We don't review a lot of books at Babble, but I jumped at the chance to check out Autism Heroes: Portraits of Families Meeting the Challenge ($22.72), by Dr. Barbara Firestone, out of a curiosity to learn more. The book is set up as a series of interviews with 38 families affected by autism, accompanied by close-up portraits of the kids and their parents and siblings. People of all ages and with all degrees of autism are represented, and most of all, the book feels like a book of hope: This is autism, these are our lives and we are making them work. For anyone curious about how a diagnosis of autism can change a family's life or who wants to see how others deal with autism, this is a great coffee-table quality resource. You can also check out the book's website.

An added feel-good bonus: Dr. Firestone founded the Help Group, a nonprofit that serves children with special needs, and all royalities are donated to the Help Group to support children with autism spectrum disorders and their families.