Dancing with Max: A Mother and Son Who Broke Free

An average of 1 in 110 children has autism spectrum disorder, a developmental disability that affects communication and social skills. Author Colson tells a common tale of life with her autistic son, Max, with uncommon grace and candor; she's a single mom and artist who developed her own visual communication system for working with her son. She is also the daughter of high-profile evangelical Christian leader Chuck Colson, who contributes candid material about his family in front and back matter that surround the main narrative like a paternal embrace. None of this story is easy, or heroic, or happily ever after if readers expect that the autistic son will miraculously arise and be normal. But if the story is rightly understood as the tale of healing a family and portraying the grit and grace in getting up every morning, readers will find a heartening and modest miracle. (Sept.)