Maryland teen’s book for children honors sister with Down syndrome

One 17-year-old from Maryland has found a special way to honor her little sister with Down syndrome: by writing a book about her.

Key Takeaways:

• Maryland high schooler Ava Perlin has written a book about her sister, Millie, called “One in a Millieon” as a way to foster inclusivity for those who have Down syndrome.

• Ava hopes the book will inspire others to see past the differences of those with special needs.

The Details:

Ava Perlin told WBALTV that her book, “One in a Millieon,” began as a school project to foster inclusivity for others — in particular, her sister Millie, who is three years younger than she. Perlin said she noticed that many kids in school were unsure how to treat Millie because she has Down syndrome.

“The biggest thing I noticed with her in school was less of the stereotypical bullying and more distance,” she said. “People feared the unknown and didn’t know how to interact with people who were different.”

Teen publishes book in tribute to little sister

When her 11th grade English teacher told the students they had to pick a passion project, Ava had the idea to create a book meant to foster inclusivity.

“That word — inclusivity — has real meaning and value in our home,” Ava’s mom, Lauren Perlin, told the news outlet. “So, to think that Ava chose to write a story about this — the impact Millie had on her, and what inclusivity means to her — is special and powerful.”

Ava’s school project garnered such a positive response that she decided to turn it into a published book, which is now available on outlets like Amazon, where it’s currently the number one new release in the Teaching Students with Developmental & Intellectual Disabilities category. One Amazon reviewer notes that the book is “A heartfelt message about the power of love, family, inclusion, acceptance and celebrating our differences.”

The Bottom Line

As people with Down syndrome are so often overlooked — or not given a chance at life at all, as their parents are routinely encouraged to abort them if they are diagnosed prenatally — the message of inclusion and acceptance cannot be overstated.

As Ava told WBAL-TV, she hopes the book inspires people to be more open to those who are different.

“I want them to be a little less worried about people who are different, and a little bit more comfortable being themselves,” she said. “These people just want to be themselves as well.”