A Face for Picasso: Coming of Age with Crouzon Syndrome [Paperback]

A Schneider Family Book Award Honor Book for Teens

Raw and unflinching . . . A must-read! --Marieke Nijkamp, #1New York Times-bestselling author ofThis Is Where It Ends

[It] cuts to the heart of our bogus ideas of beauty. Scott Westerfeld, #1New York Times-bestselling author ofUglies


I am ugly. There's a mathematical equation to prove it.

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.

Ariel Henleyis a writer from Northern California with a B.A. in English and Political Science from the University of Vermont. She is passionate about writing as a form of activism, and hopes to use her story to promote mainstream inclusion for individuals with physical differences. Her work has appeared inThe New York Times, The Atlantic, The Washington Post,andNarratively. A Face for Picassois her debut novel.

A YALSA Excellence in Young Adult Nonfiction Finalist
A Schneider Family Book Award Honor Book for Teens
ANCSS Notable Book
A Golden Kite Award for Nonfiction for Older Readers
A 2021 Booklist Editors' Choice
A New York Public Library Best Books of 2021
The myFace Courage Award
Texas Topaz Reading List Selecl#'