A father's story of "finding" his son (a boy who is on the autism spectrum) through the son's obsession with Disney movies. I listened to this one. The printed version apparently has illustrations by Owen Suskind - kind of makes me wish I had read that version. ( )

4.5 stars. As a parent, this book really hit home as to how important the happiness of our children is. The whole Suskind family never gave up and tirelessly looked for a way to connect with Owen and see the person within. I think they are all heroes! ( )

I absolutely loved this book and it relates to my life so much due to the fact that my brother with autism loves disney so much as well. It shows that there is a light at the end of the tunnel for everyone no matter how large the obstacle. Giving everyone that sense of hope in any hardship can relieve a lot of stress and worries upon oneself or a family. ( )

He’s got Goofy friends

Life, Animated: A Story of Sidekicks, Heroes, and Autism by Ron Suskind (Kingswell, $26.99).

Ron Susskind, a Pulitzer Prize-winning Wall Street Journal reporter, has a son with autism. Early in Owen’s life, his fascination for Disney animated movies provided a window into his inner life, one that Susskind’s family—with the aid of a number of professionals who were surprisingly willing to try something different—was able to exploit as a tool to help Owen improve his social and emotional skills.

By identifying with the movies’ sidekicks and endlessly repeating passages of dialogue, the Susskinds managed to find ways to communicate with Owen and to include him as a full member of the family. It wasn’t simple and it was expensive—sometimes as much as $100,000 a year—but Susskind’s memoir is heartwarming and thought-provoking in some of the questions it raises about how we treat what seem to be the “obsessions” of autistic people.

Kel Munger, Lit/Rant (http://litrant.tumblr.com/post/85904569915/hes-got-goofy-friends-life-animated-a-story-of) ( )