raising Special Kids offers insights and guidance for any parent facing the challenges of raising a child with physical, developmental, behavioral, or emotional special needs.

School Success for Children with Special Needs: Everything You Need to Know to Help Your Child Learn. Amy James, $15.50

School Success for Children with Special Needs offers parents a guide for understanding and navigating the often-confusing special education system to ensure that your child gets the best education possible. It tells you:

• How to know if your child has a physical, learning, or emotional disability
• How to help formulate your child’s Individualized Education Program (IEP)
• Information on the many ways schools and teachers can accommodate for children with disabilities
• How to assess our child’s progress
• How can you help your child be successful at school and in life by reinforcing basic skills at every age
• How to plan for transitioning your child to the wider world

• Describes how parents can document their child’s medical issues, preferences, skill levels, and other information
• Short handouts that can help respite workers understand general topics such as the importance of routines or relaxation strategies
• Case studies illustrate how information about behavior and positive behavior supports might be shared, in a written format, between a parent and respite worker
• Blank forms for parents to use for paper-and-pencil preparation of information material. In addition, an accompanying CD allows parents to use their computer to prepare the information sheets and to print the supplementary handouts.
• References and suggested reading or viewing material

While it is very challenging to prepare someone for the task of childcare, this book helps parents to remember to share the important “stuff” about their particular child.

Small Steps Forward includes up-to-date research and practice, providing parents and caregivers with the information they need and a host of ideas to encourage their child's development. The games and activities use toys and materials which most children will already have, and involve no special preparation. Sarah Newman divides skill development into six areas — cognitive, linguistic, physical, sensory, social and emotional — for convenient reference. The book also deals with issues like behavior management, toilet-training and sleep problems.

Special-Needs Kids Eat Right: Strategies to Help Kids on the Autism Spectrum Focus, Learn and Thrive. Judy Converse, $17.50

With current, practical advice and cutting-edge strategies, Special Needs Kids Eat Right is a resource parents of children with dietary challenges related to developmental delays can turn to again and again for information, inspiration and a positive action plan.

Developed by two financial planning experts who also have family members with special needs, this one-of-a-kind book includes all the tools families need to create an effective action plan for their finances. A book parents will use for the rest of their lives, this guide is also a valuable addition to the reference library of every service provider.

“Spiritual Healing with Children with Special Needs gives a fascinating account of individual healing sessions with children with complex special needs and moderate to severe learning difficulties. From his perspective as both spiritual healer and curative educator, the author demonstrates the benefits of spiritual healing for these children as a natural, non-invasive, holistic approach that restores balance and harmony to body, soul and spirit.”

Supportive Parenting: Becoming an Advocate for Your Child with Special Needs. Jan Starr Campito, $28.95

When Jan Campito first entered the world of special needs, she trusted the experts to tell her how to proceed. An articulate, well-educated and confident person, she found she became passive and trusting when it came to assuming people would tell her what was wrong with her children's development and what to do to help them. Since no one else was stepping up to find appropriate help for her children, she realized that she needed to take on that responsibility. In Supportive Parenting, Jan Campito shares with other parents her experiences and offers valuable insight into the advocacy process for both parents and professionals.

Talking Teenagers: Information and Inspiration for Parents of Teenagers with Autism or Asperger's Syndrome. Ann Boushéy, $22.95

Talking Teenagers covers everyday topics and explores the challenges of parenting across the spectrum during the teenage years. Parents will come away with a sense of empowerment and feeling that they are not alone, while professionals will gain a valuable and compassionate insight into the world of parenting a teenager on the autism spectrum.

This Lovely Life: a Memoir of Premature Motherhood. Vicki Forman, $18.95

Vicki Forman gave birth to Evan and Ellie, weighing just a pound at birth, at twenty-three weeks’ gestation. During the delivery she begged the doctors to "let her babies go" — she knew all too well that at twenty-three weeks they could very well die and, if they survived, they would face a high risk of permanent disabilities. However, California law demanded resuscitation. Her daughter died just four days later; her son survived and was indeed multiply disabled: blind, nonverbal, and dependent on a feeding tube.

This Lovely Life tells, with brilliant intensity, of what became of the Forman family after the birth of the twins — the harrowing medical interventions and ethical considerations involving the sanctity of life and death. Forman’s intelligent voice gives a sensitive, nuanced rendering of her guilt, her anger, and her eventual acceptance in this portrait of a mother’s fierce love for her children.

Understanding Your Young Child with Special Needs. Pamela Bartram, $16.95

Understanding Your Young Child with Special Needs explores the developmental impact of disability on normal stages of child development, and examines the complex nature of the emotional bonds between parents and their children with special needs.

Unfolding the Tent: Advocating for Your One-of-a-Kind Child. Anne Addison, $22.95

Unfolding the Tent is written for the parents of children with neurological and related disorders, introducing the concept of 'Life Maps' as a systematic approach to developing goals and strategies that guide an individual towards reaching their potential.

Where We Going, Daddy? Life with Two Sons Unlike Any Others. Jean-Louis Fournier, $14.00

Jean-Louis Fournier did not expect to have a disabled child. He certainly did not expect to have two. But that is precisely what happened to this wry French humorist and his attempts to live and cope with his Mathieu and Thomas, both facing extremely debilitating physical and mental challenges, is the subject of this brave and heartbreaking book. Fournier recalls the life he imagined having with his sons—but his boys will never really grow up, and he mourns the loss of every memory he thought he’d have.  Though a devoted father, he does not shy away from exploring the limits of his love, the countless times he is filled with frustration and disappointment with no relief in sight.

The Year My Son and I Were Born: a Story of Down Syndrome, Motherhood and Self-Discovery. Kathryn Lynard Soper, $32.95

From the dramatic premature birth to the adjustments made by a family with six other kids, the story of Thomas and his mother is a remarkable journey.

Yoga Therapy for Every Special Child: Meeting Needs in a Natural Setting. Nancy Williams, Illustrated by Leslie White, $19.95

Yoga therapy is gaining rapid recognition as a form of treatment that can improve the physical and mental wellbeing of children with a variety of complex needs. This book contains a specially-designed yoga program for use with children of all abilities, and provides both parents and professionals with the knowledge they need to carry out the therapy themselves.

The program consists of a series of postures, each of which is explained and accompanied by an illustration. The postures are designed to help children understand and use their bodies, and work towards positive changes such as realigning the spine, encouraging eye-contact, and promoting calm and steady breathing. Consideration is given to creating the right setting for carrying out the therapy, assessing an individual child's particular needs, and making the sessions fun using games and props. Sections on yoga therapy for specific conditions such as autistic spectrum disorder, Down syndrome, and cerebral palsy are included, and the book concludes with child and parent reports on how the program has worked for them, and a list of useful contacts and resources.

This practical book is a must for parents, teachers, therapists and other professionals, and anybody else who wants to help a child to develop through enjoyable and therapeutic yoga sessions.

Your Struggling Child: a Guide to Understanding & Advocating for Your Child with Learning, Behavior or Emotional Problems. Robert Newby, $32.50

Here is a practical, compassionate book parents can turn to when they first recognize that their child has a "problem" but aren't sure what it is or where to seek help. This book explains the different and overlapping symptoms of learning, mood, and behavior disorders and guides parents in getting the right diagnosis and treatment. Clear and comprehensive, this supportive guide will be every parent's first line of defense in helping a troubled child.