Each page readers flip through in teen author Ava K. Perlin\u2019s children\u2019s book, One in a Millieon, emphasizes themes of curiosity, inclusion, kindness, and advocacy through storytelling in rhyme schemes.<\/p>\n
The semi-autobiographical story follows two sisters. The younger one, eponymously named Millie, has Down syndrome, as well as a passion for song and dance. Directly inspired by Perlin\u2019s experience as an older sibling, the book\u2019s overall message is summarized by its concluding line: \u201cNo need to change or try to fit in, my sister is one in a million.\u201d\u00a0<\/p>\n
\u201cMillie, very much a non-fiction element of the book, really does love to sing and dance,\u201d Ava, 17, says of her sister, who is three years younger. \u201cHer favorites are Broadway\u2014Hairspray, Mamma Mia!\u2014and Taylor Swift. She loves to watch movie musicals and learn the dances from them. And although I\u2019m not a huge singer or dancer, it really has the effect on people that makes you want to join in and just have as much fun.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cPeople who don\u2019t know Millie well probably don\u2019t realize how funny of a kid she is,\u201d adds Ava\u2019s dad, Ryan Perlin. \u201cEvery day, Millie will say something that just has us all in tears of laughter because we didn\u2019t expect it. But she also has an innate emotional EQ. When I walk in the door at the end of the day, she can sense immediately what my day\u2019s been like. People with developmental disabilities [often] get put into a particular box. People assume they know what they are like, or assume that they\u2019re not capable of doing X, Y, or Z, when the reality is their personality is as rich and diverse as everybody else\u2019s.\u201d<\/p>\n
A rising senior at Garrison Forest School (GFS) in Owings Mills, Ava originally wrote the story for a school project. After it was met with a heartwarming response, she later self-published and released it for purchase on Amazon\u00a0<\/a>with encouragement from her teachers.\u00a0<\/p>\n \u201cThe plan for this book when Ava wrote it wasn\u2019t to publish it,\u201d explains Ava\u2019s mom, Lauren Perlin. \u201cI think that changed the day that Ava read it to the Lower School at Garrison Forest. Teachers and parents in the room were interested in purchasing a copy. For us, seeing Ava talk to people who really think this message is valuable was probably one of the proudest moments.\u201d<\/p>\n While its message is relatable to anyone, Ava says the target audience is youth, hoping that it can teach lessons of practicing fairness regardless of ability.<\/p>\n \u201cIt describes situations that are applicable to all people,\u201d Ava says. \u201cSome people have told me that they plan to share this with their kids or their grandkids, or give it as a baby shower gift, because they think that this is something that younger generations need to learn at very young age.\u201d<\/p>\n Garrison Forest\u2019s Passion Project, the assignment for which Ava created the book, \u201cis designed to help students dig deeper into a topic of interest for them\u2014to share a story that is personal, meaningful, and helpful to others,\u201d explains GFS Director of Communications Shelly Placek, who expressed school-wide pride in Ava\u2019s work. With the approval of GFS English teacher Kristen Miller, Ava wrote the story and prompted the DALL-E AI software to generate customized illustrations.\u00a0<\/p>\n