Joan Matthews' son James was diagnosed with autism at an early age. She and James have written this book together to explain some of their problems along with their solutions. Divided into 84 sections on such diverse subjects as hating water, obsessions, anger, verbal confusion, literal language, toilet training, and 'tuning out', there will be something here useful for every autistic child, whatever his or her specific difficulties. The emphasis here is on the SP's (special person's) point of view - not the NP's (normal person's) - why noise bothers an autistic child, why they find it difficult to look people in the eye, etc. Five appendices give specific help on teaching language and social skills. One appendix is aimed at special teachers. Sometimes the tone of this book seems odd - Mum is said to hit her child on the back and yell at him, for instance. This is explained by the fact that James perceives a pat to be a thump and normal speech as too loud. It is commendable that James and his mum are allowed to approach their problems in a natural way, warts and all. Published in the first instance over the Internet, 'The self-help guide' will provide stimulation, information and reassurance to families in need of both. The book can be read by autistic children, but is probably best used with an adult. Available from Amazon, from good bookshops, or from the publisher at www.jkp.com.