I Am a Masterpiece! by Mia Armstrong | Signed by Maine Illustrator

I Am A Masterpiece!

Written by Mia Armstrong
Illustrated by Alexandra Thompson
Published by Random House Books for Young Readers
January 9, 2024

All copies are signed by Alexandra, and if you would like a special inscription from her please leave the details in your order. There is no charge for the personalization!

Tween actress Mia Armstrong celebrates her fun, funny, beautiful childhood living with Down syndrome in this debut picture book.

Mia likes many of the things other people like–going to the beach, the color blue, drawing. But she doesn’t like when strangers stare at her because she looks different from them.

Down syndrome allows Mia to see and understand the world in a way that may not make sense to others. She considers it her superpower–and instead of it making her strange, she considers herself a masterpiece. As we all are.

In this sparkling picture book, Mia offers a glimpse into the life of a child with Down syndrome, helping some readers see themselves in a book and helping others understand those friends, classmates, and family members who are neurodivergent.

Reviews:

“A celebration of self-advocacy, self-expression, and self-acceptance.” —Kirkus Reviews

“Thompson’s delicate pencil and gouache renderings amplify the emotion that infuses the text’s vision of external patience and self-love.” —Publishers Weekly

From the illustrator:

It was an honor to be able to illustrate this special book written by Mia Armstrong. I had so much fun learning about Mia and drawing her doing some of her favorite things like making art and surfing - two things I love to do, too!