A Face for Picasso is a poignant, heart hitting memoir. Ariel Henley and her twin were born with Crouzon syndrome, which meant a lot of facial and cranial surgeries. It also meant a lot of heartbreak as they realized their differences did not measure up to societal standards of beauty. Henley shares her raw physical and emotional pain, her love for her family, and her sadness (and at times anger) about how others treated her in a manner that will help teens build empathy for others.

I appreciated the way Henley wove stories of Picasso (and his treatment and depictions of the women in his life) into her exploration of societal beauty standards as compared to her physical appearance. This provided another layer to her very personal story that would help others relate more.

This would be a great book for students to read in book club groups. There are many aspects for them to compare thinking and reactions, connect to their own experiences, and discuss how they might be upstanders for others.

Thank you to Macmillan Children's Publishing Group, Farrar, Straus and Giroux (BYR), Netgalley, and the author for early access to this book.

Thank you to Macmillan Children's Publishing for a free review copy of this book. All thoughts and opinions expressed in this review are my own.

A Face For Picasso is one of the most beautiful books I've ever read. Throughout the book we travel through Ariel's journey with her sister Zan who also has Crouzon Syndrome through Ariel's perspective. We learn of what she hoped for, what she was afraid of and the struggles that made her who she is today.

I was drawn into this book with its captivating writing and heart warming story. I found it read like fiction in the best way. I was completely captivated by this story of two loving sisters dealing with this horrible condition and they had no one to understand what they were dealing with but each other. I can honestly say I have never loved a memoir the way I love this one. There are so many reasons to read this book. There is so much hope and strength held within its pages despite all the pain and suffering Ariel and Zan suffered through.

If you only read one nonfiction book this year, I recommend it be this one.

As toddlers, Ariel and Zan were diagnosed with Crouzon syndrome- a condition where the bones of the skull fuse permanently. They were the first known twins to survive it. Due to this, they had repetitive surgeries to enlarge their skulls, which largely alerted their appearance. The procedures were physically painful, but this suffering was nothing compared to the emotional pain of being ridiculed for disfigured faces.

Thanks to NetGalley and Macmillan Children's Publishing Group for providing this e-ARC in exchange for an honest review. When I first requested this book, I didn't realize that this was a memoir (a genre that I enjoy). Before reading, I had a vague idea that this would be a sob story about all the struggles faced by the author, but the book exceeded my expectations. I got hooked on the first chapter, and I loved every bit of the book. The story starts from when they were diagnosed and the impact it had on their loved ones. One of my favorite lines from this book goes, "What hurts more than going through the surgeries yourself is seeing someone you love go through it." The family and friend aspect and makes it more touching and oddly relatable. Unlike some other autobiographies, this one does not portray the writer as a perfect person. Ariel was not understanding and patient with the pain. She was angry, confused, fed up, and said things she didn't mean. This is what I loved about her writing. Her honesty when she wrote how messed up and at times lonely her life was, and how it could have been better with a little more acceptance and a little less judgment. The book is not inspiring because it's about trauma (and neither was it marketed that way). It is inspiring because it's relatable, fun, and nostalgic. Although the twins had their struggles, they tried to laugh at them, show others that it was okay to laugh with them, blend in with others. This read is one of the best and most impactful autobiographies ever. Parts of it can be disturbing for readers below 10, but most readers will love it. Even if you are not a fan of this genre, I think this is worth a read.

Note on Picasso- I wish I could give this a five-star rating, but this is where Ariel's writing drooped. The book is named so because of an incident in her childhood that impacted Ariel greatly, but it doesn't have a significant connection with him. There are references to him made throughout the book, which were educational regarding Picasso, but felt very out of place.

Rating- 4/5

I'd seen a couple of people whose reading taste I really trust recommend Ariel's book online, so I picked it up without knowing anything about the author beforehand. I'm so glad I did. Ariel captured her (and her sister Zan's) adolescence with Crouzon syndrome in such a raw, visceral, unapologetic way. Her honesty and vulnerability truly shines through, as she makes no excuse for the bad behavior of others (or her own) and examines the realities of societal beauty norms, PTSD, anxiety, depression, and so much more without judgment, only a desire to scrutinize and understand them. I cried all the way through the handful of chapters describing the sisters' surgeries and recovery, not only because what they went through was so brutal, but because their deep love for and empathy for one another was so astounding and utterly moving. I was less interested in the Picasso narrative that runs throughout. I see why it's there, and did learn a lot about the artist (and abusive abelist misogynist) but it didn't really add anything to the overall narrative. I feel like, were the title of the book different, it would have been wholly unnecessary. Highly recommend for fans of memoir everywhere.

- I love the concept of a YA memoir, especially when it's one as good as A FACE FOR PICASSO. Henley covers so much in this book, and not just her own personal experience: she also writes about ableism, beauty standards, and more in a larger sense in a way that young people might not have access to without books in the YA section like this.
- Henley is quite blunt in discussing not only the physical but also the emotional trauma of her surgeries and their aftermaths, and the toll it took on her and her sister to be attempting to recover bodily while being attacked mentally by their peers and also their own PTSD symptoms.
- This book also touches on ableism in education: how these girls were missing school for lifesaving surgeries and then got punished for being absent, how no one told them the school could provide at-home tutors for them until they were in HIGH SCHOOL, how people assumed they were less intelligent or less capable of athletic activity because of their looks.
- Henley is also one of the most empathetic people I've ever encountered. Each time she recounted a time someone was cruel to her because of her looks, she used her adult perspective (and clearly years in therapy) to point out that these people were hurting for various reasons too, and taking it out on her. I'm so glad to see this lesson embedded in a book for young people (not to mention the extended discussion of what Picasso was really like).

Ariel Henely and her twin sister Alixandria (Zan) were born with Crouzon Syndrome, a rare genetic disorder that causes the bones in the skull to fuse together early. They are the first twins known to survive it. Ariel tells her story of growing up with this disfiguring disorder and how it effected her and her sister.

Ariel's, and by extension Zan's, is a story of pain, but it's also a story of hope and inner strength. The girls undergo multiple surgeries every few years where the doctors break the bones in their faces and skulls and then expand them. They are incredibly painful and leave them swollen and bruised and looking nothing like they used to. But without the surgeries, their lives would be in danger.

Ariel describes things in detail using her own memory, childhood journals, accounts from her parents and older siblings, and her own medical records. I thought my own records were long at two charts at my pulmonologist's office by 15 (I've probably filled up another two over the last 20 years), hers is over 1000 pages. The descriptions of pain, surgeries, and being in the hospital can be difficult to read, bur are the only way to accurately portray what she and her sister went through.

Ariel and Zan are bullied and teased throughout school for their appearance. They are disfigured from the syndrome and the surgeries to "fix" them leave them more disfigured. The bullying and subsequent self esteem issues are also described and would make for a great discussion on the topic with teen readers, and even adult ones. Our society is obsessed with beauty and fitting in, but Ariel and Zan weather the storm that is middle and high school with grace and strength.

The memoir brings up bullying, self esteem, and what it means to be beautiful. All topics that we need to discuss in our society today. Another theme is being "normal" as both girls just want to look like everyone else. I can relate to that as my omphalocele made me look pregnant for seven years before it was "fixed". I too wanted to be "normal". But "normal" is over rated.

A final theme is Picasso and his works. I learned a lot about Picasso as a person through reading this. I had no idea of his personality and his horrible treatment of woman. The twins are compared to Picasso's work at a young age in a Marie Claire France article, in middle school Ariel takes art and is introduced to the golden ratio and begins researching Picasso. Ariel struggles with this concept until the portion entitled "healing" where she comes to terms with the comparison.

The descriptions can be graphic, and therefore use caution if you are grossed out by medical procedures. Over all, this is a story of perseverance, determination to get through and prove your worth, and survival in the face of unimaginable situations. These surgeries are extremely dangerous and life threatening, but without them their lives would be threatened anyway. It's a story of strength and familial love. A story of hope that things will get better and work out. In the words of kids today, "all the feels". Four and a half Lightsabers to this powerful and much needed memoir.

Ariel Henry impressed me with her honesty, bravery, and strength. I had never heard of this syndrome before the book, so it is also educational. A memoir worth reading.

What a beautifully written and poignant memoir. I finished this book at 12:31 am with tears steaming down my face.

Author Ariel Henley is wise beyond her years, with no wonder. She and her twin sister Zan were born with Crouzon syndrome – a rare, genetic craniofacial condition. Since they were toddlers, Ariel and her sister have been subjected to many facial surgeries to correct the premature fusing of their facial bones. Doctors have had to break their facial bones, create spaces, and put them back together.

In her memoir, the author captures her coming-of-age while being born “different” - especially in a country obsessed with the Western standard of beauty.

Her narrative is self-aware, thoughtful, and honest –always being cognizant of the wider, social themes as she describes her experiences growing up. I loved learning about her, reading about her close-knit family, and empathize with what she and her sister went through. Henley weaves in much of Picasso’s art & history throughout the chapters. As she puts it, she has a face for Picasso –and I thought her comparisons to the different creative periods of Picasso’s life and his relationships with women was so clever and insightful.

𝘚𝘰𝘮𝘦𝘵𝘪𝘮𝘦𝘴 𝘪𝘵 𝘧𝘦𝘭𝘵 𝘭𝘪𝘬𝘦 𝘡𝘢𝘯 𝘢𝘯𝘥 𝘐 𝘸𝘦𝘳𝘦 𝘰𝘯𝘦 𝘰𝘧 𝘗𝘪𝘤𝘢𝘴𝘴𝘰'𝘴 𝘭𝘢𝘺𝘦𝘳𝘦𝘥 𝘱𝘢𝘪𝘯𝘵𝘪𝘯𝘨𝘴, 𝘢𝘭𝘸𝘢𝘺𝘴 𝘣𝘦𝘪𝘯𝘨 𝘱𝘢𝘪𝘯𝘵𝘦𝘥 𝘰𝘷𝘦𝘳. 𝘛𝘩𝘦 𝘵𝘳𝘶𝘵𝘩 𝘰𝘧 𝘸𝘩𝘰 𝘸𝘦 𝘸𝘦𝘳𝘦 𝘦𝘳𝘢𝘴𝘦𝘥 𝘵𝘰 𝘮𝘢𝘬𝘦 𝘳𝘰𝘰𝘮 𝘧𝘰𝘳 𝘸𝘩𝘰 𝘸𝘦 𝘸𝘦𝘳𝘦 𝘣𝘦𝘤𝘰𝘮𝘪𝘯𝘨.

I learned so much from this young woman. This memoir is amazing and I hope I see it in schools and libraries everywhere.

Thank you Macmillan Teen and Net Galley for the advanced e-copy of this book.

I thought this was a beautifully written story that really drew me in. I highly recommend picking this one up and adding it to classroom libraries!

I included this in an article on biographies and memoirs I wrote for an upcoming issue of School Library Journal. I also reviewed it on my personal goodreads, which I linked below! Thanks so much.

Ariel Henley tells a story of craniofacial disorders. Now, having read Wonder, I was curious to get a "real" version of what it might be like to be a child who grew up in such a manner. The result is a powerful novel, albeit one that's difficult to read. At times, Henley shows extreme self-loathing, to the point where it's almost too much. Like, you're a great kid - take it easy! But then, I realized how hard it must be to go through life with people staring and pointing, and how that eventually colors your inside perception of yourself. I'm hoping to integrate this into a coming of age unit, as I think it would be excellent to include something to help my students develop empathy.

Ariel Henley's writing is succinct, impactful, and aims an arrow at the heart of every topic she focuses on. Her story couldn't have been an easy one to tell, and she's frank about her and her twin's experiences, the traumas of multiple major surgeries over the span of their childhood and the effects of those that changed one of the things we, as a whole, use to keep a sense of identity; their faces.

This book is unflinching, but not the inspiration porn you might get from writers who are building a fictitious character. Ariel lets the reader see a glimpse of her experiences, refusing to look away from the difficulties, and also refusing to be othered by them. This is an incredible book for any age, for so many reasons. As a masterclass in brevity of word without sacrificing emotion, as a reminder that every person we meet in our life is a fellow human being and not simply a snap judgement we make of them based on looks alone, as a testament to the power of words and how they can pull us through the dark, and simply as a damn good auto-biography.

This book is just fantastic. Ariel Henley is a gifted writer, and A Face for Picasso exemplifies the elegance of her work. She discusses her facial difference, as well as her emotional and medical struggles, in a very open and honest manner. The book, on the other hand, is brimming with emotion. Throughout the novel, I found myself crying and unable to put the book down.

Her writing about her trauma emanates maturity. It’s what she calls it. She doesn’t declare she’s “over it,” but she does communicate a sense of assurance that the reader can understand where she is on her path as a woman with a facial difference who has been through a lot.

Finally, she expertly crafted a piece about herself and her sister.

This was an interesting read since it read like a memoir, but had elements of fiction on non-fiction. I was drawn to the premise of this book since so knew it was a real story. The idea that a baby could be born with the inability of their bones/skull to grow with the rest of their body was horrifying. I empathized with all they went through, and put myself in the parents’ shoes as they kept getting back different looking children after each surgery. I can’t even imagine how that would feel, let alone not recognizing your own face in the mirror.

I just want to speak on how this novel discusses topics which most ya novels tend to ignore! I feel like more ya novels should not only engage readers but also educate them on some level like this one does! Just because someone is “different” does not mean that they are helpless! A fabulous read that shook me to my core

Wow this book was a lot to take in. Very well written.

This is about Ariel Henley who, along with her twin Zan, were born with Crouzon syndrome - a rare condition where the bones in the head fuse prematurely. This book is in three parts. It first talks about when she was born, and her first early years when they had to undergo many surgeries to save their lives and their recovery. Second part is more focused on middle school to high school years and what they experienced going to school and how people treated them. Then the third part was life after high school.

This is a heart wrenching story. I did not know about this syndrome until I read this, and I feel a lot more educated about it. It not only talked about the syndrome the girls were born with, but it also talked a lot about people and their views, about body image, and what others think beauty and ugly is. It even talked a lot of about Picasso and the kind of person he really was and how distorted his view was of beauty and women.

Reading this took me back to my childhood and when I went to school. Kids are mean, and I had my fair share of bullying and how much everyone viewed beauty as the norm. It’s sad to read this and remember when I was kid how focused everyone is on body image and beauty. And if you’re ugly(to them) then you’re frowned upon. I could never imagine what these girls exactly went through or how they felt, but I do understand how someone may judge someone by their looks rather than the person they are. I don’t think I’ve ever truly recovered from school and how I thought I needed to look because others thought something or someone was ugly or beautiful. It’s sad that people do that. No one should judge a book by its cover. And I think Ariel’s story really emphasizes that and I’m glad I got the opportunity to read this book. Thank you to NetGalley and the author for a free digital copy to read and review.

A Face for Picasso is a memoir from Ariel Henley, who has Crouzon syndrome, a cranial disease where babies' skulls fuse together too early and the skull stops growing. Ariel and her twin sister, Zan, grow up having numerous surgeries to try to relieve the pressure. It also deals with the stigma of being different and be thought of as ugly.

This was an interesting book, but the descriptions of the surgery aftermath could be graphic at times. It was well written and I hope teens who read this book will develop more compassion for people who are perceived different from them.

Good book, not great. The author's story itself is inspiring. The attempts to use Picasso as a metaphor and weave the symbology into the book were clunky.
Had political content that seemed tedious and gratuitous.
Teens NEED to read this book.

I wish I could give this book more than 5 stars. Written with so much honesty, emotion, and pain, the author’s story will stay with me for a long time. It forces readers to examine societal standards and norms on every level (school, community, teams, etc). How can someone who does not seem to hold up to those external standards survive? Find peace in themselves? The duality of fierce family love yet making light of experiences to normalize, while invalidating, is brought up as well. Incredibly written; this book is a must-read for all.

The true story of Ariel and her sister growing up different. Ariel tells about her many, many surgeries and how after each one, she didn't look like herself anymore. Also, she tells about how hard it is to grow up different in a world where beauty is celebrated. A story that will stick with you.