A Face for Picasso
Coming of Age with Crouzon Syndrome
ISBN10: 125089557X
ISBN13: 9781250895578
Trade Paperback
400 Pages
$12.99
CA$16.99
At only eight months old, identical twin sisters Ariel and Zan were diagnosed with Crouzon syndrome—a rare condition where the bones in the head fuse prematurely. They were the first twins known to survive it.
Growing up, Ariel and her sister endured numerous appearance-altering procedures. Surgeons would break the bones in their heads and faces to make room for their growing organs. While the physical aspect of their condition was painful, it was nothing compared to the emotional toll of navigating life with a facial disfigurement.
Ariel explores beauty and identity in her young-adult memoir about resilience, sisterhood, and the strength it takes to put your life, and yourself, back together time and time again.
Reviews
Praise for A Face for Picasso
"Expertly crafted, infused with emotional resonance and populated with flawed characters who grow and change as the story unfolds. Ariel’s richly detailed perspective allows the reader to deeply understand the trauma of experiencing so many difficult medical procedures, as well as the lifelong impact of bullying and discrimination . . . A must-read on self-love, beauty, disability, visibility, and community."—Booklist (starred review)
"Complex and searing . . . This smart, richly detailed memoir is a compelling meditation on identity as well as a much-needed challenge to an ableist system."—Publishers Weekly
Reviews from Goodreads
BOOK EXCERPTS
Read an Excerpt
ONE
I am ugly. There’s a mathematical equation to prove it. Or so I was told by the boy who sat behind me the first day of seventh-grade art class.
“I’m going to stick my pencil through the back of your eye,”...