Briggs chronicles the highs that will inspire parents of children with autism—her non-verbal daughter speaking for the first time, followed by a rapidly expanding vocabulary; purposeful eye contact; Sarah mastering toilet training. She also lays bare her own insecurities about parenting Sarah and her neurotypical sister Amy: “It can be hard to imagine what it was like to have to teach your kid each tiny bit of every single thing,” she writes. She frankly acknowledges doubts and setbacks, encounters with medical professionals, and her own changing hopes and expectations, such as no longer harboring the wish that Sarah might one day “pass” as neurotypical. There’s also, as the title suggests, triumphs, joy, and breakthroughs.

Briggs writes movingly and with grace about the emotions parents of children with special needs face before marshaling their strength and actively advocating for their children and their future. She praises the volunteer teams she recruited to help deliver the therapy to Sarah, and rejoices in the progress and triumph her daughter achieves with her “village” of helpers. While she notes that the method doesn’t work 100 percent of the time, in every situation, Briggs’s journey transforms her daughter’s future, and her candor and insight will resonate with parents facing similar challenges.

Takeaway: Inspiring story of a mother’s fight to give the best life to a child with autism.

Comparable Titles: Heidi Mavir’s Your Child is Not Broken, Kate Swenson’s Forever Boy.

Production grades
Cover: A-
Design and typography: A
Illustrations: N/A
Editing: A
Marketing copy: A-