All I Can Handle: I’m No Mother Teresa. Kim Stagliano, $22.95

How one woman raises three autistic daughters, loses one (temporarily) at Disney World, stays married, has sex, bakes gluten-free, goes broke and keeps her sense of humor.

Alone Together: Making an Asperger Marriage Work. Katrin Bentley, $22.95

Alone Together shares the struggle of one couple to rescue their marriage. It is uplifting and humorous, and includes very practical and compassionate advice for making an Asperger marriage succeed. This book offers couples hope, encouragement and strategies for their own marriages.

At Home in the Land of Oz: Autism, My Sister, and Me. Anne Clinard Barnhill, $24.95

This bittersweet memoir will resonate with families affected by autism and other developmental disorders and will appeal to everyone interested in the condition.

ATYPICAL. Life with Asperger’s in 20 ⅓ Chapters. Jesse Saperstein, $16.00

A delightful storyteller, Jesse Saperstein puts a human face on Asperger’s and makes us better understand what it means to see the worlds through the prism of autism.

Autism All-Stars: How We Use Our Autism and Asperger Traits to Shine in Life. Josie Santomauro, Editor, $19.95

Writers from all over the world at different stages in their careers, and from very different backgrounds, share their experiences of creating a successful life on the autism spectrum. Each explains how it is possible to draw on autistic strengths not just to make your way in the world, overcoming challenges and obstacles, but also to make your life a real success. Education, the world of work, and relationships are the focus of the first part of the book, which then goes on to look at exceptional creativity, and the use of special interests.

The autobiographical stories in this book are full of wisdom and humour, and will be an inspiration for anyone with high-functioning autism or Asperger Syndrome, their family and friends, and the professionals who work alongside them.

Autism and Me. Rory Hoy, $34.95 DVD format, 20 minutes

Only people with autism truly know what it's like to be autistic — and even then, every autistic individual is unique! This award-winning short film by Rory Hoy, an 18-year-old filmmaker with autism, provides a privileged glimpse into his autistic world, letting us take a journey through his everyday experience and see it through his eyes … This engaging, insightful and light-hearted film will be invaluable to people with autism, their friends and family, and to professionals working with them. A booklet explaining the film, also compiled by the author, accompanies the DVD.

Autism, Anxiety and Me: a Diary in Even Numbers. Emma Louise Bridge, $22.95

Emma's unique perspective as a young woman with autism and social anxiety gives a fascinating take on challenging issues such as employment, the transition to adulthood, friendships, and sensory sensitivity. Her diary provides an original voice from someone still in the process of figuring it all out.

Bad Animals: a Father’s Accidental Education in Autism. Joel Yanofsky, $22.00

A veteran book reviewer, Yanofsky has spent a lifetime immersed in literature (not to mention old movies and old jokes), which he calls shtick. This account of a year in the life of a family describes a father's struggle to enter his son's world, the world of autism, using the materials he knows best: self-help books, feel-good memoirs, literary classics from the Bible to Dr. Seuss, old movies, and, yes, shtick. Funny, wrenching, and unfailingly candid, Bad Animals is both an exploration of a baffling condition and a quirky love story told by a gifted writer.

Be Different: My Adventures with Asperger's and My Advice for Fellow Aspergians, Misfits, Families and Teachers. John Elder Robison, $21.00 (updated edition with Canadian resources)

In his bestselling memoir, LOOK ME IN THE EYE, John Elder Robison described growing up with Asperger's syndrome at a time when the diagnosis didn't exist. He was intelligent but socially isolated; his talents won him jobs with toy makers and rock bands but did little to endear him to authority figures and classmates, who were put off by his inclination to blurt out non sequiturs and avoid eye contact.

By the time he was diagnosed at age forty, John had already developed a myriad of coping strategies that helped him achieve a seemingly normal, even highly successful, life. In BE DIFFERENT, Robison shares a new batch of endearing stories about his childhood, adolescence, and young adult years, giving the reader a rare window into the Aspergian mind.

Beyond the Wall: Personal Experiences with Autism and Asperger Syndrome. Stephen Shore, $30.95

A warm and remarkable journey into the life of an “aspie.”

Boy Alone: a Brother's Memoir. Karl Taro Greenfeld, $33.99

Acclaimed journalist Karl Taro Greenfeld speaks out about growing up in the shadow of his autistic brother, revealing the complex mix of rage, confusion, and love that defined his childhood. Boy Alone is his brutally honest memoir of the hopes, dreams, and realities of life with a mentally disabled sibling.

The Boy Who Loved Windows: Opening the Heart and Mind of a Child Threatened with Autism. Patricia Stacey, $24.99

At once heart-wrenching and hopeful, Patricia Stacey's enthralling memoir traces the experience of a remarkable family who struggled courageously in order to give their son a rich and emotionally full life.

Carly’s Voice: Breaking Through Autism. Arthur Fleischmann, with Carly Fleischmann, $19.99

At the age of two, Carly Fleischmann was diagnosed with severe autism and an oral motor condition that prevented her from speaking. Doctors predicted that she would never intellectually develop beyond the abilities of a small child. Although she made some progress after years of intensive behavioral and communication therapy, Carly remained largely unreachable. Then, at the age of ten, she had a breakthrough. While working with her devoted therapists Howie and Barb, Carly reached over to their laptop and typed in “HELP TEETH HURT,” much to everyone’s astonishment.

This was the beginning of Carly’s journey toward self-realization. Although Carly still struggles with all the symptoms of autism, which she describes with uncanny accuracy and detail, she now has regular, witty, and profound conversations on the computer with her family, her therapists, and the many thousands of people who follow her via her blog, Facebook, and Twitter.

Cowboy & Wills: a Remarkable Little Boy and the Puppy that Changed His Life. Monica Holloway, $18.99

The day Monica Holloway learns that her lovable, brilliant three-year-old son has autism spectrum disorder she takes him to buy an aquarium. But what Wills really wants is a puppy, and from the moment Cowboy Carol Lawrence, an overeager and affectionate golden retriever, joins the family, Monica watches as her cautious son steps a little farther into the world. And when Cowboy turns out to need her new family as much as they need her, they discover just how much she has taught them about devotion, loyalty, and never giving up.

Daniel Isn't Talking. Marti Leimbach, $21.00

A fearless, unsentimental novel about a mother’s devotion to her autistic child, by the bestselling author of Dying Young. Author Marti Leimbach is herself the mother of an autistic child and she writes with the tenderness, insight and humour that only experience can bring. Passionate, moving, heartbreakingly real, Daniel Isn't Talking is a smart and engaging novel about a mother’s desperation and the capacities of love.

Do Lemons Have Feathers? More to Autism Than Meets the Eye. David Burns, $18.95

Have you heard the one about the man who mistook a canary for a lemon? How about the book that tells you exactly what that joke has to do with Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD)? Filled with personal insights, anecdotes and practical advice, David J. Burns lets you know what can be achieved because of, and not in spite of, an ASD diagnosis.

Every Word Is a Bird We Teach to Sing: Encounters with the Mysteries and Meanings of Language. Daniel Tammet, $35.00

A mind-expanding, deeply humane tour of language by the bestselling author of Born on a Blue Day and Thinking in Numbers.

Is vocabulary destiny? Why do clocks “talk” to the Nahua people of Mexico? Will A.I. researchers ever produce true human-machine dialogue? In this mesmerizing collection of essays, Daniel Tammet goes back in time to London to explore the numeric language of his autistic childhood; in Iceland, he learns why the name Blær became a court case; in Canada, he meets one of the world’s most accomplished lip readers. He chats with chatbots; contrives an “e”-less essay on lipograms; studies the grammar of the telephone; contemplates the significance of disappearing dialects; and corresponds with native Esperanto speakers — in their mother tongue.

A joyous romp through the world of words, letters, stories, and meanings, Every Word Is a Bird We Teach to Sing explores the way communication shapes reality. From the art of translation to the lyricism of sign language, these essays display the stunning range of Tammet’s literary and polyglot talents.

Evolution of Cocoons: a Mother’s Journey though Her Daughter’s Bipolar and Asperger’s. Janna Vought, $17.95

EVOLUTION OF COCOONS is a firsthand account of mothering a child who suffers from debilitating mental and developmental illnesses delivered through a montage of poems and personal essays. The book offers readers an intimate glimpse into the life of a family reeling from the effects of such diseases; everyone is brave and flawed. It is an honest, brutal, introspective, and searching look into a life corrupted by a child's imbalanced mind and a mother’s search.

Fall Down 7 Times Get Up 8: a Young Man's Voice from the Silence of Autism. Naoki Higashida, Ka Yoshida & David Mitchell, $29.95

Naoki Higashida was only thirteen when he wrote The Reason I Jump, a revelatory account of autism from the inside by a nonverbal Japanese child, which became an international success.

Now he shares his thoughts and experiences as a twenty-four-year-old man living each day with severe autism. In short, powerful chapters, Higashida explores school memories, family relationships, the exhilaration of travel, and the difficulties of speech. He also allows readers to experience profound moments we take for granted, like the thought-steps necessary for him to register that it’s raining outside. Acutely aware of how strange his behavior can appear to others, he aims throughout to foster a better understanding of autism and to encourage society to see people with disabilities as people, not as problems.

With an introduction by bestselling novelist David Mitchell, Fall Down 7 Times Get Up 8 also includes a dreamlike short story Higashida wrote especially for this edition. Both moving and of practical use, this book opens a window into the mind of an inspiring young man who meets every challenge with tenacity and good humor. However often he falls down, he always gets back up.

Families of Adults with Autism: Stories and Advice for the Next Generation. Edited by Jane Johnson & Anne Van Rensselaer, $31.95

Families of Adults with Autism is a collection of real-life stories of people on the autism spectrum growing up, as told by their parents and siblings. This book will offer practical and heartwarming advice to families who are affected by autism spectrum disorders, and provide insights for professionals working with people with ASDs.

Father’s Day: Across America with an Unusual Dad and His Extraordinary Son. Buzz Bissinger, $21.50

Buzz Bissinger's twin sons were born three and a half months premature in 1983. They entered life three minutes — and a world — apart. Gerry, the older one, is a teacher. His brother Zach is a savant, challenged by serious intellectual deficits but also blessed with rare talents: an astonishing memory, a dazzling knack for navigation, and a reflexive honesty which can make him both socially awkward and surprisingly wise. One summer night, Buzz and Zach hit the road to revisit all the places they have lived together during Zach's 24 years. Zach revels in his memories, and Buzz hopes this journey into their shared past will bring them closer and reveal to him the mysterious workings of his son's mind and heart. With the help of Zach's twin, Gerry, Buzz learns to see Zach as he truly is — patient, fearless, perceptive, kind, with a sixth sense for sincerity.

Finding Kansas: Living and Decoding Asperger's Syndrome. Aaron Likens, $18.00

When he was diagnosed with Asperger's syndrome at age 20, Aaron Likens began to collect his thoughts and experiences on paper-the highs, the lows, the challenges, and the unexpected joys. What he found was hope — not only for himself, but also for others with Asperger's. Now a sought-after speaker and blogger, he is passionate about sharing his insights into this often misunderstood condition.

FINDING KANSAS brings us into Aaron's world and, in the process, offers a richly observed, deeply thoughtful, and sometimes painful picture of what it's like to live on the autism spectrum.

Finding Robert: What the Doctors Never Told Us about Autism Spectrum Disorder and the Hard Lessons We Learned. Robert Stevens & Catherine Stevens, $23.95

Finding Robert chronicles one family’s journey through the world of developmental disorders. It depicts the struggles faced, examines the decisions made, and offers a thorough analysis of the therapies utilized. Amid sadness and confusion, with strength and resolve, Robert and Catherine regained their son and undertook a mission to change the way we look at these conditions.

Fitting In. Colin Thompson, $32.95

"Everything in this book is true. You might think some things are just too unbelievable or funny or silly to be true, but every tiny detail really did happen."

Take one small boy; add manic depression, three wives, three daughters, two divorces, amazing creative talent, and Asperger's syndrome. In this memoir, Colin Thompson invites you to explore his almost-unbelievable life from past to present, though not necessarily in that order. Filled with family photographs and mesmerising illustrations drawn by the author himself, prepare to step inside the life and mind of an extraordinary man. If you, or your friends or relations, have ever felt that you do not fit in this world, then this book will tell you how one person survived it all.

Following Ezra. Tom Fields-Meyer, $17.50

The extraordinary story of what one father learned about Gumby, otters, autism and love from his extraordinary son.

The Game of My Life: a True Story of Challenge, Triumph and Growing Up Autistic. Jason “J-Mac” McElwain, with Daniel Paisner, $15.50

The incredible true story of one high school student's determination to triumph against the challenges of autism-and his opponents on the basketball court...

George & Sam: Two Boys, One Family and Autism. Charlotte Moore, forward by Nick Hornby. $26.99

Charlotte Moore has three children: the two oldest, George and Sam are autistic; the youngest, Jake, is not. In this extraordinary book she describes the circumstances of their birth, behaviour, diagnosis, treatment — and brilliantly conveys what daily life is like for a family with autism. It's an invaluable book for anyone with an interest in childhood and child development. Written with love, insight and a great deal of humour, George and Sam is a remarkably compassionate and wise look at how mysterious and enchanting her boys really are.

How Can I Talk If My Lips Don't Move? Inside My Autistic Mind. Tito Rajarshi Mukhopadhyay, $22.95

When he was three years old, Tito was diagnosed as severely autistic, but his remarkable mother, Soma, determined that he would overcome the “problem” by teaching him to read and write. The result was that between the ages of eight and eleven he wrote stories and poems of exquisite beauty, which Dr. Oliver Sacks called “amazing and shocking,” for it gave the lie to all our assumptions about autism. An astounding new work by the author of The Mind Tree that offers a rare insight into the autistic mind and how it thinks, sees, and reacts to the world.

How to Be a Sister: a Love Story with a Twist of Autism.  Eileen Garvin, $22.95

Eileen Garvin's older sister, Margaret, was diagnosed with severe autism at age three. Growing up alongside Margaret wasn't easy: Eileen often found herself in situations that were simultaneously awkward, hilarious, and heartbreaking. HOW TO BE A SISTER begins when Eileen, after several years in New Mexico, has just moved back to the Pacific Northwest, where she grew up. Being 1,600 miles away had allowed Eileen to avoid the question that has dogged her since birth: What is she going to do about Margaret? Now, Eileen must grapple with this question once again as she tentatively tries to reconnect with Margaret. What role will Eileen play in Margaret s life as their parents age, and after they die? A deeply felt, impeccably written memoir, HOW TO BE A SISTER will speak to siblings, parents, friends, and teachers of people with autism and to anyone who sometimes struggles to connect with someone difficult or different.

Ido in Autismland: Climbing Out of Autism's Silent Prison. Ido Kedar, $19.95

Stuck inside a silent prison for many years. his educators, therapists, caregivers and family assumed that the symptoms they saw on the outside — hand flapping, lack of eye contact, social impairment — meant he was equally impaired cognitively. They assumed he did not understand language, recognize his parents, or have the intellect of someone beyond three years old. But they were wrong.

In these essays, young Ido Kedar explains autism from the inside out, as he learns to express himself and his thoughts and feelings using a letter board keyboard. A remarkable book, Ido in Autismland is a gift for anyone interested in the inner lives of people who struggle to communicate.

I Wish I Were Engulfed in Flames: My Insane Life Raising Two Boys with Autism. Jeni Decker , $22.95

Jeni Decker is five-foot nothing and a self described roly-poly, forty-something, Reubenesque bon-bon of a gal, often called cute but never sexy. She has two sons with autism on opposite ends of the spectrum (Jake and Jaxson), a husband who prefers hunting to household chores, an Australian Shepherd named Sugar, and an albino frog named Humbert Humbert. This is her story — a brash, personal, and some-times shocking memoir of one woman's determination to raise two healthy kids with autism and keep her sanity in the process. It's not always easy. Between "poop" incidents, temper tantrums, and the "helpful" advice about parenting from her fellow citizens in the grocery store, Jeni often finds herself wanting to throw something.

Readers looking for laughter and inspiration will find it here aplenty, along with tons of surreal anecdotes that will have you either shaking your head in disbelief (for those unacquainted with the world of autism) or nodding with recognition (for those who are).

The Journal of Best Practices: a Memoir of Marriage, Asperger Syndrome and One Man’s Quest to Be a Better Husband. David Finch, $18.99

At some point in nearly every marriage, a wife finds herself asking, What the @#!% is wrong with my husband? In David Finch’s case, this turns out to be an apt question. Five years after he married Kristen, the love of his life, they learn that he has Asperger syndrome. The diagnosis explains David’s ever-growing list of quirks and compulsions, his lifelong propensity to quack and otherwise melt down in social exchanges, and his clinical-strength inflexibility. But it doesn’t make him any easier to live with.

Determined to change, David sets out to understand Asperger syndrome and learn to be a better husband— no easy task for a guy whose autism-spectrum condition makes seeing his wife’s point of view a near impossibility.

Nevertheless, David devotes himself to improving his marriage with an endearing yet hilarious zeal that involves excessive note-taking, performance reviews, and most of all, the Journal of Best Practices: a collection of hundreds of maxims and hard-won epiphanies that result from self-reflection both comic and painful. They include “Don’t change the radio station when she’s singing along,” “Apologies do not count when you shout them,” and “Be her friend, first and always.” Guided by the Journal of Best Practices, David transforms himself over the course of two years from the world’s most trying husband to the husband who tries the hardest, the husband he’d always meant to be.

Filled with humor and surprising wisdom, THE JOURNAL OF BEST PRACTICES is a candid story of ruthless self-improvement, a unique window into living with an autism-spectrum condition, and proof that a true heart can conquer all. 

Journey with Julian. Dwayne Ballen, $17.00

An award-winning broadcast journalist shares the story of his family’s journey with autism. This affirming book about one family’s experiences will strike a chord with parents who are looking for inspiration.

Just There: a Memoir of Autism and Family. William Harrington, $19.95

In 1994, William Harrington’s autistic and cognitively disabled cousin is 45 years old — no longer the little blond-haired girl he used to see playing with her dolls across the street — and at 50, he is no longer the little boy who wondered why she was different. Frankie Lou remains in her childhood home, alone, after the death of her parents.  Beset with questions, William is sure of one thing; he doesn’t want Frankie Lou to live a hermit-like existence.  JUST THERE chronicles the sometimes humorous and sometimes baffling journey traveled by William and his wife, Maija, and William’s extended family as they attempt to introduce Frankie Lou to a new life.

Ketchup is My Favorite Vegetable: a Family Grows Up with Autism. Liane Kupferberg Carter, $21.95

Meet Mickey — charming, funny, compassionate, and autistic. In this unflinching portrait of family life, Liane Kupferberg Carter gives us a mother's insight into what really goes on in the two decades after diagnosis. From the double-blow of a subsequent epilepsy diagnosis, to bullying and Bar Mitzvahs, Mickey's struggles and triumphs along the road to adulthood are honestly detailed to show how one family learned to grow and thrive with autism.

Let Me Hear Your Voice: a Family's Triumph Over Autism. Catherine Maurice, $23.00

She was a beautiful doelike child, with an intense, graceful fragility. In her first year, she picked up words, smiled and laughed, and learned to walk. But then Anne-Marie began to turn inward. And when her little girl lost some of the words she had acquired, cried inconsolably, and showed no interest in anyone around her, Catherine Maurice took her to doctors who gave her a devastating diagnosis: autism.

In their desperate struggle to save their daughter, the Maurice family plunged into a medical nightmare of false hopes, "miracle cures," and infuriating suggestions that Anne-Marie's autism was somehow their fault. Finally, Anne-Marie was saved by an intensive behavioral therapy. Let Me Hear Your Voice is a mother's illuminating account of how one family triumphed over autism. It is an absolutely unforgettable book, as beautifully written as it is informative.

Life, Animated: a Story of Sidekicks, Heroes, and Autism. Ron Suskind, $16.50

Imagine being trapped inside a Disney movie and having to learn about life, language, and emotion mostly from animated characters dancing across a screen of color. A fantasy? A nightmare? Actually, it’s the real-life story of Owen Suskind, who is the son of the Pulitzer Prize-winning journalist Ron Suskind and his irrepressible wife, Cornelia.

Here’s how this survival story begins. Just shy of his third birthday, a seemingly typical, chatty child became mute. He suddenly didn’t sleep or eat, and cried inconsolably. His only solace: the Disney animated movies he loved before the autism struck. But they had changed, too — they’d become gibberish, because the boy’s ability to understand speech had also vanished. So he memorized them, dozens of them, based on sound alone. What follows are a series of startling breakthroughs, as, for years, the family began to communicate with their lost son in movie dialogue. Recite one line, he’d look you in the eye and recite the next. But was he understanding?

His parents dove down “Alice in Wonderland’s rabbit hole,” as one autism specialist said, “to rescue a child.” But it soon became unclear who rescued whom, as they and their older son, Walt, literally had to become animated characters, forced to contemplate the deepest meanings of iconic myths — the stories people have long told themselves to make their way in the world — just to keep up. Because a startling truth began to take shape across a frenetic, harrowing, raucous decade: in the land of imagination, a “left behind” boy, murmuring under his breath, was king. The creator of worlds. In fact, their young son had invented a language to express love and loss, the bonds between brothers, the nature of beauty, and the true meaning of the words “happily ever after.”

At its core, this brilliantly crafted narrative — written by the father, but shaped by his wife and children — isn’t about autism or Disney, though you’ll never view either one quite the same, again. It’s the story of a family’s resilience when their world is turned upside down. It’s about perseverance and hope.

Life at the Edge and Beyond: Living with ADHD and Asperger Syndrome. Jan Greenman, $19.95

Parenting a child with Asperger syndrome is never easy, and adding ADHD to the psychological mix makes life even more difficult. In this searingly honest account of bringing up her son, Luke, Jan Greenman challenges many common perceptions of a 'life with labels'.

Writing frankly about the medical issues of Luke's early years, Jan recalls how Luke's diagnoses came about, and how life at The Edge, their aptly named family home, changed as a result. She describes the causes and effects of the behaviours associated with Luke's conditions, and the impact they had on each family member, including his younger sister, Abbi. The book includes tips and advice from Jan, Abbi, and Luke himself, and the final chapters go beyond Luke's early years to look at his life as a teenager — his solo trip to Dubai, and subsequent encounter with customs, his expulsion from school, and the inspirational Headteacher who helped him to turn his life around.

A Lifetime of Laughing and Loving with Autism: New and Revisited Stories That Will Warm and Inspire You. Compiled by R. Wayne Gilpin, $15.95

This book will warm your heart and tickle your funny bone! If you know and love a child with autism, you will nod and smile as you read these all-too-familiar anecdotes — the unorthodox adherence to a rule, the social faux pas at the dinner table, the untimely but poignant outburst in the classroom, and many more! A collection of uplifting, humorous stories from parents and educators all over the world, this book soulfully communicates the unique qualities that individuals with autism bring to our lives — steadfast determination, unfailing honesty, selfless kindness, seemingly ageless wisdom-and reminds the rest of us that we have a lot to learn! 

Look Me in the Eye: My Life with Asperger’s. John Elder Robison, $22.00; CD Audio version, $37.95 (5 compact discs, 6 hours)

Ever since he was small, John Robison had longed to connect with other people, but by the time he was a teenager, his odd habits—an inclination to blurt out non sequiturs, avoid eye contact, dismantle radios, and dig five-foot holes (and stick his younger brother in them)—had earned him the label “social deviant.” No guidance came from his mother, who conversed with light fixtures, or his father, who spent evenings pickling himself in sherry. It was not until he was forty that an insightful therapist told him he had the form of autism called Asperger’s syndrome. That understanding transformed the way Robison saw himself—and the world.

Look Me in the Eye is the moving, darkly funny story of growing up with Asperger’s at a time when the diagnosis simply didn’t exist. He also provides a fascinating reverse angle on the younger brother he left at the mercy of their nutty parents — the boy who would later change his name to Augusten Burroughs and write the bestselling memoir Running With Scissors.

Ultimately, this is the story of Robison’s journey from his world into ours, and his new life as a husband, father, and successful small business owner — repairing his beloved high-end automobiles. It’s a strange, sly, indelible account — sometimes alien, yet always deeply human.

Living and Learning Outside the Box: a Mother's Quest to Overcome Her Son's Neurodevelopmental  Difficulties. Joanne Sinclair, $24.95

When Joanne Sinclair's son Andrew was young, he displayed numerous deficits and difficulties including issues with respect to motor development and neurodevelopment, his visual and auditory functions and muscle tone. Although he demonstrated in many ways that he was highly intelligent, his ability to learn was severely impacted and he was not expected to continue to learn within a regular classroom beyond grade four. In spite of having an excellent vocabulary, his expressive output and social skills were significantly affected. This is the story of the challenges to understand what had caused this bleak scenario and, more importantly, what could be done to improve his ability to function and thereby alter his prognosis.

Living In Two Worlds: On Being a Social Chameleon with Asperger's. Dylan Emmons, $25.95

Dylan Emmons tells the story of his childhood on the autism spectrum — a childhood filled with daily social and sensory challenges. Revealing his attempts to be a social chameleon and blend in with his neurotypical peers, this memoir brings his experiences alive and offers helpful insights into the actions and feelings of children on the spectrum.

Louder Than Words: a Mother's Journey in Healing Autism. Jenny McCarthy, $15.50

One morning, Jenny McCarthy was having a cup of coffee when she sensed something was wrong. She ran into her two-year-old son Evan’s room and found him seizing. In that moment, Jenny went from being the mother of an average toddler to being in the midst of a medical odyssey. Doctor after doctor misdiagnosed Evan until — after many harrowing, life-threatening episodes later — one amazing doctor discovered that Evan is autistic.

Though Evan finally had a diagnosis, Jenny didn’t know what to do next and she soon found herself alone without any resources except for her determination to help her son. Her story shares the frustrations and joys of raising an autistic child and shows how with love and determination a parent can shape their child’s life and happiness.”

Making Peace with Autism: One Family's Story of Struggle, Discovery and Unexpected Gifts. Susan Senator, $33.95

In this insightful narrative, a courageous and inspiring mother explains why a diagnosis of autism doesn't have to shatter a family's dreams of happiness. Senator offers the hard-won, in-the-trenches wisdom of someone who's been there and is still there today — and she demonstrates how families can find courage, contentment, and connection in the shadow of autism. In Making Peace with Autism, Susan Senator describes her own journey raising a child with a severe autism spectrum disorder, along with two other typically developing boys. Without offering a miracle treatment or cure, Senator offers valuable strategies for coping successfully with the daily struggles of life with an autistic child. Along the way she models the combination of stamina and courage, openness and humor that has helped her family to survive — and even to thrive.

María and Me: a Father, a Daughter (and Autism). María Gallardo & Miguel Gallardo, $21.95

Giving a father's insight into life with his daughter Maria, aged 12, who has autism, this comic tells the story of their week holiday in the Canary Islands, Spain. Delightful illustrations and dialogue between father and daughter show the day-to-day challenges that people with autism and their carers face, and how Miguel and Maria overcome them. Funny and endearing, this graphic storybook helps to show how Maria sees and experiences the world in her own way and that she's unique, just like everyone else.

Mikey and Me: Life with My Exceptional Sister. Teresa Sullivan, $21.95

When Mikey is young, the Sullivans are a closely knit unit, all of them devoted to caring for her. But as Mikey grows older, she also grows increasingly violent. By the time she's twelve, institutionalization is the only available option — and without the shared purpose of caring for Mikey, the family begins to unravel. As her family falls apart, Teresa searches for relief and connection during a time of sweeping cultural change. Lacking maturity or guidance, she makes choices that lead her down a sometimes-perilous path. But regardless of the circumstances at home and the tumult in their individual lives, the Sullivans are united in their love and concern for Mikey.

In Mikey and Me, Teresa interweaves her exceptional sister's journey with her own, affirming the grace and brutality of Mikey's life, and its indelible effect on her family. Unflinching and insightful, this is a deep exploration of the relationship between two sisters — one blind, with profound developmental disabilities, unable to voice her own story, and the other with the heart and understanding to express it exquisitely for her.

The Mind Tree: a Miraculous Child Breaks the Silence of Autism. Tito Mukhopadhyay, $17.95

Eloquent. Philosophical. Introspective. These are not the words usually associated with an autistic child. But in a remarkable display of courage and creativity, a boy named Tito has shattered stereotypes, and in THE MIND TREE makes us question all of our previous assumptions about autism.

Miracle Run: Watching My Autistic Sons Grow Up and Take Their First Steps Into Adulthood. Corrine Morgan-Thomas, with Gary Brozek, $16.50

Miracle Run is the poignant memoir of a single mother raising four children — two of whom have autism.

Odd Girl Out: My Extraordinary Autistic Life. Laura James, $35.00

From childhood, Laura James knew she was different. She struggled to cope in a world that often made no sense to her, as though her brain had its own operating system. It wasn’t until she reached her forties that she found out why: Suddenly and surprisingly, she was diagnosed with autism.

With a touching and searing honesty, Laura challenges everything we think we know about what it means to be autistic. Married with four children and a successful journalist, Laura examines the ways in which autism has shaped her career, her approach to motherhood, and her closest relationships. Laura’s upbeat, witty writing offers new insight into the day-to-day struggles of living with autism, as her extreme attention to sensory detail–a common aspect of her autism–is fascinating to observe through her eyes.

As Laura grapples with defining her own identity, she also looks at the unique benefits neurodiversity can bring. Lyrical and lush, Odd Girl Out shows how being different doesn’t mean being less, and proves that it is never too late for any of us to find our rightful place in the world.

A Pony in the Bedroom. Susan Dunne, $22.95

Susan Dunne's life changed forever when a chance question from a doctor led her back to horses, an unfulfilled childhood passion. Detached and isolated due to undiagnosed autism, Susan had already survived rape, battled eating disorders and self-harm, and spent time homeless, when her world was turned upside again by a vicious, life-threatening assault. Severe post-traumatic stress disorder left her feeling distrustful and more cut off than ever before from a world she saw as confusing and dangerous. But as Susan's connection with horses grew stronger, her world started to open up. Poignant and witty by turns, Susan shares her story of survival and transformation, offering a rare insight into her relationship with horses, and how they helped her to find a safe place in the world.

Raising Cubby: a Father and Son’s Adventures with Asperger’s, Trains, Tractors, and High Explosives. John Elder Robison, $21.00

Misfit, truant, delinquent. John Robison was never a model child, and he wasn’t a model dad either. Diagnosed with Asperger’s syndrome at the age of forty, he approached fatherhood as a series of logic puzzles and practical jokes. When his son, Cubby, asked, “Where did I come from?” John said he’d bought him at the Kid Store and that the salesman had cheated him by promising Cubby would “do all chores.” He read electrical engineering manuals to Cubby at bedtime. He told Cubby that wizards turned children into stone when they misbehaved.

Still, John got the basics right. The one thing John couldn’t figure out was what to do when school authorities decided that Cubby was dumb and stubborn — the very same thing he had been told as a child. Did Cubby have Asperger’s too? The answer was unclear. One thing was clear, though: By the time he turned seventeen, Cubby had become a brilliant chemist — smart enough to make military-grade explosives and bring state and federal agents calling. Afterward, with Cubby facing up to sixty years in prison, both father and son were forced to take stock of their lives, finally coming to terms with being “on the spectrum” as both a challenge and a unique gift. 

The Reason I Jump: The Inner Voice of a Thirteen-Year-Old Boy with Autism. Naoki Higashida, Ka Yoshida & David Mitchell, $19.95

Naoki Higashida was only a middle-schooler when he began to write THE REASON I JUMP. Autistic and with very low verbal fluency, Naoki used an alphabet grid to painstakingly spell out his answers to the questions he imagines others most often wonder about him: why do you talk so loud? Is it true you hate being touched? Would you like to be normal? The result is an inspiring, attitude-transforming book that will be embraced by anyone interested in understanding their fellow human beings, and by parents, caregivers, teachers, and friends of autistic children. Naoki examines issues as diverse and complex as self-harm, perceptions of time and beauty, and the challenges of communication, and in doing so, discredits the popular belief that autistic people are anti-social loners who lack empathy. 

This book is mesmerizing proof that inside an autistic body is a mind as subtle, curious, and caring as anyone else's.

Sam & Chester: How a Mischievous Pig Transformed the Life of My Autistic Son. Jo Bailey, $16.99

When Sam Bailey-Merritt was just two years old, almost overnight he lost the ability to communicate or function. His mother, Jo, was at a loss as to what to do as she saw her son grow increasingly isolated and begin to suffer from uncontrollable meltdowns. Eventually, Sam was diagnosed with autism. Sam's condition continued to worsen and, just when Jo had all but given up hope of being able to help him, the family went on a day trip to a nearby miniature pig farm. Sam immediately bonded with a tiny ginger piglet called Chester, who stood sad and alone, apart from the rest of the litter. The connection between the boy and the animal was immediate and their unusual friendship blossomed from the moment the family brought Chester home. The tiny pig refused to leave Sam's side — it was as if he knew that Sam needed a friend. And, for the first time in five years, Jo saw her son really laugh.

Sam and Chester is the heart-warming story of how a teacup-sized ginger pig helped to transform the life of a boy with autism. It is the emotional story of a mother's fight to win back her son.

Seeing Ezra. Kerry Cohen, $17.50

A mother's story of autism, unconditional love and the meaning of normal.

Shorts: Stories about Alcohol, Asperger Syndrome, and God. Tessie Regan, $17.95

Blunt, witty and honest, Tess Regan's collection of short stories, poems and illustrations tell a personal tale of alcoholism, Asperger's syndrome and an unusual spiritual journey. They will be invaluable reading for anyone on the autism spectrum dealing with alcoholism or mental illness, their friends, family and the associated professionals.

Siblings and Autism: Stories Spanning Generations and Cultures. Edited by Debra Cumberland & Bruce Mills, $24.95

In this moving collection of beautifully-written personal accounts, siblings from a variety of backgrounds, and in different circumstances, share their experiences of growing up with a brother or sister with autism. Despite their many differences, their stories show that certain things are common to the "sibling experience": the emotional terrain of looking on or being overlooked; the confusion of accommodating resentment, love, and helplessness; and above all the yearning to connect across neurological difference.

The Spark: a Mother’s Story of Nurturing Genius. Kristine Barnett, $29.95

The extraordinary memoir of a mother's love, commitment and nurturing, which allowed her son, originally diagnosed with severe autism, to flourish into a universally recognized genius — and how any parent can help their child find their spark. Today, at 13, Jacob is a paid researcher in quantum physics, working on extending Einstein's theory of relativity. Diagnosed at one with severe autism, at three he was assigned to life-skills classes and his parents were told to adjust their expectations. The goal: tying his own shoes at 16. Kristine's belief in the power of hope and the dazzling possibilities that can occur when we keep our minds open and learn to fuel a child's true potential changed everything.

Switched On: a Memoir of Brain Change and Emotional Awakening. John Elder Robinson, $24.00

It has long been assumed that people living with autism are born with the diminished ability to read the emotions of others, even as they feel emotion deeply. But what if we’ve been wrong all this time? What if that “missing” emotional insight was there all along, locked away and inaccessible in the mind?

In 2007 John Elder Robison wrote the international bestseller Look Me in the Eye, a memoir about growing up with Asperger’s syndrome. Amid the blaze of publicity that followed, he received a unique invitation: Would John like to take part in a study led by one of the world’s foremost neuroscientists, who would use an experimental new brain therapy known as TMS, or transcranial magnetic stimulation, in an effort to understand and then address the issues at the heart of autism? Switched On is the extraordinary story of what happened next.

Having spent forty years as a social outcast, misreading others’ emotions or missing them completely, John is suddenly able to sense a powerful range of feelings in other people. However, this newfound insight brings unforeseen problems and serious questions. As the emotional ground shifts beneath his feet, John struggles with the very real possibility that choosing to diminish his disability might also mean sacrificing his unique gifts and even some of his closest relationships. Switched On is a real-life Flowers for Algernon, a fascinating and intimate window into what it means to be neurologically different, and what happens when the world as you know it is upended overnight.

Temple Grandin: How the Girl Who Loved Cows Embraced Autism and Changed the World. Sy Montgomery, $26.99 (ages 10 +)

When Temple Grandin was born, her parents knew that she was different. Years later she was diagnosed with autism. While Temple's doctor recommended a hospital, her mother believed in her. Temple went to school instead. Today, Dr. Temple Grandin is a scientist and professor of animal science at Colorado State University. Her world-changing career revolutionized the livestock industry. As an advocate for autism, Temple uses her experience as an example of the unique contributions that autistic people can make. 

This compelling biography complete with Temple's personal photos takes us inside her extraordinary mind and opens the door to a broader understanding of autism. 

Temple Grandin: The Stories I Tell My Friends. Anita Lesko, $25.95

Temple Grandin is the most famous person with autism in the world. Whether you know her from the HBO movie Temple Grandin, her decades of work in the meat and cattle industry, or her unmatched contribution to the autism world, surely you know a thing or two about Temple. Well, prepare to meet a whole new side of her! Temple’s close friend and author, Anita Lesko, conducts personal and unique interviews, offering a candid view of a fascinating life.

A Thorn in My Pocket: Temple Grandin's Mother Tells the Family Story. Eustacia Cutler, $19.95

Temple Grandin's mother, Eustacia Cutler, raised Temple at a time when her child's condition was classified as "infant schizophrenia," brought on by "frigid mothering." The common remedy at the time was institutionalization, but instead, this young mother fought to give her oldest child a chance at life. A Thorn in My Pocket is a vivid, honest story that reaches out to a much larger community than the one directly affected by autism.

Toby and Sox: the Heartwarming Tale of a Little Boy with Autism and a Dog in a Million. Vikky Turner, $15.95

When Toby Turner was excluded from school for the third time for hitting and kicking his teachers, his family hit rock bottom. Toby, who has autism, felt so upset by his own aggression, he told his parents they would be better off without him. Terrified, Toby’s mum gave up her job as a school nurse to teach him at home while they found a place for him in a special school. Eventually, the only way the family could get Toby out of the house was by giving him headphones, sunglasses and a cap to block out the world.

After a difficult few years, the family was thrown a lifeline by the charity Dogs for Good, which introduced Toby to Sox. The adorable three-year-old Labrador Retriever was trained by the charity to help children with autism. Within two weeks, he had turned Toby’s life around. Together, as a family unit, and with Sox by their side, the Turners have learned to enjoy life again.

Transitioning Together: One Couple's Journey of Gender and Identity Discovery. Wenn & Beatrice Lawson, $24.95

This is the story of a long-lasting relationship, surviving against the odds. It is the story of Wenn and Beatrice Lawson, born almost twelve years apart in different countries with different cultures, who were both assigned female at birth. After nineteen years of marriage and four children, Wenn entered a same-sex relationship with Beatrice. Little did Beatrice know that twenty-two years later, Wenn would transition from female to male. This unique and honest memoir tells the story of Wenn's transition and Beatrice's journey alongside him.

Co-written by Wenn and Beatrice, who are both on the autism spectrum, this book offers a rare insight into an older couple's experience of transition, with particular emphasis on how Beatrice really felt about the changes. Without holding back, they tell the true story of the conflicts, challenges and growing celebration and joy that can arise from transitioning together as a couple.

TWIN: a Memoir. Allen Shawn, $16.00

As Allen Shawn probed the sources of his anxieties while writing the acclaimed Wish I Could Be There, he realized that his fate was inextricably linked to his autistic twin sister Mary, who has lived in a residency center for more than fifty years. TWIN offers a deeply personal account of their divergent lives, and examines society's changing attitudes toward and understanding of autism. It also provides an intimate look at the Shawns' idiosyncratic family life with their father, the famed longtime editor of The New Yorker, William Shawn. Wrenching, honest, understated, and poetic, TWIN is at heart about the mystery of being profoundly bonded to someone who can never be truly understood.

Unclouded by Longing: Meditations on Autism and Being Present in an Overwhelming World. Christopher Goodchild, $19.95

In this collection of short, contemplative, enlightening reflections, spiritual teacher and Quaker Christopher Goodchild, inspired by his own experiences, guides you through his spiritual and philosophical journey to his truest and most peaceful self. Written from a 'soul' perspective, the book reveals how, by looking beyond vulnerability to see innate strength, and searching beyond pain and turmoil to find peace and serenity, anyone can affirm their true humanity despite the hardships and distractions of modern life.

Christopher's compassionate route through difficulties, doubt, grief and fear is marked with dynamic tenderness and an artful embrace of abundant sources of wisdom. Spirituality, psychology and philosophy are seamlessly woven together in an inclusive Quaker context, led by the common values of love and forgiveness. In a world increasingly weighed down with the baggage of the self, this book will speak to anyone searching for a more clear-sighted, meaningful presence in the eternal universe.

Unlocked: a Family Emerging from the Shadows of Autism. Susan Levin, $42.99

Unlocked begins with a vivid depiction of the author’s life with her autistic son, Ben. Feelings of isolation, self-hate, and even moments of hatred toward her own child in response to his behaviors, as well as the impact on her marriage and younger daughter, impel her to seek solutions for his condition. Through years of trial and error, Susan eventually discovers methods that bring about radical improvement in Ben.

The story, however, is not just about Ben, but also addresses Susan’s own spiritual and psychological struggles — and ultimate transformation — as she and her husband watch Ben go in and out of autism. Through years of intermittent progress and frustrating “steps backwards,” Susan learns that loving Ben means embracing him as he is, day by day, rather than waiting to love him fully “one day when he is cured.”

Told largely through anecdote, Unlocked is, by turns, heart-wrenching and joyful, hopeful and doubt-laden. As we follow young Ben’s exploits into a new social world, our own hearts break as he stumbles, but finally soar as he achieves his dream: genuine, caring, and reciprocal relationships with his peers.

Unraveling the Mystery of Autism and Pervasive Developmental Disorder: a Mother's Story of Research and Discovery. Karyn Seroussi, $18.99

When their nineteen-month-old son, Miles, was diagnosed with autism, Karyn Seroussi, a writer, and her husband, a scientist, fought back with the only weapons at their disposal: love and research. Consulting medical papers, surfing the Web, and networking with other parents, they traced the onset of their son’s problems to an immune system breakdown. His digestive system was unable to break down certain proteins, which in turn led to abnormal brain development. So Karyn and her husband got to work — Karyn implementing their program at home while her husband tested his theories at the scientific lab where he worked. 

This book is an inspiring and riveting chronicle of how one couple empowered themselves to challenge the medical establishment that promised no hope — and found ways to help their child. Here are the explanations and treatments they so carefully researched and discovered, a wealth of crucial tools and hands-on information that offer ideas other parents can use to impact and reverse the effects of autism and PDD, including step-by-step instructions for the removal of dairy and gluten from the diet, special recipes, and an explanation of the roles of the key players in autism research.

Walker Finds a Way: Running Into the Adult World with Autism. Robert Hughes, $29.95

Most people would describe Walker Hughes as warm, enthusiastic and charismatic - even if he doesn't say very much. But after several happy years living in a group home, Walker descended into a deep unhappiness, and his parents were told that their son with low-functioning autism was 'unmanageable' and a danger to others. Where did it all go wrong?

Battling miscommunication, misinterpreted behaviour and a lack of appropriate services, Walker and his parents' resilience shines through, providing a much-needed portrayal about what life is like for adults with low-functioning autism, and how we can understand the complex personalities of people with communication difficulties.

The Way I See It: a Personal Look at Autism & Asperger's, Revised & Expanded Collector's Edition. Temple Grandin, $27.95

The collector’s edition of this best-selling book contains revisions based on the most current research on the autistic brain and therapies. As well as expanding and, in some cases, significantly updating the content, the book includes 12 new chapters. In this highly anticipated revised and expanded edition, Dr. Grandin gets down to the REAL issues of autism, the ones parents, teachers, and individuals on the spectrum face every day:

• How and Why People with Autism Think Differently
• Economical Early Intervention Programs tha
• Behaviors Caused by a Disability vs. Just Bad Behaviors
• Alternative Medicine vs. Conventional Medicine
• Improving Time Management and Organizational Skills
• Which School is Best for My Child with ASD?
• Teaching Turn Taking and the Ability to Wait
• Get Out and Experience Life!
• Why Do Kids with Autism Stim?
• Teens with ASD Must Learn Both Social and Work Skills to Keep Jobs

What Time is the 9:20 Bus? A Journey to a Meaningful Life, Disability and All. Lucinda Hage, $20.00

This is the story of Paul, a boy with an intellectual disability, his journey through life and how he achieved independence — in spite of the odds. The book chronicles his successful, and often harrowing, transition through adolescence to adulthood and a good life in his community. 

The reader cheers for Paul as he struggles to take his rightful place in society, and for his mother as she works ceaselessly to make that possible. At the end of the book, it is nothing less than miraculous that Paul, at 28, is living in his own apartment, with a job. Along the way, Lucinda Hage, the author and Paul’s mother, shares her extensive reading and her thoughtful insights into the medical and educational systems, and other forces that keep those who are different, apart and down. With painful honesty, she also allows us to follow the journey of a mother who has fought so hard for her son that when the time comes to let him go, that release is a struggle as hard as any other.  

Parents whose children live with a disability are plagued by the question, “What will happen to my son or daughter when they leave high school, or when I am no longer able to look after them?” Paul’s story gives the reader hope, ideas, and an example of what is possible when individuals with different abilities are given a chance.

When Herscue Met Jomphrey and Other Tales from an Aspie Marriage. Herscue Bergenstreiml, $22.95

When the author met her future husband, she was instantly charmed by his intensity, wacky conversation choices, and innate desire to create peculiar names. Seventeen years, one wedding, one baby and several adopted names later, it began to dawn on 'Herscue' that family jokes about her husband having Asperger's Syndrome may be closer to the truth than she had first imagined. 

Filled with moving and hilarious tales, one of which provides the origins of the author and her husband's adopted names, Herscue and Jomphrey, and their even stranger pronunciations, this personal account grapples with the highs and lows of a 25-year marriage to an Aspie husband.

Writers on the Spectrum: How Autism and Asperger Syndrome Have Influenced Literary Writing. Julie Brown, $69.95

From Hans Christian Andersen's fairytale characters to Lewis Carroll's Wonderland and Emily Dickinson's poetic imagery, the writings and lives of some of the world's most celebrated authors indicate signs of autism and Asperger's Syndrome. Through analysis of biographies, autobiographies, letters and diaries, Professor Julie Brown identifies literary talents who display characteristics of Autistic Spectrum Disorder (ASD) and uncovers the similarities in their writing that suggest atypical, autistic brains.

Providing close readings of authors' works, Brown explores writing processes, content, theme, structure and writing style to reveal the underlying autistic traits that have influenced their writing. The book provides an overview of ASD and common threads in autistic writing followed by an illuminating exploration of how these threads are evident in the literature of both well-known and lesser known authors.