Written by Mia Armstrong, Illustrated by Alexandra Thompson
This is a sweet story written in first person by Mia Armstrong, an actor, artist and activist with Down Syndrome. Mia talks directly to the reader with advice and examples. “Don’t whisper. Don’t look away. Do say hello.” In many ways, Mia is just like other kids who love drawing, sleepovers, and roller coasters. But when her teacher asks students to draw a self portrait, Mia’s is very different than the others. She draws a picture that shows how happy she is to be herself. Since her favorite color is blue, her picture is all blue. When the other kids make fun of her picture, Mia explains why she drew herself that way and what it means. In this way, her classmates understand Mia better, even better than some grown-ups!
I love everything about this book! The artwork is playful and Mia is drawn beautifully. This would be a perfect book to talk about kindness, diversity, inclusion, learning differences, and Down Syndrome. In fact, in a national TV interview, Mia declared that having Down Syndrome is her superpower! There’s even a couple of pages at the back with additional advice from Mia and questions/answers done graphic-novel style. This is a great book for any children’s library.Reviewed by Andrea LeBaron, Librarian, Upland Terrace Elementary
Review shared in February 2024
Rating: ★★★★★ (5 stars)
Interest Level: Grades K-5
I Am A Masterpiece!
Written by Mia Armstrong, Illustrated by Alexandra Thompson
Random House
40 pages
Release Date: January 9, 2024
ISBN: 9780593567975
A review copy was provided by the publisher.
